TBILISI, April 3. /TASS/. The National Congress of Slavic Peoples of Georgia requested the country’s Prosecutor General’s Office to launch a criminal case against vandals who earlier damaged a monument to 19th century Russian diplomat, poet and playwright Alexander Griboyedov in downtown Tbilisi, the organization told TASS on Saturday.

"Such actions committed by vandals are even more inadmissible given the scope and importance of Alexander Griboyedov in the history of Georgia. We ask you to launch a criminal case against those vandals on charges of desecrating objects of Georgia’s cultural heritage and inciting ethnic hatred," reads a letter sent to Georgian Prosecutor General Irakli Shotadze

On Thursday, the Tbilisi mayor’s office told TASS that unidentified persons desecrated the Alexander Griboyedov monument in the center of the city, writing anti-Russian slogans on the monument’s pedestal. The incident was apparently linked to a visit to Georgia by Russian journalist Vladimir Pozner.

Dozens of protesters outraged by Pozner’s remarks about Abkhazia and South Ossetia gathered near the Tbilisi hotel where the journalist was staying. Clashes with the police ensued. Pozner originally planned to stay in Georgia until April 3, but was forced to leave the country earlier due to the protests.