On August 7, 2021, an anonymous Georgian-language Facebook account posted several quotes ascribed to Irakli Kobakhidze, chairman of the “Georgian Dream” party in the Facebook group “Winner Irakli Garibashvili 41” The following quote is attached to one of Kobakhidze’s photos: “Wild pork meat in the plastic bags does not spoil for three days. This is also the case for humans; This was also proven by the expertise, so it was not necessary for the rescue helicopter to arrive there soon. Some people said that the dead bodies dumped in the plastic bags would rot; this is a provocation.”
According to the second post published by the same user, Kobakhidze allegedly claims that the country has one rescue helicopter, which is quite enough, while those people who do not know how to swim should not go to the sea and will not die. The third post alleges that Kobakhidze called the Shovi tragedy a sacrifice to God. The fourth post argues that Kobakhidze allegedly claimed that meat does not spoil in plastic bags; on the contrary, it lasts longer, which is why the rescue helicopter was not in a hurry to arrive. According to the fifth post, Kobakhidze allegedly said that during the disaster, he was sleeping in the jacuzzi with his wife, and when he woke up, he saw how the corpses of people who did not know how to swim were being put in plastic bags. In the sixth quote spread in the name of Kobakhidze, it is claimed that the people who died did not know how to swim, and natural disasters have nothing to do with it, as people die every year because of not knowing how to swim.
In addition, the same user also published several quotes (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) in the name of the mayor of Tbilisi, Kakha Kaladze. In the quotes, it is said that Kaladze took his children and ran away from the disaster zone when the disaster started, at which time the people who were being caught in the landslide were asking for help. However, he is the mayor of the city and not a rescuer, so he could not help the people trapped in the landslide.
The quotes disseminated in the name of Irakli Kobakhidze and Kakha Kaladze are fabricated. Statements of similar content cannot be found in open sources, media outlets, nor on the official Facebook pages of Kobakhidze and Kaladze.
Irakli Kobakhidze did not make statements about plastic bags and sacrifice
On August 5, 2023, the Chairman of the “Georgian Dream” party, Irakli Kobakhidze, said that it would be better if specialists and experts talked about the causes of the natural disaster. According to Kobakhidze, there was no increase or decrease in the water level in Shovi during the previous days.
“As for assessments, analyses, etc. It is better that specialists talk about it. Of course, we have our own information, various information regarding everything; however, it is better that specialists, experts, competent people speak for us about all this” – said Kobakhidze.
Prior, Kobakhidze expressed his condolences to the relatives and friends of the victims of the natural disaster in Shovi. Kobakhidze noted that search and rescue operations are continuing. He thanked the rescuers, policemen, and soldiers who work day and night to save as many people as possible. “The situation is not easy, you see. Let’s hope that as many people as possible will be saved,” Kobakhidze said. It should be noted that Kobakhidze did not make statements about putting meat in plastic bags and sacrificing.
The anonymous Facebook account published quotes about the Shovi tragedy in the name of Tbilisi Mayor Kakhi Kaladze as well. On August 3, 2023, one of the citizens, who was searching for his family members in the disaster zone, told “TV Pirveli” that during the disaster, the Kaladze family was first evacuated from the hotel by helicopter. Later on, the representative of the Sunset Shovi Hotel stated that Kaladze’s family was indeed there, but they left the hotel a few hours before the disaster. Kaladze himself responded to the information and said that his family left the hotel area in their cars a few hours before the disaster. On August 7, 2023, TV company “Imedi” aired footage of Kaladze’s family leaving the area. Kaladze did not say in any interview or public speech that he was only concerned about helping his own children and did not consider the requests of other victims.
On August 3, 2023, information about the development of landslide processes in Shovi, Racha, was spread around 16:00. On the same day, the helicopter flew to the spot in around 3 hours. Nonetheless, the Soviet-made MИ-8 does not belong to the rescue service but to the border police. On this day, the rescue helicopter made only two flights and was able to evacuate 70 people. Dozens of people, including children, were left without help until the next morning. According to the official explanation, the helicopter could not continue the rescue work due to the lack of a night vision system. Evacuation of the population is carried out only by helicopters owned by Georgia. Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili said on August 4 that there is no need to ask for help from neighboring countries. On August 4, the army was involved in search and rescue operations. According to the data of the morning of August 7, the natural disaster in Racha killed 18 people – 12 of them have been identified. Search operations are still continuing to find 17 missing people.
About the Source
Fake Facebook account Marika Mari does not share any personal information, nor does it feature profile or cover photos. The account shared only one post on July 15, in which it ridicules Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. In the Facebook group Winner Irakli Gharibashvili 41, the user systematically criticizes the “Georgian Dream” government and, in some cases, spreads false information about them ( 1, 2).
As for the Facebook group Winner Irakli Garibashvili 41, it was created on September 1, 2020, and its original name was “Winner Gakharia41”. Content supportive of Gharibashvili and the government 1, 2, 3) as well as posts aimed at discrediting them (1, 2, 3), are published in the group.
For more fabricated quotes and disinformation about Irakli Kobakhidze, see the articles prepared by “Myth Detector:”
- Fabricated Quote in the Name of Irakli Kobakhidze about Saakashvili (in Georgian)
- False Information about Irakli Kobakhidze in the Name of Tabula
- “Liberastuli Seni” Disseminates Irakli Kobakhidze’s 2017 Quote Manipulatively
- A Fabricated Quote Disseminated in the Name of Irakli Kobakidze
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