TBILISI. Sept 30 (Interfax) - The Georgian State Security Service does not rule out the possibility of an attack on Nika Gvaramia, general director of the Georgian opposition TV channel Mtavari Arkhi, Bacha Mgeladze, deputy head of the Georgian State Security Service's antiterrorist center, said.
The special services informed him about that on Thursday, and he was given recommendations on boosting his personal security, Mgeladze said.
Gvaramia, for his part, told reporters he had received information a month ago that an assassination attack using a sniper was being prepared against him and that the attack was allegedly being prepared by people who arrived from Russia.
"I did not verify this information, relying on the special services, which gave me extra security. They said this information is most likely not serious. Today they told me the information has been confirmed and that a group of assassins have allegedly been identified. They also said an attack against another journalist is being prepared," Gvaramia said.
Gvaramia said he does not believe in the visiting "assassins" and accused the State Security Service of disclosing information that should stay secret. "There is no way I will believe that [former Georgian President Mikheil] Saakashvili prepared my elimination," Gvaramia said. However, he did not elaborate on the matter.
Gvaramia held the high posts of justice minister, education and science minister, and deputy prosecutor general in Saakashvili's government. He headed up the opposition TV channel Rustavi 2 after the administration changed in Georgia in 2012. He created a new opposition TV channel called Mtavari Arkhi in September 2019.
Elections to local self-government bodies are scheduled to be held in Georgia on October 2. Political polarization reached its peak before the elections. Former President Saakashvili said he was returning from Kyiv to Tbilisi in the evening of October 2. The authorities promised to arrest him at the airport and put him in prison.