In October the Georgian multi-billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili stated on his plans to bring about political change in Georgia. The businessmen, who owns $4.8 billion, intends to establish a political party and a media-holding and after success in the parliamentary elections 2012 to take the position of the Prime Minister or the chairman of the parliament for “taking the country out of heavy crisis” and form constitutional conditions preventing usurpation of power in the future.
Ivanishvili states that the decision to go in for policy was difficult: “During my whole life I avoided participation in policy, but the current political situation in Georgia makes me correct my position.” The businessmen accused Mikheil Saakashvili of “a total usurpation of power” and the intention to keep hold of it after end of his term in 2013 by becoming the prime minister. According to the constitution amendments launched by the pro-presidential party United National Movement, in 2013 Georgia will become a parliamentary republic. The new opposition figure says that “through violence and monopolization of all spheres of economy, independent business is destroyed in the country, suppression of demonstrations is a norm, on May 26 several people were killed, and through total control under the media power fools and threatens the population.”
Ivanishvili warns the president that “lie and violence cannot provide stable power, and the longer he will try to head the state, the worse his fate will be.” The businessman reminds that two previous presidents were overthrown by revolutions.
To overcome the crisis in the country Ivanishvili proposes establishment of a new opposition party, it’s name and program will be announced later, and a major media-holding, in which he invites journalists, “who suffer from their honest position.” He promises them the same salary, which they can gain in governmental TV-companies.
He aimed at establishment of environment for reconstruction of jurisdiction of Georgia in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, improvement of relations with Russia and, at the same time, deepening friendship and integration of Georgia with the USA and the European Union.
After fulfilling his program Bidzina Ivanishvili promises to leave policy forever. For information providing of his activity businessman is ready to buy media-resources of international TV-companies paying them triple market cost. Moreover, he suggests formalizing the condition that a year later he gives property back to previous owners for 1 lari.
The businessman suggests the media owners to keep 50% of broadcast time, i.e. maintain all current TV-shows. “If the so-called independent TV-companies don’t answer my proposal, it will mean they are under control of the authorities,” Ivanishvili thinks.
At last, to close discussions of his business activity in Russia and “Moscow control” Ivanishvili is ready to sale his Russian assets and refuse from Russia’s and France’s citizenship. He indicated that Russian assets are less than one third of his capital. It means that majority of the capital is kept in West.
Experts think that Ivanishvili can suggest political union to the former speaker Nino Burdzhanadze, who is considered as the most dangerous rival for Saakashvili. The independent expert David Avalishvili thinks that Ivanishvili suggests Burdzhanadze to be the president of the country, while he wants to be the Premier of the chairman of the parliament only.
The authorities of the country are calm despite the initiative of the wealthy Georgia, because nobody knows Bidzina Ivantishvili as a politician. “Moreover, few people have seen him,” one of leaders of United National Movement Eka Kherkheulidze told VK.
To be continued.
Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to VK
