Ivanishvili: ‘I am fully suspending public, political activities’
Bidzina Ivanishvili says that he is suspending any communication with the Georgian Dream party. Photo: Georgian Dream press office.
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Former Prime Minister and the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili says that he will not return to politics and will suspend any political and public activities following his announcement on Monday to leave Georgian politics.
Ivanishvili said that he will not even be a supporter of the ruling party and his ‘maximum’ civic activity will be voting in the elections.
I believe that this is my last interview (for the Georgian media). Several foreign publications have requested an interview and I may give the interview in the coming days. Then, I will suspend all public and political activities. There will be no consultations or remarks for the Georgian Dream by my side,” Ivanishvili told the Georgian Public Broadcaster yesterday.
He said that if members of the ruling party will be able to maintain healthy communication with one another the party will face no threats for at least four-five years.
The ruling Georgian Dream party won the parliamentary elections for the third time last year. Photo: Georgian Dream press office.
Ivanishvili stated that the party had been earlier informed that he would leave politics.
I have been preparing them for this for several months,” Ivanishvili stated.
He said that the Georgian Dream government has not made any mistakes that would hinder the state development.
The Georgian Dream has had a correct strategy on how to run the state,” Ivanishvili said.
Ivanishvili created the Georgian Dream coalition before the 2012 parliamentary elections and defeated the United National Movement in the race.
He left politics in 2013, but returned in 2018, stating that ‘that time the Georgian Dream needed my support and experience. Now the situation is different.’
Ivanishvili stated that his major charity was coming to politics for 2012 elections as through the step he created threats to his family and loved ones and helped the Georgian people free from ‘Mikheil Saakashvili’s authoritarian regime.’
Former Prime Minister of Georgia and the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili has told Entrepreneur online magazine that he will donate 90 per cent of his material assets worth 1.5 billion USD, except those with credit or other obligations, to the Cartu Charity Foundation. He stated that the purpose of the assets ‘cannot be changed’ in the process of management or alienation, because most of them ‘are not ordinary business projects’ but projects which are targeted for the development of individual branches, or even entire regions, and are designed to ensure improvements in economic, tourism and other fields.
"I have made the decision to finally retire from politics and fully distance myself from the reins of power. I am leaving the post of party chairman, as well as the party itself and am returning to my pre-2011, private lifestyle. I will turn 65 years old in just a few weeks, and this is one of the important factors in making the decision to retire from politics,” Ivanishvili said, adding that the step ‘which is dictated by the desire to advance young people to the forefront...will not only not weaken, but will, in fact, further strengthen the ruling party.’
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Former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili has won a long-running battle with Credit Suisse to reclaim funds stolen by a former employee of the Swiss bank, Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing people with knowledge of the case.
The Supreme Court of Bermuda has ordered a local life insurance subsidiary of Credit Suisse to pay $607,33 million in damages to plaintiffs, including the former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who won a long-running battle with Credit Suisse in March to reclaim funds stolen by a former employee of the Swiss bank, AP News reported on Wednesday, citing people with knowledge of the case.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights, on Wednesday said the stance of the Credit Suisse investment bank with regards to the former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili was “undoubtedly absurd” and “an attempt to exert political influence” on him by “creating financial problems”.