Ivanishvili “only oligarch” in Georgian politics – President Zourabichvili

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili claimed Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party and the former Prime Minister, was the “only oligarch” in Georgian politics. 

 

“Apart from Ivanishvili, there is no other oligarch in Georgian politics today”, she said in an interview with the French publication Le Monde, and added “I don’t know what his real interference in the country’s economic issues is. All of this is absolutely not transparent. Obviously, he has a dominant influence on the existing rulers”. 

 

Zourabichvili said Ivanishvili was “behind the decisions” of the current Georgian, which she said included her impeachment procedures last month, and stressed he had “an extremely negative role on European decisions”. 

 

“What he accuses me of is probably that I am not in his hands, like the rulers who are members of the GD Government”, she noted. 

 

Zourabichvili’s term in office, who was elected with the support of the GD, expires next year.