Bidzina Ivanishvili returns to public spotlight

Georgia’s ex-Prime Minister and creator of the Georgian Dream current ruling party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, has returned to the spotlight after leaving politics last November.

Today, Ivanishvili presented his new Non-Governmental Organisation to a crowd of journalists and answered a variety of questions afterward.

"There is no real power capable to prevent Georgia from signing the Association Agreement with the European Union this August,” he said in response to a journalist’s question about Euro integration.

"I realize there might be a lot of efforts from different sides [to prevent Georgia from signing the document] but I assure you today Georgia has an unprecedentedly responsible and – what is even more important – unprecedentedly independent government,” Ivanishvili said.

"Elections are a complicated process. Political parties very often need different kinds of help and support [in this process]. In return for this help, they have certain obligations after rising to power,” he said.

"But Georgia’s Government is very independent. They do not stand in anybody’s doubt. They do not owe any business, country or political group anything, except to serve Georgia’s people,” Ivanishvili claimed.

He also expressed his concerns over the situation in Ukraine and the deaths of Ukrainian citizens. Ivanishvili said he was very sorry the country could not sign the Association Agreement with the EU but acknowledged each country had its own processes to follow.

The press conference began at midday. At 2.30pm Ivanishvili was still answering journalists’ questions.