Georgian PM: “no sanctions can blackmail” ruling party Honorary Chair, Gov’t

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday addressed the issue of potential sanctions by the United States against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Honorary Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party and its founder, claiming “neither formal nor de facto sanctions” could pressure Ivanishvili or the Georgian Government to act” against national interests”.

The comment came following recent US sanctions on Georgian officials for alleged human rights violations and “undermining democracy”, following Georgia’s adoption of the controversial law on the transparency of foreign influence earlier this year. 

During a briefing, Kobakhidze dismissed discussions of sanctions as “irrelevant” and "frivolous" for his office, claiming “sanctions are not an interesting topic for us at all”. 

The official further claimed Ivanishvili had been “under de facto sanctions” for the past two and a half years, “yet has stood firm in his dedication to Georgia's national interests”. 

Noone can blackmail Ivanishvili with any formal sanctions”, Kobakhidze stressed, further asserting that “attempts at financial or diplomatic blackmail hold no weight” for the country.

The PM also responded to a recent article by former American diplomats Ian Kelly and David Kramer, published in The Hill, which suggested sanctions on Georgian officials. 

Kobakhidze characterised their comments as "blackmail" and reassured such external pressures would not influence the Government's decision-making. 

The Georgian Government will “continue to make decisions solely in line with Georgia's national interests”, the head of the Government said.

The official also reacted to a post by the US Embassy to Georgia on Tuesday about Ivanishvili’s long-running financial dispute with a Swiss bank by saying that the ruling party Honorary Chair had “himself given a proper response” to the post. 

The Embassy noted Ivanishvili “was aware” the matter was “in the hands of Bermuda and Singapore courts, not the US”, questioning why the official was “telling a different story” to the Georgian people. 

In his response later the same day, Ivanishvili claimed neither him nor the GD party officials had raised “any accusations” to the US or the European Union on the dispute, pointing to the unspecified “Global War Party” which he claimed is influencing decisions in the West.