In a move never before heard in Georgian politics Georgian Dream Chair Irakli Kobakhidze claimed “certain forces” from abroad – hinting at the US – are pushing Bidzina Ivanishvili, GD’s former chair and oligarch with decisive influence on the ruling party, back into Georgian politics and, as a result, forcing him to get Georgia join the war.
In a coordinated campaign, Georgian Dream-affiliated talking heads further advanced the outlandish conspiracy theory alleging that the US Government has influenced a Swiss investment bank Credit Suisse to delay a transfer of 600m USD transfer to Mr Ivanishvili which he had won earlier in court.
Kobakhidze further insisted that the decision was part of a “coordinated campaign from abroad” other elements of which being Ukraine’s decision to recall its ambassador from Georgia and the release of audiotapes in which sanctioned Russian oligarch Vladimir Yevtushenkov and Mr Ivanishvili discuss a business deal.
“If someone is attempting to make Bidzina Ivanishvili return to Georgian politics against his will so that the country joins the [Ukraine] war…. they don’t know Bidzina Ivanishvili well,” Kobakhidze proclaimed also suggesting that Georgia’s Public Defender Nino Lomjaria, Transparency International – Georgia Director Eka Gigauri, former President Giorgi Margvelashvili as well as former speaker of Parliament David Usupashvili are all part of the same campaign.
Several Georgian Dream-affiliated pundits directly accused the United States with number of them appearing on Imedi TV, a Georgian Dream mouthpiece.
For example, a GD-linked philosopher Zaza Shatirishvili claimed the US is “the only force” that could force a Swiss bank to delay such transfer with the purpose of this being forcing Georgia to get involved in war against Russia.
Shatirishvili also hinted Ukraine itself is being manipulated by the US in the context of the war, calling the US “a commanding force.”
“This commanding force needs the second frontline to globalize the conflict, as Russia does not seem to be getting the international isolation it envisioned… The ‘commanding force’ believes that the main thing is financial pressure, blackmail [over Ivanishvili], Shatirishvili said.
Another GD-linked pundit Khatuna Khoperia, a former politician, also featured on Imedi laid out a conspiracy theory which suggests that foreign criticism of the GD Government, including coming from Washington, all constitutes chain of events aimed at pushing Georgia into war.
Finally, GD MPs Sozar Subari and Irakli Kadagishvili repeated similar claims mentioning both war and blackmail of Ivanishvili.
In his own editorial remarks, Imedi anchor Levan Javakhishvili claimed that “clearly there is a scheme in place behind which stands the entire west.”
Mr Ivanishvili had earlier won a case against Credit Suisse whose investment banker had mismanaged and stole funds from accounts of number of its investors, including Mr Ivanishvili. However, Credit Suissse has delayed the transfer of the funds in question for a month.
Mr Ivanishvili’s family has since hired Cision, a PR Company which alleged “political pressure by the CS trustee” and reported a new lawsuit against Credit Suisse. Specifically, it said, responding to Ivanishvili’s request to process the sum in question the trustee managing the funds “made unreasonable requests for information and referenced the ‘geopolitical environment in Eastern Europe’ as justification for the delay.”
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