President's Administration Denies Reports about Zurabishvili's Visit to Minsk

The Administration of the President of Georgia categorically denies reports circulating about Salome Zurabishvili's visit to Minsk on August 16.

"We categorically deny the information being spread. The President has not left Georgia, not even Tbilisi," the Administration said.

Initially, analyst Egor Kuroptev reported that a plane owned by the Georgian government had landed in Minsk on August 16, stayed there for an hour, and returned. This was followed by the news about Zurabishvili's departure.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that a plane owned by the government did fly to Minsk, however, it was not the President but the Ambassador of Georgia to Belarus Mr. Valeri Kvaratskhelia who visited the capital of Belarus "to perform a special mission."

"The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Republic of Belarus, Valeri Kvaratskhelia, has been in Georgia since August 6. Due to the recent developments in Belarus, it became necessary for him to return to Minsk immediately. Due to the limited air traffic with Belarus and the need for the Ambassador to arrive in Minsk in a short time, a decision was made to fly him on a government plane," the Ministry explained.

On August 16, large-scale rallies over the disputed reelection of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko took place in Minsk and other cities of Belarus. 

Lukashenko was re-elected for a sixth time on August 9, which was met with widespread protests throughout the country and violent repression by Belarusian authorities.

By Ana Dumbadze