Ivanishvili’s philanthropy gave more than 600,000 Georgians ‘second chance, ruling party official

Georgian Dream regional secretary Dimitri Samkharadze on Wednesday said all projects and charitable initiatives carried out by ruling party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili and his family have served to strengthen Georgia and preserve the country’s cultural heritage and traditions.

Samkharadze said more than 600,000 citizens who had been placed on a “blacklist” were given a “second chance” through Ivanishvili’s philanthropy, and accused “radicals” of now attempting to erase that record.

He specifically referred to the 2018 debt-relief programme, saying that 615,164 citizens benefited from the initiative and that no one was excluded on political or party-affiliation grounds.

Samkharadze noted people on the “blacklist” had previously faced difficulties obtaining formal employment, loans to start production, agricultural or small businesses, and access to various state programmes.

“Not a single charitable project was implemented on the basis of political considerations or citizens’ party affiliation,” Samkharadze wrote on social media.

He accused opponents of spreading disinformation about Ivanishvili and claimed that the government’s critics would subsequently seek support from European parliamentarians and demand changes to restrictions on what he described as the promotion of homosexuality in schools and kindergartens.

Samkharadze concluded by accusing his opponents of ultimately seeking to draw Georgia into another war.