On 19 October, the head of the Georgian State Security Service (SSS), Grigol Liluashvili, said that external security challenges, including Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and the continuing military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, had made the past year particularly challenging in terms of security and stability. He noted that the war in Ukraine initiated by the Russian Federation has posed significant additional challenges to Georgia's security, territorial integrity and socio-political stability, with implications for the country's economy.
Asked about the investigation into the so-called [USAID] training conspiracy scenario, Liluashvili said that the people who participated or were involved in the training are being summoned to the investigation. According to him, most of them say they don't remember or don't understand, which makes their attitude in front of the TV cameras even more suspicious.

Possible Russian base at Ochamchire Bay

Commenting on Moscow's alleged plans to establish a new Russian naval base on the Abkhazian coast, Liluashvili stated that "at present, the infrastructure in Ochamchire Bay of [the separatist] Abkhazia is not capable of receiving large submarines and surface frigates." According to the head of the Georgian State Security Service, the Abkhazian port serves small ships, seiners and patrol boats, and the infrastructure for this was built between 2009 and 2011. "According to experts, it will take at least three years to transform the existing infrastructure and bring the port to such a state, taking into account the deepening of the seabed and the development of infrastructure," Liluashvili said. The SSS chief was also asked whether the Ochamchire port posed a threat to the Georgian port of Anaklia. "Not only does the port threaten Anaklia, but the whole Anaklia project is threatened by the occupation. Imagine, a few kilometres from the port of Anaklia, there is the Russian regular army, several thousand armed soldiers and heavy equipment. This is a threat to Georgia - it was and it is, and if the occupation issue continues like this, it will be a threat to Georgia, including the port of Anaklia," Liluashvili stressed.

Parliament questions Foreign Minister on strengthening ties with China

During a question-and-answer session on 20 October on the recently established strategic partnership between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Georgia, Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili responded to questions from the opposition.
Darchiashvili said that the declared goals of the parties [China and Georgia] do not imply a change in the direction of Georgia's foreign policy and are fully in line with the country's growth plan as well as the historical decision of the Georgian people. He said that Georgia remains the only nation in the region to have free trade agreements with both the European Union and the People's Republic of China, adding that Georgia has proven to be a reliable partner for both China and the EU.
The official noted that numerous members of the European Union are part of the Chinese government's initiative known as Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries, and that Georgia's participation as an observer would give it more clout in moving closer to the EU.

Seeking to reassure the parliament, Darchiashvili said that the Chinese government had never questioned Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. "They are well aware that the Russian Federation still occupies 20% of our regions and that one of the main priorities of our government is to use political methods to peacefully liberate the nation," the foreign minister said.