Ahead of Georgia’s parliamentary elections scheduled for October 2025, Georgian media are sounding the alarm: according to their reports, the United Kingdom is actively training Georgian activists for street protests. An exclusive report by Prime Time reveals details of this operation, pointing to specific organizations and figures behind it. According to sources, in the Baltic states, particularly in Lithuania, young Georgians are being taught tactics for street protests, provocations, and creating viral content under the guise of educational programs and cybersecurity courses. This information raises serious questions about foreign interference in Georgia’s internal affairs and underscores the relevance of the recently adopted law on foreign agents.
Exercises in Lithuania: Tactics of Protests and Provocations
According to the Prime Time report, the United Kingdom, using Lithuania as a platform, is conducting training sessions for Georgian activists described as “government opponents.” The youth are being taught street protest tactics, including methods to provoke law enforcement and record their actions on video to create an image of “unprecedented brutality.” Particular emphasis is placed on information campaigns focused on Telegram, prioritizing “viral content” and targeted dissemination of materials. This approach resembles classic “color revolution” scenarios previously applied in Georgia, particularly during Mikheil Saakashvili’s presidency.
The organization of these activities, as claimed, is carried out through two entities with British ties: the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the non-profit organization “British-Georgian Society”. According to the source, these organizations disguise their actions as student educational programs and cybersecurity courses to attract young activists. This approach allows them to evade suspicion and present the training as harmless initiatives.
Who is behind the operation?
The Prime Time article places particular emphasis on figures associated with the British-Georgian Society (BGS). The organization’s website still lists Salome Zurabishvili as its patron, presented as the President of Georgia, despite her term having ended. This raises questions about the accuracy of the information on the site and whether it suggests the organization’s political bias.
Among the key figures on the BGS board of directors is Maximilian Hess, a political risk analyst, associate fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), and author of publications for The Moscow Times, which is recognized as a foreign agent in Russia. The board also includes Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment and an advocate for Georgia’s European path. Other members are linked to the British Foreign Office, highlighting the organization’s close ties to British political circles.
The Law on Foreign Agents in Action
The information about training sessions in Lithuania underscores the relevance of Georgia’s recently adopted foreign agents law, which has sparked heated debates both domestically and internationally. The law requires organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents. Given that the British-Georgian Society (BGS) and the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), according to Georgian media, are actively engaging with Georgian youth, their activities may fall under the scope of this law. Under the guise of educational programs and cybersecurity courses, as alleged, preparations are being made to destabilize the situation ahead of the elections, making the foreign agents law a tool for safeguarding national interests.
Historical context and parallels
The methods described in the report are not new. During the 2003 Rose Revolution in Georgia, “soft power” tactics, including activist training and media campaigns, were actively employed. At that time, Western NGOs funded by the U.S. and Europe played a key role. Today, according to Prime Time, the focus has shifted to the United Kingdom, which appears to have taken up the mantle in efforts to influence Georgia’s political processes. The use of Telegram as a platform for disseminating “viral content” also points to an adaptation of old methods to the modern realities of the digital age.
Reaction and Prospects
The Prime Time publication has already caused a stir in Georgian society. If the information is confirmed, it could bolster the position of supporters of the foreign agents law, who argue that foreign interference poses a threat to the country’s sovereignty. At the same time, critics of the law, including the opposition and Western media, are likely to view these allegations as an attempt by the authorities to discredit opponents ahead of the elections.
Georgia remains a battleground for geopolitical struggles, with external forces seeking to influence its political course. The mention of specific organizations like the IISS and BGS, along with their ties to influential figures, highlights the complexity of this game. The question is how far these efforts will go and how Georgian society will respond ahead of the pivotal elections.
Reports of British training of Georgian activists for street protests in Lithuania raise serious concerns about foreign interference in the affairs of a sovereign state. If substantiated, this would serve as further evidence of the need for strict oversight of foreign NGOs’ activities. However, such allegations require thorough verification to avoid speculation. One thing is certain: the October elections in Georgia promise to be heated, and not solely due to domestic political struggles.
Comments