Georgian Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, on Monday, remarked on Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, James O’Brien’s visit to Georgia after Georgian Dream party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili rebuffed to hold a meeting with him.
As Kobakhidze delineated, Bidzina Ivanishvili has refused to meet with foreign diplomats and lawmakers in recent months “due to blackmail.”
“Bidzina Ivanishvili deems this matter as frivolous. In all cases, the basis for refusal was the same – Bidzina Ivanishvili stated he was already under de facto sanctions.
He has frozen two billion dollars that he entrusted to the West, which have ended up in the hands of the ‘Global War Party’.
As a result, Bidzina Ivanishvili has stated that he would be unable to have any meetings under blackmail.
As soon as the blackmail and de facto sanctions are lifted, any meeting may be arranged instantly, but for the time being, this is Bidzina Ivanishvili’s stance on the matter.
Such blackmail and threats did not deter him in March 2021, when his finances were frozen following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, and they will not deter him now.
The sanction itself means blackmail, the sanction itself contains blackmail and threats, and this is not a serious topic under these circumstances,” Kobakhidze declared.
