Georgian ruling party MP rejects US Senator Shaheen’s criticism over ‘abduction’ of Ivanishvili’s ex-financer

David Matikashvili, a ruling Georgian Dream party MP, on Tuesday rejected US Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s remarks over the reported abduction and arrest of Giorgi Bachiashvili, a former executive director of the Georgian Co-Investment Fund and an ex-financer of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chair of the GD. 

In her social media post this week, Senator Shaheen described Bachiashvili’s apprehension as “a blow to Georgian democracy,” criticizing the Georgian Dream government’s handling of the case amid more than 200 days of ongoing protests against the halted EU integration. She further pledged to continue efforts for accountability through measures such as the bipartisan MEGOBARI Act, “which targets corruption and democratic backsliding in Georgia.”

“After 200 days of the Georgian people’s brave protests, Georgian Dream’s tactics grow more craven. Giorgi Bachiashvili’s reported abduction is a blow to Georgian democracy,” Senator Shaheen said. 

Bachiashvili, once a close associate of Ivanishvili - was sentenced in absentia in March 2025 to 11 years in prison for embezzling nearly 9,000 bitcoins, worth over $39 million, from Ivanishvili’s investment fund, as well as money laundering. He fled Georgia earlier this year, citing fears for his safety and claiming the charges were politically motivated, particularly due to his criticism of Ivanishvili’s alleged pro-Russian stance and support for Ukraine.

In his comments, Matikashvili, dismissed the US senator’s statement as “absurd and reactionary,” accusing foreign critics of interfering in Georgia’s internal affairs.

“This is another clear proof of the pressure being exerted on Georgia and the Georgian people,” Matikashvili said. “They are trying to present the arrest of Bachiashvili, a person accused of multi-million theft and kidnapping, as an attack on democracy and a setback for democracy.”

Bachiashvili was recently detained in Dubai and deported back to Georgia. His legal team has expressed concern over possible mistreatment following his return.