“Anaklia port project, which is one of the key steps forward to national security, economic prosperity, Samegrelo development and restoration of territorial integrity, will not be implemented under Ivanishvili’s regime,” said Irakli Kupradze, one of the leaders of the Lelo party in Anaklia.

According to Kupradze, Georgian Dream wants to delay the construction of the Anaklia port.

Irakli Kupradze remarked on the May 21 “incompetent” statement by Minister of Economy Mariam Kvrivishvili, saying Anaklia port would receive ships in 2032. He reminded that the ‘Dream’ was planned to receive ships back in 2029. He went on to say that since 2016, tens of millions of dollars have been invested in construction, while in 2019, Ivanishvili declared that European and American investors “had nothing to do with the Black Sea.” Kupradze also said that Ivanishvili launched criminal proceedings against Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze (leaders of the Lelo party).

Irakli Kupradze believes that Anaklia port should become the continuation of the Trump Route.

“Anaklia port project, which is one of the key steps forward to national security, economic prosperity, Samegrelo development and restoration of territorial integrity, will not be implemented under Ivanishvili’s regime. Anaklia port had to create approximately 20, 000 jobs for locals in Samegrelo and Abkhazia.

The Anaklia port and city, constructed three kilometers from the occupation line, was supposed to become a center of attraction, with an illuminated coast three kilometers from the coasts of Abkhazia and Sukhumi. Ivanishvili suppressed this opportunity.

While our western partners are interested in assigning Georgia strategic and geopolitical significance and the political process is going on in the region by resolution of military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, when a new international transit so-called Trump Route requirs pass to the Black Sea, Ivanishvili with violent and anti-Georgian and anti-national policy, suppresses this unique opportunity for Anaklia port to become the continuation of this significant Trump Route and gateway to the West.

This international transit requires a deep-sea port, and we should do our best to remove Ivanishvili’s team from governance. The national government must construct Anakli Port for the international transit route, not to bypass Georgia. If this road bypasses Georgia, it will mean the destruction of state interests. It means that the citizens of Georgia will lose hundreds of millions of dollars,” he said.

Irakli Kupradze stated that Lelo had a plan, based on which Anaklia Port would be declared a national project of strategic significance.

“Transparent financial institutions and investors of international authority should be involved in its implementation. These are Western, European and American investors. Let the public, especially the victims of the Georgian Dream’s propaganda, remember that Ivanishvili has already expelled investors from this country and expropriated or confiscated 80 million in investments.

Time passes, and Ivanishvili’s pre-election promises all turn out to be lies. We will counter lies with anger, self-organization and we will remove Ivanishvili from the government. A new, national and coalition government will construct Anaklia port,” Irakli Kupradze concluded.