Today, the hearts of all members of the Georgian diaspora, regardless of where they live, are in their homeland, where our people are fighting for their right to freedom and a decent European life. My heart also aches for my brothers in Tbilisi.
I am 67 years old. I have lived a difficult life, I have seen a lot, I know the current leaders of the state and those who stand behind them in Moscow. Age and experience give you the ability to see the past and the future. I was born in 1957, when Georgia was part of the USSR. I did business in Russia in the difficult 1990s and developed into a big businessman there.
My social circle included the largest Russian entrepreneurs, with whom I created such powerful businesses as Lukoil, Rosneftexport, Tomsk Oil, etc. It was there that I began to realize that Georgians would not be able to have a common future with Russians. Russia has been and will remain a prison of nations that enslaves, punishes and destroys other nations.
I finally realized this when I lived and worked in Ukraine and in the UK, which I am honoured to represent as a British citizen and investor. The air of freedom clears your mind. You start to understand the facts better. For example, the “night of the sapper blades” on April 9, 1989, when the Russian army brutally suppressed a peaceful demonstration in the center of Tbilisi for Georgian independence, beating 21 people to death with sapper blades.
Or 2008. Russia attacked Georgia and annexed our territories. At that time, I completely severed all ties with the aggressor and occupier country. I was sure of two things: Russia will always seek to establish control over Georgia. But Georgians will always fight for their freedom and European future.
We have already succeeded in this during the time of Mikheil Saakashvili (the best pages of Georgian history have been, and I have no doubt will be, associated with this name), but then the agent-Russian regime of Ivanishvili plunged the country into darkness again.
I really don’t want to get personal, but I believe that this person is a threat to Georgia. Not only I this a political issue, but also an economic one. We are witnessing a record collapse of the lari, and this is a natural result of Mr. Ivanishvili’s work. Unlike Mikheil Saakashvili, who called Georgia the Caucasian Tiger for the economic leap that was made possible by supporting business, Ivanishvili’s era is one of suppression and seizure.
This is exactly what happened with our project of medicinal mineral waters in Tskhaltubo, which was supposed to become the second Baden-Baden. We received the license in 2012 during the Mikheil Saakashvili era, and we fulfilled all our investment obligations in good faith. But in the spring of 2022, under unprecedented political pressure, we were forced to “sell” the resort to the state for a pittance. Because the “shadow owner” of Georgia “liked” this facility, and his owner was politically disloyal.
This is just one example out of thousands. Georgian entrepreneurs can cite many more such examples. This government is pressuring, suppressing and robbing. That is why we see thousands of people on the streets in Tbilisi and other cities of Georgia.
I believe that Ivanishvili’s informal influence on the executive branch is unconstitutional and undermines the national security of the state. I view these actions as signs of treason in favour of Russia.
In these circumstances, the only legitimate representative of the Georgian government is the President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili. She must remain in office until re-elections are held to elect a new legitimate parliament. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and his government are illegitimate. I call on Georgian law enforcement officials not to carry out their criminal orders and not to take responsibility for the blood of protesters.
And to the millions of Georgians who have stood up against the criminals, I would like to say the following. There is no other path to freedom than the path Ukraine has chosen. You can only defend your freedom with arms in your hands, attacking your perpetrators. And I am sincerely grateful to Ukrainians for the help they are providing to Georgian protesters today. I cannot tell you everything, but these are really important and useful things that we need right now.
I wholeheartedly congratulate everyone who took to the streets of Georgia today against Ivanishvili’s Russian puppets! Ivanishvili’s government is already trembling. They are scared. They are afraid of people’s anger. They realize their shame and betrayal and are afraid of punishment. We need even more unity, more determination and more strength! And the colossus will fall on the clay feet of Russia. I believe in this and I am doing everything in my power to achieve it! Georgia will be a free and European country!
