Ukraine’s Podolyak Takes Aim at Ivanishvili’s Russia Links

Ukraine’s presidential advisor Mikhailo Podolyak has aimed at reported Russian business links of Bidzina Ivanishvili, former Georgian PM and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Podolyak said a fresh report by corruption watchdog Transparency International Georgia, detailing business ties of Ivanishvili and his inner to Russia, “showed why the [Georgian] government refused to consider any sanctions on [Russia].”

“Of course, because of the [Russian] business of the local oligarch Ivanishvili,” said the political advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Podolyak also noted recent calls by David Arakhamia, senior lawmaker from Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party. “Every pro-Russian oligarch will face ‘de-oligarchization’.”

Ivanishvili has not reacted to the recent report. But the Georgian Dream’s communications department dubbed the document as a “classic example of manipulation, that aims to discredit the Georgian government.”

The ruling party also accused the civil society organization of acting with the “agenda of the radical opposition.”

The Transparency International Georgia, in turn, criticized the Georgian Dream of “discrediting ads” against its executive director Eka Gigauri.

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