Georgian PM denies meeting Russian businessman following media reports

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday denied media reports on his meeting with Russian businessman Ali Uzdenov, telling reporters he had been approached about an encounter for “business offers” but denied the opportunity.  

The comments by the PM follow reports in the media about a visit of Uzdenov, an assumed associate of the sanctioned Russian billionaire Vladimir Evtushenkov, to Georgia, and earlier speculation about a call between the latter and former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili following a release of an unverified recording of their alleged communication on Monday on YouTube.

Garibashvili told local media he had been told by businessman David Khidasheli, a colleague of Uzdenov, about an interest in business-related talks with the head of the Georgian Government, but had not been available for the meeting.

I was indeed approached by David Khidasheli [and told] that there were some business offers, and I said very simply that I could not meet, [that] I was not in town, and I redirected him to the business sector,” the PM said.

He stressed “no continuation, no result” had followed subsequent separate meetings of the Russian businessman in Georgia, noting “such speculations are absolutely unacceptable” from the media.

He added his Government would “not allow any legal entity or individual” to use Georgia to let Russia circumvent international sanctions placed on it for its invasion of Ukraine, calling it a “principled position”.