WASHINGTON: The US has imposed sanctions on Georgia’s billionaire former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili on charges of undermining democracy and benefiting Russia.
According to a Reuters report, Bidzina Ivanishvili is considered the unofficial ruler of Georgia and became a billionaire in the 1990s after being involved in the metals and telecoms business in Russia.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Washington’s sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili were aimed at undermining democracy and preventing the country from becoming a state that benefits Russia.
Blinken said that Bidzina Ivanishvili had taken actions or policies that undermined democratic processes or institutions for Russia in the United States or abroad.
Under the US sanctions, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s assets in the US will be frozen, just as Georgia, after a cold relationship with Western countries in the past, is now a candidate for EU membership.
On the other hand, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze described the US move as a blackmail tactic and said that Bidzina Ivanishvili has the honor of having saved Georgia from war.
According to the report, Georgia’s rulers have consistently claimed that Bidzina Ivanishvili is under US sanctions, while the US rejects this impression.
It should be noted that Bidzina Ivanishvili had suddenly announced the postponement of negotiations with the EU until 2028 last month, even though the people and governments of Georgia have been demanding EU membership for years.
Large demonstrations were held by the public against this government decision, and the government arrested more than 400 people, including opposition politicians, during the protests.
