Parliament chair says GD coalition should prepare for elections without Ivanishvili

The coalition must prepare for the elections without the political leadership of Bidzina Ivanishvili, Parliament Speaker Davit Usupashvili has stated.

According to him, he is well aware of Ivanishvili's position and he knows that the former Prime Minister is not going to return to politics.

"Ivanishvili's role was positive and it would have been more positive if he had stayed in politics a bit longer. As for his possible return to political life, I know he does not plan to do it. However, he says he is a citizen of Georgia and is ready to return to politics in case he sees a need for it,” Usupashvili said.

“At this stage he cannot see any such need and therefore the coalition must prepare for the elections without Ivanishvili’s political leadership”, Usupashvili added.

Ivanishvili also says that there is no need for him to return to politics, while the opposition and the civil sector stress that the billionaire, who played a crucial role in defeating the United National Movement in 2012, is still ruling the country from the backstage.

“Thus, they have appealed to him to return to politics and openly do the job he is doing behind closed doors,” an opposition spokesperson said.

The speculation that there was no need for Ivanishvili to come back to politics as 'everything was all right' was also strange, as major promises made by him prior to the 2012 parliamentary elections remain unfulfilled.

The promises concerned favourable economic conditions for all Georgian citizens in 4 years after 2012.

Those four years have nearly expired, but the situation is still poor, with low incomes for a major part of Georgian citizens, along with a severe devaluation of the national currency.

Even in case Ivanishvili participates in the election, he is less likely to accumulate half of the votes he received in 2012, as people are disappointed.

It is perhaps a good thing if Ivanishvili refrains from taking part in the elections, as Georgians must start making decisions between equal parties with no definite and well-known leaders, based on their election programmes.

It would also be welcome if Ivanishvili never interferes in the Government’s activities, as he has stepped down as Prime Minister and officially retired from politics; if he intends to engage in political life, he must openly participate in the elections.