The people of Georgia are in danger. This sensational statement was made by the Georgian President’s former American advisor, journalist Jeffrey Silverman. According to him, a laboratory on the outskirts of Tbilisi is developing health hazardous viruses that are being tested on local residents.
The laboratory is named after American senator Richard Lugar. This is not a mere coincidence. The laboratory was opened with the assistance of the American government. According to official information, specialists at the laboratory study the genetics of bacteria and viruses. However, former advisor to the President Jeffrey Silverman believes that the laboratory is engaged in developing viruses rather than studying them.
Reportedly, in 2001-2003, Silverman helped Mikhail Saakashvili to carry out his presidential campaign. But later their paths diverged. The latest statement by Silverman that residents of Georgia have become a target of dangerous experiments is one of the most discussed topics in Georgia now. According to Silverman, experiments with viruses have led to the spread of such dangerous illnesses as pig flu and measles. In fact, deputy director of the National Agency for Diseases Control Paata Imnadze says that a rise in infection rate has nothing to do with the laboratory.
“At present, elder people are getting sick because their immunity is low. In 2008, we launched a large-scale campaign to vaccinate one million. But we vaccinated only 500,000. At present, we see its consequences,” Paata Imnadze said.
The Georgian government described the statement as absurd. A deputy of the Georgian parliament Irina Imerlishvili says the laboratory is a scientific research institute, but not the Pentagon’s biological weapon department.
“The laboratory was opened during President Saakashvili’s rule. He himself attended the ceremony. It’s well-known that Saakashvili does not love his people and loves to conduct experiments on them, of course. However, I believe that it has nothing to do with this case,” Irina Imerlishvili said.
The President’s former advisor’s scandalous statement has not confirmed yet. Outsiders are banned from entering the laboratory. The workers are allowed to enter the building after several checks. However, Silverman is ready to go further. He promised to tell Georgians the whole truth about their leader shortly.
http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_05_06/Georgia-conducts-dangerous-experiments-with-viruses/
http://en.tabula.ge/article-7181.html
A curious thing happened on May 8, 2013.
After being put under the spotlight by recent media speculation that Georgia was housing a bio-weapons lab, namely the Richard G. Lugar Center for Public Health Research in Tbilisi, the facility was visited by the Prime Minister of Georgia, accompanied by both the Georgian Health Minister and the US Ambassador.
Hours later the Georgian government formally announced the liquidation of the Center, no reason being given.
According to government decree No 422, dated the previous day (7th May 2013), the assets of the Center will be handed over to the Georgian National Center for Disease Control. A liquidation commission will be set up to carry out the liquidation procedure. The commission will be manned by representatives of government entities.
US Embassy releases statement regarding Jeffrey Silverman’s interview
U.S. Embassy Statement (April 17)
The United States strongly supports freedom of speech and the press and has long advocated for a free and pluralistic media environment in Georgia and elsewhere. Nevertheless, with journalistic freedom comes responsibility, including the responsibility to corroborate information before reporting it. The interview excerpts Kviris Palitra published today on its website and Facebook page contain a number of statements about U.S. policy that are absolutely without any basis in fact, and that, unfortunately, reflect on the veracity of their apparent source.
The US Embassy to Georgia has released a statement with regard to Mikheil Saakashvili’s former American advisor Jeffrey Silverman’s interview published in the ‘Kvela Siakhle’ newspaper. A subsequent interview was aired the next day by all main Georgian TV stations, with the notable exception of Rustavi2. The program included various experts who agreed and disagreed with the allegations of Jeffrey Silverman to varying degrees.
The ensuring press release by the US Embassy was expected by many who are close to the issues covered: 2008 Georgian Russian war, allegations of Bechtel National, a US Defense Contractor being involved in the commissioning of a 150 million dollar Central Reference Laboratory that is claimed by many to be a cover for bio weapons research, and the circumstances surrounding the death by gassing of the former Georgian Prime Minister, Zurab Zhvania.
Silverman also says in the interview that in the laboratory that is located next to Tbilisi are storing and producing anthrax, measles, Black Death and H1N1 virus, etc. He further claims that effort is being made to expand the program and have weaponized agents that can be used in bio warfare. He used to train during his military years at the Blue Grass Army Repository in Richmond Kentucky – a major site in the United States for the storage of nerve gas and other bio weapons.
“The laboratory is located next to the Tbilisi airport. In 2007, it was created by Saakashvili with the help of the US Department of Defense. This is revealing in itself – if it was truly a reference lab for human and animals, it should be under the direction of the Ministry of Health and not a joint US and Georgian Departments of Defense Project.
Even the choice of its direction raises many flags. Anna Zhvania, the former head of the special Foreign Intelligence Service of Georgia was appointed the laboratory director. There they research components of biological weapons that are prohibited in America. If there is a case of emergency, Georgia will be wiped off the face of the earth. In the Tbilisi laboratory they are preparing anthrax, measles, black plague and H1N1. It is possible that an artificial spread of these viruses takes place, such as measles, which today is a serious problem for this country. The same laboratory was opened in Kobuleti under the auspices of the UK Ministry of Defense but that one deals with plant material; there is also a mini-biological laboratory is in Kutaisi too”, Jeffrey Silverman says.