Ruling party Regional Secretary accuses ‘global war lobby’ of pressuring Ivanishvili, claims peace in Georgia is his merit

Ruling party Georgian Dream’s regional secretary, Dimitri Samkharadze, has alleged that international financial actors linked to what he called the global war party had attempted to blackmail former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, pressuring him to involve Georgia in a military conflict. Samkharadze made the claims in a lengthy social media post on Friday, in which he accused foreign officials, banks, and European politicians of coercion.

According to Samkharadze, foreign bank executives had sent an “official letter” to Ivanishvili, criticizing him for spending “more on philanthropy than on family” and threatening to freeze his funds unless Georgia joined a war. He argued that Ivanishvili refused, after which “corrupt European officials,” allegedly influenced by the same interests, intensified political pressure on Georgia.

In his post, Samkharadze described Ivanishvili as having confronted global forces capable of “igniting wars between countries of 140 million and 40 million populations,” suggesting that Georgia’s current stability was attributable solely to his actions. He further accused the domestic opposition of acting as “agents” for the external powers.

Samkharadze claimed that international actors were unprepared for Ivanishvili’s refusal to change Georgia’s geopolitical course, adding that “nothing” the alleged pressure groups attempted had managed to harm the country. He expressed confidence that future generations would eventually “appreciate Ivanishvili’s role in preserving Georgia’s independence and peace.”

The post concludes with Samkharadze thanking Ivanishvili for what he described as “strengthening the country, preserving sovereignty, and ensuring peace.”