TBILISI, November 11 – Georgia’s jailed opposition activist and opera singer Paata Burchuladze has accused former president Salome Zourabichvili of making a “shameful” statement about the October 4 events in Tbilisi, which she described as a Russian special operation.
Speaking through his lawyer, Burchuladze said Zourabichvili should have exercised restraint and avoided making comments that cast suspicion on those already facing long prison terms.
Zourabichvili’s remarks, made shortly after protesters stormed the presidential residence in October, described the incident as a “Russian psychological operation” designed to discredit her and damage Georgia’s fragile democracy. She claimed that the event was carefully planned to exploit public frustration and turn protests violent. “The operation failed,” the president said, insisting that the protest movement had remained peaceful and legitimate despite the provocation.
Burchuladze, who has been in custody since the failed protest, was charged as one of the alleged organizers. His lawyer, Shota Tutberidze, told reporters that Burchuladze plans to respond in detail after December 8, when he will be allowed to send letters from prison. Until then, communication restrictions prevent him from issuing any direct statement.
According to Tutberidze, Burchuladze believes Zourabichvili’s words “raise unfair suspicions” about people who are already “paying a heavy price” for their role in the protests. The lawyer said it was “unethical” for political figures who remain free and face no criminal charges to make such accusations while others face years in prison.
Analyst Gia Abashidze told newspaper Rezonansi that he doesn’t think there will come out anything significant once the opera singer turned activists tells his side of the October 4 story. “He will probably make sensational accusations to defend himself,” Abashidze said, predicting that Burchuladze might blame both his former allies and government officials to justify his role.
Another analyst, Nika Chitadze, suggested that Burchuladze in his retelling of the October 4 events will focus on how the protest was planned and who participated in the discussions leading up to it. He dismissed Zourabichvili’s claim of Russian involvement, saying it only served to strengthen the ruling party’s justification for arresting opposition leaders. “I said at the time that it was wrong to promise a change of government on that specific date. It disappointed many people,” Chitadze said.
The October 4 protest, which turned chaotic when demonstrators tried to enter the presidential residence, has since become one of the most divisive moments in Georgia’s recent political history. The ruling Georgian Dream party called it an attempted coup, while different versions of what happened have been offered among the opposition. Some activists remain in detention, with famed opera singer Burchuladze among the most high-profile of them.
