Bidzina Ivanishvili returns to politics in Georgia. What did he say in his first statement?
Bidzina Ivanishvili returns to politics
Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire often considered the shadow ruler of Georgia, announced on December 30 that he is returning to politics. This marks his third return to politics.
After the victory of the Georgian Dream party, founded by Ivanishvili, in the parliamentary elections in 2012, he became the Prime Minister of Georgia. In November 2013, he resigned from his position and declared his exit from politics. However, in 2018, after a five-year hiatus, he returned and assumed the chairmanship of Georgian Dream. During the presidential elections that year, the current president, Salome Zurabishvili, was elected with his direct support.
In 2012, Ivanishvili once again announced his retirement from politics. Nevertheless, the opposition, civil society, and many international observers believe that he continued to control the party from behind the scenes and made crucial decisions in the country during this time.
The current return of Ivanishvili may also be considered significant: in 2024, important parliamentary elections will take place in Georgia.
This time, the format of the billionaire’s presence in active politics is as follows: “Georgian Dream” elected him as its honorary chairman at the year-end congress on December 30. Right there, at the party office, Bidzina Ivanishvili made his first statement.
The main points are as follows below.
- Ivanishvili at No. 8 on world list of “destroyers” – POLITICO’s annual ranking
- “Georgian President freed herself from ‘Ivanishvili complex’ and called a spade a spade” – Opinion
- Georgia’s shadow ruler Bidzina Ivanishvili made another $600 million in a year – Bloomberg
The main reason for his return, according to Ivanishvili, is the global challenges.
Ivanishvili states that the geopolitical situation around Georgia has become more complicated, and challenges for the country have increased:
“In such conditions, even a small mistake by the government can cost the country dearly. Georgia’s national goals can be considered essentially fulfilled only after we completely protect national identity, restore sovereignty, unite the country, and achieve foreign policy objectives,” said Ivanishvili.
He identified Georgia’s main foreign policy goal as integration into the European Union.
Ivanishvili also hinted at the danger of internal conflict within the team, which is “insufficiently organized”:
“In the conditions of the opposition’s collapse, the risks for the ruling team increase. The absence of opposition can easily make the ruling party complacent and weak. Moreover, when there is no external challenge, there is a temptation to invent conflicts within the team. Also, in the absence of opposition control, the risks of corruption increase, requiring special safeguards,” said Bidzina Ivanishvili.
One of the reasons she mentioned for her return is the “in fact collapse of the opposition,” which can no longer resist the government.
“Unfortunately, I repeat — unfortunately, the opposition has completely collapsed. The political subject responsible for controlling the ruling team in the political system has disappeared. The opposition, burdened by its criminal past, has never been distinguished by healthy and effective control over power, and now it has no resources left for that.
Instead of effective control over opposition parties, we have a stream of lies pouring out of their media every day. Everyone has become so accustomed to this situation that it no longer causes the slightest discomfort to the ruling team.”
Ivanishvili states that his team is so strong that it needs not assistance but “control and protection from human temptations.”
“If parliamentary elections were held now, the ‘Georgian Dream’ would receive 90-100 mandates even without an election campaign. Therefore, my main goal is not further strengthening the electoral party but protecting the excessively strengthened team from human temptations.
The ruling party needs a new center of gravity, and I believe that my mission to create this new center of gravity is timely and necessary today. For this, consultations with two or three people will not be enough. Achieving the tasks facing the country requires much broader coordination between me and the team.”
Ivanishvili noted that he will only be the honorary chairman and chief advisor of the ‘Georgian Dream,’ and Irakli Kobakhidze will remain the chairman of the team.
Ivanishvili states that the “Georgian Dream” needs his advice:
“I believe that my political and life experience, as well as relevant advice, are necessary for the team to lead our country to a final victory. We have the opportunity to fully restore the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and to position Georgia among high-income countries by 2030 and join the European Union.
Our duty is to fully utilize this opportunity, and we should spare no effort for it,” said Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Ivanishvili praised the head of the ruling party, Irakli Kobakhidze, and did not mention anyone else.
“He manages the party excellently and will continue to perform the party management function in the future,” he said about Kobakhidze. He did not mention other leaders of the “Georgian Dream” – neither prime minister Gharibashvili nor Tbilisi mayor Kakhi Kaladze.
What did Ivanishvili say about international sanctions?
Journalists asked Ivanishvili if he is returning because he fears international sanctions. In response, Ivanishvili stated that he has effectively been under sanctions since the war in Ukraine began.
“My lawyers have publicly stated several times that I am under sanctions. This is indeed the case, and it was done in the crudest ways, bypassing all laws. So, the opposition is wasting their time with this issue; they are breaking down open doors,” said Ivanishvili.
