International sanctions should be imposed against oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, says MEP Anna Fotyga
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, May 2, 2022
Member of European Parliament Anna Fotyga stated that oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili should be sanctioned as well for ‘having ties with Putin regime’, while discussing the leaked phone call audio recording allegedly between Bidzina Ivanishvili and Vladimir Evtushenkov, a sanctioned Russian oligarch.
“The influence of one oligarch on a country like Georgia is extremely difficult for me to understand. My political and economic knowledge shows that this influence is extremely harmful. Of course, we know examples of such influences and their effects. The position was similar and greatly worsened the country's function and positioning. The elimination of monopoly oligarchy was the basis for the development of pluralism. I think the same problem should be solved in Georgia.”
According to MEP Anna Fotyga, she introduced the proposal addressed to Vice president Joseph Borrell regarding the sanctioning of Ivanishvili. Fotyga assessed the audio recording as ‘important’, adding that it is one of many other cases proving Bidzina Ivanishvilis involvement with Kremlin:
“I made a request proposal to Vice President Joseph Borrell, which indicates a similar problem, which is also shared by part of the Ukrainian elite, that international sanctions should be imposed on Ivanishvili, and this record easily reveals these problems and indicates Ivanishvili's ties with the Putin regime. Although it is very important and presents my full picture of Ivanishvili's role, I do not focus on just this one case.
“I think there are many cases other than this case, but I can say that yes, this case shows exactly how much Ivanishvili is involved in the Kremlin regime's operations,” said Fotiga.
