Ivanishvili behind attempted murder of opposition leader Targamadze in 2016, Ugulava

Gigi Ugulava, a member of the United National Movement opposition, on Friday challenged the position by the country’s Prosecutor General’s Office and Georgian Dream officials and claimed Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and the chair of the GD, and not ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, were behind attempted murder of UNM member Givi Targamadze in 2016.

Ugulava cited a recent statement from the Prosecutor General’s Office, which mentioned Giorgi Chichiashvili and Shalva Abramishvili as associates in the case, further linking Ivanishvili to the plot. He also asserted that Tamaz Tamazashvili, an individual linked to GD authorities, and his associates were the ones who carried out the attack.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze responded to the prosecutor’s announcement, which detailed alleged ties between former President Mikheil Saakashvili and the 2016 assassination attempt on Targamadze. Kobakhidze remarked that the testimony from Darcho Khechuashvili, a convict in the case, revealed “interesting” information suggesting involvement by UNM members.

According to the prosecutor’s statement, Khechuashvili’s testimony alleged that Saakashvili, then serving as the Governor of Odessa, Ukraine, had ordered someone to monitor Targamadze due to concerns about his potential cooperation with the Georgian Dream government before the 2016 parliamentary elections. That same year, Targamadze’s car was bombed outside the UNM office in Tbilisi, injuring both him and nearby pedestrians.

Khechuashvili also implicated Gia Lortkipanidze, a former Deputy Interior Minister of Georgia and now the Deputy Head of Ukrainian military intelligence, in the plot. Though Khechuashvili has not fully admitted his role, he reportedly confirmed his connections to individuals tied to UNM, including a senior official in Ukraine, Kobakhidze said.

Kakha Kaladze, Secretary General of Georgian Dream, added that the attack was allegedly politically motivated, aimed at creating unrest ahead of the 2016 elections.