Latest news with #Kobakhidze
Civil.ge
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Civil.ge
Kobakhidze Downplays Concerns Over EU Visa-Free Suspension as Mere Fear of 'Visa Lines'
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze downplayed concerns about the potential suspension of the EU's visa-free regime with Georgia, saying that it would only mean people queuing at embassies for visas again, while claiming that the majority of the population cares about 'real national priorities.' He further claimed that, economically, visa-free travel encourages migration, which he described as a downside of the privilege Georgians have enjoyed since 2017. 'There is a part of the population for whom not having to stand in visa lines is the highest value and the highest priority,' Kobakhidze said on a late-night interview with pro-government Rustavi 2, when asked about possible public reaction if the EU suspends the visa-free regime. He said that only these people, whom he insisted 'cannot be the majority,' would take to the streets in protest. 'But the majority of the population has other priorities – they know very well what the real national priorities are,' Kobakhidze added. 'These are preserving peace, maintaining stability, preserving values, developing the economy, and so on.' Kobakhidze said the 'vast majority' of Georgians will stand for 'peace' and 'stability,' which Georgian Dream members often contrast with the visa-free regime. Georgia has until the end of August to address the European Commission's eight recommendations, as the bloc of 27 warns of suspending visa-free travel — a 'key milestone' in EU-Georgia relations since its introduction in 2017, which the Commission said has delivered 'tangible benefits' to Georgians. Among the recommendations is the repeal of legislation cracking down on civil society and LGBT rights , a step the ruling government appears unwilling to fulfill. 'This process is extremely unfair towards the Georgian people,' Kobakhidze said in the same July 21 interview, expressing hope that the 'European bureaucracy' will not suspend visa-free travel with Georgia, a step he described as 'completely non-productive' and 'counterproductive' for the EU itself. He added that the EU, which he compared to the USSR in the 1990s, has become 'very unpredictable,' once again expressing hope that the bloc will make a 'pragmatic' decision to maintain the visa-free regime for Georgia. 'There is no connection between visa liberalization and economic growth,' Kobakhidze claimed in the interview. 'It's only about one thing: whether you have to stand in line for a visa or not,' he added. Economically, Kobakhidze said the downside of the visa-free regime is that it 'encourages migration.' 'In the absence of visa liberalization, many more of our citizens would remain in the country, which would correspondingly lead to a growth in the workforce. This would, of course, further contribute to faster economic development,' he argued. Unlike most EU foreign policy decisions, suspending visa-free travel does not require unanimity among all 27 member states. Instead, a qualified majority, at least 15 out of 27, with 65% of the population, can approve the move. The EU has already suspended visa-free travel for diplomatic travel holders. In June, Kobakhidze admitted he had to use a visa to travel to one of the European countries, but did not specify which country. Observers have noted that visa-free travel has been one of Georgia's key achievements, with its benefits extending far beyond tourism, boosting economic and labor exchange, improving access to healthcare for Georgians, and strengthening ties among families separated by economic migration. 42 Georgian CSOs said in a July 16 statement that the full responsibility for possible visa suspension 'lies with the [Bidzina] Ivanishvili government.' Also Read:
OC Media
18-07-2025
- Politics
- OC Media
Kobakhidze says participation in local elections won't help opposition parties circumvent ban
Sign in or or Become a member to unlock the audio version of this article Join the voices Aliyev wants to silence. For over eight years, OC Media has worked with fearless journalists from Azerbaijan — some of whom now face decades behind bars — to bring you the stories the regime is afraid will get out. Help us fuel Aliyev's fears — become an OC Media member today Become a member Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze clarified that the ruling Georgian Dream party will request the Constitutional Court to ban major opposition parties regardless of whether or not participate in the municipal elections. Kobakhidze's comment came in response to a question regarding Lelo — Strong Georgia and For Georgia: two opposition groups that have announced their intent to participate in the upcoming October 2025 local elections, despite the bulk of the country's opposition parties boycotting the vote. A journalist had asked Kobakhidze whether the ruling party would still seek to ban Lelo and For Georgia should they manage to secure mandates at the municipal level. 'We will appeal [to the court] regarding all four parties, because all four are essentially one political power — this is the collective UNM. It is a foreign agency that, for years now, since 2003, has been collectively working against Georgia's national interests', he said. When asked for clarification on whether Lelo and For Georgia's participation in the elections would change anything, Kobakhidze responded saying: 'Of course not'. Kobakhidze was referring to all four major pro-Western opposition groups that managed to cross the electoral threshold in the disputed 2024 parliamentary elections. Those include the United National Movement (UNM), which ruled Georgia between 2003–2012, as well as Coalition for Change, Lelo, and For Georgia. The ruling party and their satellites regularly refer to the four groups as the 'collective National Movement', claiming that they are either spun off from the UNM, led by former UNM officials, or cooperated with the former ruling party in some way. Advertisement Georgian Dream's accuses the UNM of being a criminal regime that has committed serious offences while in power and, therefore, should no longer be allowed to exist. In February, Georgian Dream established a 'fact-finding commission' in parliament, with the aim of investigating the UNM's rule in order to ban the party. Initially, its mandate was limited to the UNM's years in government, but it was later expanded to cover the period up to the present day — effectively allowing the ruling party to target virtually any opposition figure. Numerous opposition leaders have been arrested for boycotting the commission. Georgian Dream has already announced that the commission's conclusions will serve as the basis for its petition to the Constitutional Court, where it will seek to ban the UNM and its 'satellites.' Later, in April, the ruling party passed a law that would allow the banning of political parties if they are deemed similar to previously banned parties. Critics believe that Georgian Dream could use this bill to request the banning of existing and future parties deemed to be successors of previously banned groups. In April, Georgian Dream also stated that, due to procedural issues, the party bans would not happen before the October municipal elections. Several opposition groups — including the UNM and the Coalition for Change — have declared a boycott of the October elections. For supporters of a boycott, taking part in the elections would undermine the policy of refusing to recognise Georgian Dream's legitimacy following the disputed 2024 parliamentary elections, which were marred by major electoral violations. Parties in favour of participating in the elections have argued that opposition involvement in the process will strengthen the anti-government momentum and prevent Georgian Dream from gaining full control over all state institutions.
OC Media
18-07-2025
- Politics
- OC Media
Kobakhidze says EU threats to revoke visa-free status part of ‘global war party' and ‘deep state' conspiracy
Join the voices Aliyev wants to silence. For over eight years, OC Media has worked with fearless journalists from Azerbaijan — some of whom now face decades behind bars — to bring you the stories the regime is afraid will get out. Help us fuel Aliyev's fears — become an OC Media member today Become a member In a lengthy, conspiracy theory-filled public statement on Friday, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze spoke about the new sanctions package against Russia and possibility of EU halting its visa-free regime with Georgia. He once again referred to Georgian Dream conspiracy theories about the so-called 'deep state' and the 'global war party' secretly controlling the world, along with new twists, adding that the forces are trying to 'destroy both Europe and Russia at the same time'. Before reading out the statement, Kobakhidze said he was presenting the Georgian Dream party as a leader and was presenting the party's position. Quickly, he launched into familiar conspiracy theory-tinged rhetoric Georgian Dream has used since its electoral campaign in 2024, that the global war party wants to push Georgia to open a second front by attacking Russia, and to achieve this goal, is using EU structures and bureaucracy to threaten Georgia. The global war party and deep state are two nebulous terms that regularly fit into Georgian Dream's conspiracy theories, and refer to shadowy forces that are trying to overthrow the Georgian government and push it into war. Kobakhidze accused the previous US administration of imposing unjust sanctions against the Georgian Dream billionaire founder and honorary chair Bidzina Ivanishvili for 'not opening the second front'. Bera Ivanishvili (left), Bidzina Ivanishvili (middle), Ekaterina Khvedelidze (right). Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media. At the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kobakhidze said that Georgia did everything to politically support Ukraine, including joining 'hundreds of resolutions', co-sponsoring investigation of war crimes, sheltering Ukrainian refugees, sending humanitarian aid, and other activities. 'So we opened the discussion and asked a rhetorical question — what did Georgia do [to deserve this blackmail]? The answer to this question was found by our political team and Georgian society very soon — we did not engage in war, we did not open the second front in our country against Russia, which is why the former [US] administration, instructed by the global war party, also known as the deep state, decided to punish Georgia', he said. Two days before the briefing, Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of Georgian Dream's parliamentary faction, claimed that the demand to push Georgia into war was not on the agenda anymore. 'It seems this issue is not on the agenda today. No one tells us to start a war, I am honestly telling you, compared to the period from a few years ago, it is different', Mdinaradze said at the time. Mamuka Mdinaradze. Official photo. Just days later, the party statement said the opposite, as Kobakhidze alleged the demand to push Georgia to join in the war between Russia and Ukraine has not weakened, but has rather become more intense. Continuing on, Kobakhidze said the warmongering pressure came not just from the administration of former President Joe Biden, but also today through European bureaucracy. 'It is no longer a secret that the global war party has European bureaucracy in full coordination and is wildly blackmailing our country', he said. Kobakhidze added that the goal is the same — to get rid of the Georgian Dream government which will 'not be useful' to open a second front — and then install 'their agents'. He said the recent resolutions about Georgia in the European Parliament and the threat of possibly halting the EU's visa-free regime with Georgia serve the same goal. 'The logical question arises — what can a law on transparency or the protection of family values have in common with visa liberalisation? Obviously, these two issues have nothing to do with each other, but the eurobureaucracy coordinated by the global war party is trying to find some kind of basis for the blackmail and pressure it is carrying out'. 'The desire to open a second front is so great that the global war party has reorganised the entire European bureaucracy into attack mode on Georgia, and is considering the abolition of visa-free travel as the last trump card left in their hands', he continued. Continuing on, Kobakhidze continued further with the conspiracy that the global war party is doing everything to 'place the burden of the Ukrainian issue entirely on Europe's shoulders' and to destroy Europe and Russia altogether, as the leadership of EU member states currently want to prolong the war. 'The maximum armament of Ukraine, the supply of long-range weapons, the tightening of sanctions against Russia, the statements of retired generals that they are preparing for war with Russia in the near future — all this clearly demonstrates the plan of the global war party, to continue and intensify the Russian–Ukrainian war at the expense of Europe, the processes that are related to the weakening of Europe on the one hand and Russia on the other, of course, these processes will end with such an outcome', he said. Kobakhidze then highlighted the decision to increase funding for military spending in the EU, which he said 'would further aggravate the economic situation and social background of the EU' and turn European countries into militarised states. In conclusion, Kobakhidze spoke about the new US administration of President Donald Trump, claiming that Washington's attitude towards Georgia has radically changed. Echoing past comments, he said Georgian Dream wishes success in Trump's 'fight against the deep state'. 'But we have a reasonable doubt — it is possible this fight may result in the defeat of the deep state, but rather its rebranding. Its goal is to push the US aside and fully engage Europe in the Russia–Ukraine war and finally destroy Europe and Russia altogether', he said. He added that so far, the new administration has done nothing to 'correct' Biden's mistakes in regards to Georgia, and mentioned that the 'unjust sanctions' remain in place. After delivering the statement, Kobakhidze responded to several questions from journalists. When asked about the possible consequences of halting the visa-free regime with the EU, he responded that it was only a 'technical issue'. Tbilisi International Airport. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media. 'You either have to stand in queue [for visas] or not', he said. 'A lot of Georgians go to EU member countries to receive different types of medical treatment, without a visa-free regime, this will become harder for them'. 'If you want to receive high-quality medical care in a specific direction, there are other countries, there are many countries. This is a far-fetched story, it is speculation [that the visa-free status will be removed'. Touching on demands in the recently adopted EU Parliament resolution about Georgia and the law on family values, Irakli Kobakhidze compared Georgian Dream to the 15th century Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno, who was burned at the stake for heresy. 'Giordano Bruno was burned because he proved that the Earth rotates. Today, people are burned because they believe that a man is a man and a woman is a woman. The European bureaucracy tells us that because of this, our visa liberalisation should be abolished and our visa liberalisation should be burned', he added.
Civil.ge
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Civil.ge
Kobakhidze Says ‘Global War Party' Uses EU Visa Threat to Open Second Front in Georgia
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has claimed that visa-free travel with the European Union is being used as a 'lever' by what he calls the 'Global War Party' to open a 'second front' in Georgia amid Russia's war on Ukraine. 'The desire to open a second front in Georgia is so strong that the Global War Party has pushed the entire European bureaucracy into attack mode against Georgia, and they see abolishing visa-free travel – the last trump card in their hands – as leverage,' said Irakli Kobakhidze, who also chairs the Georgian Dream, during a July 18 briefing at the ruling party's headquarters. Kobakhidze accused the so-called Global War Party of coordinating 'European structures and specific bureaucrats' to achieve its goals, warning that the danger of war for Georgia 'has not gone away.' The Global War Party conspiracy alongside the 'deep state' theory has been a prominent theme in the GD rhetoric since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. GD claims that a group of influential Western officials has been trying to drag Georgia into a war with Russia. 'Those seeking to drag our country into war believe that abolishing visa-free travel with the EU on a fictitious basis will spark such unrest that it will eventually lead to the overthrow of the government and the coming to power of the agents,' he added. Kobakhidze's statement followed a letter from the European Commission to the ruling Georgian Dream party warning that visa-free travel could be suspended if eight recommendations were not met. The recommendations include repealing controversial legislation targeting civil society and LGBT rights, specifically the Foreign Agents Law and anti-LGBT legislation on the protection of 'family values and minors.' 'What does transparency or a law protecting family values have to do with visa liberalization?' Kobakhidze said. 'Of course, there is no link between these two topics, but the Global War Party–coordinated European bureaucracy is trying to invent a ground for its blackmail and pressure.' Kobakhidze cited the latest European Parliament resolution , the joint statement by 18 European foreign ministers and HR/VP Kaja Kallas, the discussions in the EU Foreign Affairs Council, and the recent letter from the European Commission warning of visa-free suspension, and said that 'these provocative steps taken by European bureaucrats, who are controlled by the Global War Party, aim to change the government and support the opposition.' In a broader context, Kobakhidze claimed that the so-called Global War Party seeks to 'place the burden of the Ukrainian issue entirely on Europe's shoulders' — a strategy he argued is intended to 'destroy both Europe and Russia at the same time.' Opening a second front in Georgia, he alleged, is part of this plan. 'Today, among EU leaders, the war rhetoric is so strong that not only is there no end in sight to the military confrontation, but everything is being done to prolong it,' Kobakhidze said, citing the continued arming of Ukraine, the supply of long-range weapons, and sanctions against Russia. He also pointed to EU countries' decision to allocate 5 percent of their GDP to defense spending next year, arguing that this effectively turns them into 'military states.' According to him, the move 'further escalates the risk of war on the continent and, on the other hand, worsens the economic and social situation within the EU.' Earlier on July 17, Irakli Kobakhidze said visa-free travel with the EU is 'not existential' and that 'peace and stability' should come first if there's a choice between the two. Also Read:
Civil.ge
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Civil.ge
Georgian Dream's Ex-Officials and Business Associates in Hot Water
Georgian Dream leaders have been ramping up anti-corruption rhetoric, but recent criminal prosecutions and legislative moves suggest the party is going through an internal purge and retributions. 'We will be fully uncompromising with corruption,' the Georgian Dream Prime Minister told the one-party parliament while presenting his annual report on June 27. The report came amid a wave of surprise resignations and barely explained reshuffles within the GD government. Kobakhidze said that 'conscientiousness' would be 'the main criterion for selecting the new team in the Georgian government.' The Georgian Dream is backing the words with laws. A legislative package is making its way through the one-party parliament, introducing what's seen as draconian measures to combat financial crime. The bill, which has cleared two readings and is expected to be adopted this fall, would bar individuals convicted of financial crimes from leaving the country for years, while also allowing authorities to recover assets from the convict's relatives and penalize others for offering minimal assistance. With this menace hanging over their heads, the Georgian Dream officials and former business associates of the party's patron, Bidzina Ivanishvili, have already found themselves in all kinds of troubles, from arrests and criminal charges to alleged abductions and even gunshot incidents. Some say Ivanishvili is going after people whom he personally suspects of misusing his money or violating trust, using captured state institutions, from parliament to prosecutors to courts, as tools. 'Ivanishvili threatens his debtors that he will not only prevent them from leaving the country, but also take everything from them and bleed them dry in poverty,' Nika Simonishvili, lawyer and former head of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association, wrote on Facebook when commenting on the pending bill on July 4. The legislative package foresees changes to several laws, including the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code. Once the draft is enacted, those found guilty of financial crimes, who are yet to repay damage to the victims, will be barred from leaving the country for years, even after serving their prison or probationary terms. The bill lists specific criminal offences where the travel ban would apply, including fraud, extortion, misappropriation or embezzlement, property damage by deception, damage or destruction of property, concealment of property through fraudulent or sham transactions, abuse of power, and interference with computer data or systems for financial gain . Most of these offenses must involve damages 'in large quantities,' an aggravated circumstance under the law, for the court to impose a travel ban. A travel ban can apply unless the compensation is repaid, or the victim waives their right to compensation, or the victim consents to the lifting of the travel ban. The ban remains in effect for a period twice as long as the term required to expunge or remove the record of conviction for the respective financial crime. For example, in the case of a financial crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison, the travel ban may extend for up to 12 years following the completion of the sentence. To add to the gravity, the draft law also permits the recovery of stolen or embezzled funds not only from the offender's assets, but also from the assets of close relatives or other persons to whom the convict transferred property for free or on preferential terms following the financial offense in question, or if the assets were transferred or acquired through a transaction considered as money laundering. The bill also prohibits informal agreements aimed at alleviating the convict's lot. Fines or up to three years' imprisonment are foreseen for the convicted offender who generates undeclared revenue exceeding twice the minimum subsistence level (currently set at approximately USD 100), or acquires real estate or a vehicle through such an arrangement. Similarly, individuals, including family members, who provide such funds or property to the convict may also be subject to a fine and face up to five years in prison, with the property subject to confiscation. Transferring funds to the personal bank accounts of convicts, if the bank operates under the supervision of the Georgian central bank, or formally transferring property into their possession will still be permitted, as such assets can be seized to compensate victims The bill's introduction to Parliament came amid a wave of high-profile arrests, detentions, and controversies involving once-close associates of Georgian Dream and patron Bidzina Ivanishvili, which touched former senior officials as well as prominent businessmen. Giorgi Bachiashvili, former head of Ivanishvili's Co-Investment Fund and a close Ivanishvili associate before their fallout in 2022, was the first former associate openly targeted by Ivanishvili. He was accused by Ivanishivli of defrauding him and fled the country, facing the charges. He was sentenced in absentia to 11 years in prison, but was arrested in May, following an alleged abduction by senior security officials from abroad. On May 1, the Tbilisi City Court ordered Bachiashvili to repay 9,000 bitcoins, worth about USD 867 million, to Ivanishvili. Georgian Dream's Mamuka Mdinaradze confirmed the draft financial crime laws were 'inspired' by the Bachiashvili case. Next was Romeo Mikautadze, Georgia's former Deputy Economy Minister, who was arrested on June 21 by the State Security Service on charges of abuse of power and money laundering. He is accused of laundering more than GEL 2.5 million between 2017 and 2024 while holding senior public positions. The lavish lifestyle of the family of Mikautadze, known as a crony to ex-Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, has featured in several journalistic investigations before. GD Economy Minister, Levan Davitashvili, who was widely considered a competent technocrat, was also abruptly removed soon afterwards. The bizarre circumstances of the sudden arrest of Giorgi Ramishvili, an influential businessman and the founder of the sprawling Silk Road Group, who was charged with carrying a firearm in a checked-in luggage early in July, drew questions. Ramishvili and his lawyers tried to play down the case as a misunderstanding, and he was soon released on bail . Still, his arrest fuelled earlier speculation that Ivanishvili was 'calling in' money he considered to be owed to him. Soon followed another dramatic development, with Tornike Rizhvadze, former Adjara government head, who resigned in April, landing in hospital with a near-fatal gunshot to his chest on July 7. Prosecutors promptly described the incident as a suicide attempt, while pro-GD media circulated Rizhvadze's 'note' where the ex-official allegedly said he faced accusations of 'corruption and protecting drug dealers,' and appealed to Bidzina Ivanishvili and Irakli Kobakhidze to protect his family. Aleksi Akhvlediani, who served as the head of the Maritime Transport Agency, was briefly detained in the incident over negligent storage of firearms but was released by the court on bail. In 2015, Nika Gvaramia, then executive of the Rustavi-2 TV and now a detained opposition party leader, claimed that Akhvlediani was acting as a 'middleman,' passing him the messages 'from the government' to yield control of the TV station. Rizhvadze's incident followed earlier allegations circulated by Levan Khabeishvili, former chairman of the opposition United National Movement party, who claimed that a former official had fallen out of favor with Bidzina Ivanishvili and was expected to 'repay' over USD 100 million to Ivanishvili. Khabeishvili argued that other former and current officials had found themselves in similarly precarious positions, including Grigol Liluashvili, the former head of the State Security Service, who resigned in April; ex-Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who announced his departure from politics the same month; and Tbilisi's incumbent mayor, Kakha Kaladze. Author: Gigi Kobakhidze/
