Georgian Ambassador in Armenia Tengiz Sharmanashvili denies the involvement of Armenian citizens, including business people, in latest events in Tbilisi.

“I don’t think Armenian businessmen held posters and ran after Burdzhanadze. That would be more of a psychiatry sphere rather than politics,” added the Ambassador.

Asked about current situation in Georgia, Tengiz Sharmanashvili stressed that the situation is stable adding that holding rallies and demonstrations is the constitutional right of citizens and does not necessarily imply destabilization.

The envoy noted that a group of irresponsible citizens incited a violent confrontation with the police, forcing the latter to give a relevant response. As a result, 90 people were penalized under administrative law (detained from 30 to 60 hours) and some others were subjected to criminal liability. The fate of these people will be decided in a courtroom.

With regard to possible parallels between the events in Tbilisi on May 26, 2011 and March 1, 2008 in Yerevan, Tengiz Sharmanashvili pointed out to fundamental difference between the incidents.

“In Armenia the events were instigated by a clash of domestic policies rather than provoked by foreign states,” told Sharmanashvili.

According to the Ambassador, contrary to Armenia, in Georgia there are a number of groups aided from abroad, hindering the county’s integration into European Community and NATO.

“The road to Europe is hard, but we are ready to face difficulties,” said Sharmanashvili.

On May 26, Georgian authorities violently dispersed the peaceful opposition rally headed by Nino Burdzhanadze. According to official narrative one policeman and one rally participant died.