Kyiv is trying to drag Georgia into its war against Ukraine through the use of blackmail, but the attempted is “doomed to failure”, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Irakli Kobakhidze, said on Thursday in comments on Ukraine’s recent move to impose sanctions on the relatives of the founder of the GD BIdzina Ivanishvili and several other businesspeople. 

“The second front will not be opened in Georgia. Any such attempts will be doomed to failure, despite Kyiv is trying this deparetly”, Kobakhidze said. 

Kobakhidze said that the issue of a Swiss bank, which is delaying a transfer of 500 million USD to Ivanishvili after the recent judgment of the Bermuda court, had also been used for “blackmailing” Ivanishvili [for him allegedly to exercise pressure on the current Georgian Dream authorities to get involved in the war]. 

The ruling party chair claimed that the plan was later “exposed” by MEP Viola von Cramon. 

“Practically, Viola von Cramon said this when she directly linked the resolution [the European Parliament resolution in June which called for sanctions on Ivanishvilii and the bank [Credit Suisse] . Then, she tried to deny it, but it was said in black and white. So, in the end, this coordination is directly visible”, Kobakhidze said. 

Ivanishvili's brother Aleksandre Ivanishvili, his wife Ketevan Kharaidze, aunt Ucha Mamatsashvili and her son Tite Mamatsashvili have been blacklisted in Ukraine. 

Sanctions will also apply to businessmen Davit Iakobashvili, Aleksandre Japaridze and Giorgi Japaridze. 

Local media has reported that President Volodymyr Zelensky had signed the relevant decree.