Georgian PM Lashes Out At Former Ministers

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has accused two ministers who left the cabinet last week of "anti-state activities," saying they "misrepresented Georgia" to the West.

Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze quit on November 5, a day after Garibashvili fired Defense Minister Irakli Alasania.

Both warned that Georgia's pro-Western course was in jeopardy.

Garibashvili said on November 10 that Alasania had positioned Georgia as a country that should continue reforms conducted by former President Mikheil Saakashvili while "not mentioning human rights violations and killings" he said took place under Saakashvili.

Garibashvili said Panjikidze "presented our government in the same manner" abroad.

Panjikidze called Garibashvili's accusations "absurd."

Alasania was elected chairman of the Free Democrats party on November 8 and said his party would run separately from Garibashvili's Georgian Dream coalition in a 2016 parliamentary election.

With reporting by apsny.ge