Georgia: Billionaire Ivanishvili meets ruling party leaders - what is known about their talks after silent video release
Ivanishvili Georgian Dream meeting
On 17 October, a rare political event took place in Georgia.
Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder and honorary chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, chaired a meeting of the party’s political council, followed by a meeting of the parliamentary majority, at the party’s central office.
This was the first public appearance in several months by Ivanishvili, whom many consider Georgia’s “shadow” ruler.
Yet it could hardly be called an “appearance”. Ivanishvili himself said nothing to journalists. The party’s press office released only silent footage of the meetings.
What was discussed behind closed doors became known through three sources: Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s briefing, the party’s written statement, and a brief comment by parliamentary majority leader Irakli Kirtskhalia.
Kobakhidze emphasised that Ivanishvili had expressed “pain” over his former team-mates who are in prison. This likely refers primarily to former Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili, who for many years was considered Bidzina Ivanishvili’s closest and most loyal ally but has now been convicted of large-scale corruption.
However, in the party’s statement, this issue is presented in a different tone.
It is stated that corruption problems within the team have been “fully and effectively” overcome.
While the meetings were underway, citizens protested outside the building under the slogan “Georgia against Ivanishvili”. One of the banners read, “Supporting Georgian Dream = betraying the country”, while another said, “14 bloody years”, referring to the years Georgian Dream has been in power.
Who joined the political council
The only publicly announced decision from the meetings was to expand the political council. Parliamentary majority leader Irakli Kirtskhalia and Zurab Pataradze, head of the government of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara, joined the body.
Footage released by the press office shows Ivanishvili entering the meeting, shaking hands with MPs and taking his seat. Irakli Kobakhidze, parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and Irakli Kirtskhalia sat beside him at the head table. Ministers were also present.
According to Kobakhidze, both meetings addressed current domestic and foreign policy issues. The party statement referred to “political and economic processes” in the country. It also said time was devoted to initiatives and reforms recently announced by the government.
The context behind Ivanishvili’s meetings with ruling party leaders
Bidzina Ivanishvili rarely appears in public. He has been under US sanctions since 2024.
His participation in party meetings on 17 October came amid an apparent crisis within the government.
Former senior Georgian Dream officials have been arrested one after another on corruption charges.
The most high-profile case involves former Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili.
In January 2026, he was sentenced to five years in prison under a plea agreement. In August, prosecutors brought a new bribery charge against him.
Gharibashvili has been publishing letters from prison in which he accuses Irakli Kobakhidze and former Deputy Prime Minister Mamuka Mdinaradze. On August 27, Mamuka Mdinaradze resigned from his post and announced his departure from politics. He denied any connection to the letters.
Another important factor in the context of Ivanishvili’s meeting with ruling party leaders is that the Constitutional Court is due to hear the authorities’ case seeking to ban opposition parties in just a few days.
According to opposition representatives, hearings were scheduled for October 21, 22 and 23. In response, an alliance of nine opposition parties announced a rally in Tbilisi on 25 October under the slogan “Georgia without Ivanishvili. Georgia deserves better.”
Gharibashvili is Ivanishvili’s “heartache” – and the statement about “overcoming difficulties”
After the meetings at the ruling party’s office, journalists asked Irakli Kobakhidze whether the possibility of releasing former Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili from prison had been discussed.
Kobakhidze replied that there had not. According to him, Ivanishvili gave a general assessment of “the developments”.
“For all of us, including, of course, first and foremost, Bidzina Ivanishvili, what happened is painful, when events unfold this way and former members of the team are serving sentences for specific crimes (…)”, Kobakhidze said.
He added: “What happened is regrettable. It was, of course, something of a blow to the team.”
Gharibashvili was sentenced to five years in prison in January 2026 following a plea agreement. In August, prosecutors brought a new charge against him. According to the prosecution, the former prime minister accepted 750,000 lari (about $290,000) in bribes.
Gharibashvili’s lawyers say he denies the new charge.
There is no mention of “heartache” in the party statement’s account of the same subject. According to the statement, Ivanishvili reviewed the corruption challenges the team had faced in the past and said that “as a result of the effective work of the prime minister, the government team and the security apparatus, these challenges have been fully and effectively overcome”.
Kobakhidze: “Friendship is none of your business“
Kobakhidze said the team had also discussed Mamuka Mdinaradze, a former deputy prime minister who previously served as head of the State Security Service.
Mdinaradze resigned from his post on August 27 and announced his departure from politics. At the time, he denied that his resignation was connected to Garibashvili’s letters published from prison.
Kobakhidze declined to elaborate publicly. “Mamuka Mdinaradze has left politics”, he said, adding that he did not consider it appropriate to bring the issue to the fore in these circumstances. He said he remained in occasional contact with Mdinaradze. He did not give a direct answer when asked whether they were still friends.
“Why are you asking about friendship? Friendship is none of your business”, he told journalists.
Journalists also raised the issue of a controversial social media post by Georgian Dream party member Dito Samkharadze, who wrote that “rats” [informers] had been identified within the ruling party.”
Kobakhidze was asked whether Samkharadze also meant Mdinaradze and whether legal proceedings against him were expected.
“I don’t know what you’re referring to,” the prime minister replied. He said there was “no basis whatsoever” for such speculation.
Parliamentary majority leader Kirtskhalia: “Ivanishvili spoke mostly about Kobakhidze“
Journalists asked Irakli Kirtskhalia to comment on growing public speculation that Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze could soon resign.
According to him, Ivanishvili devoted more time to Kobakhidze than to anyone else, “expressing support and praise, which the entire team, of course, shares”.
“Ivanishvili said that the government is performing very well under Kobakhidze’s leadership, and that not only is there no reason for his resignation, but every day confirms that he is the best prime minister,” Kirtskhalia said.
He described the resignation rumours as gossip spread by the opposition.
Scandal over possible corruption in spending on the Patriarch’s funeral
At a press briefing, Irakli Kobakhidze addressed the main political issue: allegations of possible corruption in spending on the Patriarch’s funeral.
He said preliminary information from the Government Administration showed “no indication of any improper expenditure”. He also said a large portion of the allocated funds had been returned.
In September, speaking on Rustavi 2, Kobakhidze provided specific figures: according to preliminary data, 722,000 lari (about $275,000) of the 3 million lari (about $1,100,000) allocated had been spent. The questions he answered concerned former Culture Minister Tika Rukhadze’s possible involvement in the alleged embezzlement.
Kobakhidze said detailed information would be presented to the public in the near future. Asked whether investigative agencies should look into the matter, he replied:
“First, we will present detailed information to you, and if any questions remain on this issue, let us discuss them together.”
“Whatever they call us, we keep winning” – Kobakhidze on media restrictions
Irakli Kobakhidze also commented on restrictions on the use of various words and expressions in the media adopted by the Communications Commission.
On 9 October, Transparency International – Georgia reported that the Communications Commission had objected to expressions used by independent TV channels Formula and Pirveli. The commission compiled a list of 93 words and phrases that it banned from use, including “regime”, “oligarch” and “prime minister appointed by Ivanishvili”, according to TI.
Fines for using words on the list were increased to 10,000 lari (nearly $4,000).
Kobakhidze explained the decision as necessary to uphold the principle of objectivity.
He said these rules had existed in legislation for years, but an enforcement mechanism had not previously been in place. News programmes are now required to maintain neutrality.
That requirement does not apply to programmes expressing their hosts’ own views, Prime Minister said.
“Nothing bothers us. We win elections and emerge victorious from every political confrontation. Whether they call us a regime or a dictatorship, we win either way”, Kobakhidze said.
News in Georgia
