Ruling party leader reiterates accusations against Lelo opposition leader for alleged business racketeering

Irakli Kobakhidze, the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, restated on Thursday his accusations against Mamuka Khazaradze, the leader of the Lelo opposition party and a co-founder of the domestic TBC Bank, regarding alleged business racketeering during the tenure of the United National Movement in power.

Facing a defamation lawsuit for his claims, Kobakhidze informed Imedi TV there were “specific cases” supporting the alleged criminal activity, emphasizing that Khazaradze did not need to hold a public position for such actions.

He further contended the opposition was burdened by its past mistakes, stating, “I believe [the opposition] lacks the resources to learn, necessitating intelligence and experience. Their PR and political maneuvers reflect an inability to learn, and this also applies to Khazaradze.”

During the interview, Kobakhidze also accused a faction of the opposition and President Salome Zourabichvili of allegedly obstructing Georgia’s EU candidacy efforts.

“Every time opposition representatives, including the President, visited European capitals, the process of obtaining candidate status became more challenging. This was attributed to their consistent criticism of the country and the government both domestically and abroad,” he asserted.

Looking ahead, Kobakhidze predicted that by 2030, Georgia would be “fully prepared” to become an EU member.