Businessman Irakli Rukhadze assesses idea that Ivanishvili leads Georgia toward Russia as “absurd, crazy”

Georgian businessman Irakli Rukhadze on Tuesday said the idea that Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and Honorary Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, was leading Georgia toward Russia was “absurd and crazy”.

In his interview with the podcast The Birth of Georgia, Rukhadze noted that such accusations were not true, as Ivanishvili himself completely severed his financial and personal ties with Russia years ago.

He further explained that Ivanishvili had not set foot in Russia since 1998, and had completely emptied his business assets in the country and invested his capital in Western countries.

“I know a lot of people who haven’t been to Russia for years, and that’s why I absolutely don’t believe it, and it's crazy that Bidzina Ivanishvili is somehow leading this country towards Russia because he himself is one of those vulnerable people from Russia's point of view, but if he is there and not here”, Rukhadze said.

“Bidzina hasn't set foot in Russia since 1998 and has gotten rid of all his assets in Russia and invested them in the West. Everyone wanted it, Bidzina was no exception, everyone wanted it. Everyone felt that they were vulnerable”, he concluded.