GROZNY, July 8. /TASS/. Chechnya's head Ramzan Kadyrov has called on the Georgian authorities to make official apologies for TV host Georgi Gabunia's offensive remarks against the Russian leadership.

"The insults were levelled not only against the Russian president, but also against Russian people in general and every Russian citizen in particular. Georgia's president and prime minister should immediately make official and public apologies to the Russian president," Kadyrov wrote on his Telegram account. "A criminal case should be opened against Gabunia for insulting Russia's highest-ranking official and for offending the honor and dignity of every Russian citizen. We cannot pretend forever that we don't see Goergia's openly hostile moves," he added. The Chechen leader noted that Gabunia's profanity-laden tirade is a shameful act.

Kadyrov said he believes that the TV host was not acting independently and called for imposing tough sanctions on Georgia. "There is no chance that the TV channel's executives did not know about the journalist's intentions. That's why we should treat this incident as a deliberately planned action from the Georgian side, if the country's authorities don't prove otherwise," he added.

In his Sunday program on Georgia's Rustavi-2 TV channel, Georgi Gabunia used foul language to scold the Russian leadership for more than a minute. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze, former Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and ex-Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze strongly condemned his remarks. Rustavi-2 Director General Nika Gvaramia also criticized Gabunia’s behavior. In addition, the TV host’s rant received a backlash from a large number of Georgian Facebook users.