Pro-Russian Group Warned Against Public Display of Soviet Symbols

State commission in charge of overseeing enforcement of Georgia’s Liberty Charter has warned a newly launched pro-Russian movement, Socialist Georgia, not to display “symbols of totalitarian communist regime” at its public events.

“Otherwise, measures envisaged by the Georgian legislation will be applied,” the State Security Service said on August 3.

The state commission in charge of overseeing enforcement of the Liberty Charter operates under the State Security Service and also includes members of the Parliament.

The Liberty Charter, adopted in 2011, bans public display of Soviet and Nazi symbols.

In late 2013 it was amended, according to which if after a warning from the state commission this provision, banning public display of such symbols, is still violated the action will carry a financial penalty of GEL 1,000 (about USD 426).

People’s Movement of Socialist Georgia, chaired by Valeri Kvaratskhelia, who calls for a “strategic military partnership” with Russia, held at least two indoor gatherings over the past month – in the town of Gori in late June and then in Batumi on July 27, accompanied with the Soviet anthem and with presence of Soviet flags; some banners in the hall, where the gathering was held in Batumi, read: “We don’t believe in EU’s fairy tales; Georgia is for the Eurasian Union”. Russian MP from the Communist Party, Vladimir Simagin, was present at both of those events.

The state commission at the State Security Service has also notified the Interior Ministry about possible use of the Soviet symbols by the Socialist Georgia at its planned public event in eastern Georgian town of Telavi on August 4. The commission has told the Interior Ministry to “take relevant preventive measures against incitement of the communist totalitarian ideology.”