Opposition leader Gvaramia ‘disagrees’ with previous gov’t over its treatment of Ivanishvili

Nika Gvaramia, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, has criticised Georgia’s former government for its treatment of billionaire founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili, accusing it of “allowing him to accumulate wealth without paying taxes and using public money to facilitate a long-term election campaign disguised as philanthropy.”

Gvaramia made the remarks at the Constitutional Court, saying his disagreement with the previous government centred on its relationship with Ivanishvili.

“I disagree with the previous government because it never made one particular person pay taxes, allowing him to accumulate hundreds of millions. I also disagree with it for allowing this person to engage in so-called philanthropy using money stolen from the state budget, which in reality turned out to be a long-term election campaign,” Gvaramia said.