Georgian PM says sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili have failed to sway him

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Saturday said that informal sanctions had been imposed on Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and Honorary Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, for three years, including the freezing of his accounts, yet no one had been able to influence him to act against the interests of the state.

In his remarks about the resolution initiated in the French Senate regarding Georgia, Kobakhidze emphasised that the sanctions have had no impact on Ivanishvili’s political stance.

“Informal sanctions have been in place against Bidzina Ivanishvili for three years, his accounts are frozen, and no one has been able to make him take a single step against state interests. Naturally, Bidzina Ivanishvili is not concerned about this”, the PM said.

He also criticised the French Senate’s resolution, calling it a reflection of a larger problem within European institutions.

“The resolution states that [imprisoned former President] Saakashvili is still dying and that there is an authoritarian regime in Georgia. This resolution, initiated in France, is even less serious than your questions. It is a tragic event and indicates the tragic situation within European bureaucracy”, he concluded.