Opposition Lelo party leader pays $650 000 to Georgian state following arbitration court ruling in Anaklia port case

Mamuka Khazaradze, the leader of the domestic opposition Lelo party, on Monday paid $650 000 to the state following an arbitration court ruling related to the Anaklia port case.

Leaders of the Lelo party have not commented on the matter, while members of the ruling Georgian Dream party assert that by making the payment, Khazaradze has officially acknowledged his defeat.

The Government of Georgia decided to terminate the contract with Anaklia Development Consortium on January 9, 2020.

On the same day, Levan Akhvlediani, the head of Anaklia Development Consortium, announced that they would appeal the Government's decision in the arbitration court.

Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, the leaders of the domestic opposition Lelo party, last year lost an arbitration dispute with Georgia regarding the port of Anaklia.

“The International Court of Arbitration announced the decision on the lawsuit that I and Badri Japaridze, together with other foreign investors of Anaklia port, filed in 2020”, Khazaradze said in a social media message.

Khazaradze stressed that the decision made by the court was “disappointing”.