Ex-PM Ivanishvili funds treatment for Georgia’s wounded soldiers

Georgia’s billionaire former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili is pledging to cover the cost of treatment for wounded Georgian servicemen with a financial contribution of one million GEL (about $440,000 USD).

Ivanishvili’s pledge was announced by Minister of Defence Tinatin Khidasheli today.

Khidahseli said Ivanishvili wanted to fund the ongoing medical treatment for Corporal Ramaz Davitaia, who suffered critical injuries in Afghanistan several years ago, but the soldier recently died before this could be arranged.

"When I was appointed to the role of Minister I personally asked Bidzina Ivanishvili to fund the treatment for Corporal Davitaia; he needed a million [GEL]. Sadly he died before we could manage this but Ivanishvili is still offering one million for wounded soldiers so with this we will be able to help many soldiers who need our help,” said Minister Khidasheli.

Thanks to these funds one wounded soldier has already left for Turkey to undergo medical treatment, she said.

Corporal Davitaia died last month after a long battle with illness. He suffered critical wounds while serving in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in 2012.

He survived three years with his injuries but on June 8 he passed away in a military hospital in Gori, Georgia.

Khidasheli is Georgia’s first female Defence Minister and was appointed to the role in May 2015.