Irakli Kobakhidze responds to 'CV Victims' article, says Credit Suisse's 'motive' is political
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, January 27, 2023
The article published on AP News under the title "CS Victims: Former Prime Minister of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili, alleges political pressure in legal dispute with Credit Suisse" regarding Bidzina Ivanishvili's ongoing legal dispute with Swiss Bank Credit Suisse reads that former Prime Minister of Georgia is accusing the bank of blackmailing and fraud.
Bidzina Ivanishvili has been accusing Credit Suisse and its subsidiaries for more than seven years, and this case has been widely covered by the media, including in Switzerland. According to the statement, it is where the convicted client relations manager "committed fraud and mismanagement."
The article reads that Bidzina Ivanishvili's representatives confirmed 'political pressure' on him in the legal dispute with Credit Suisse in the international press.
Ivanishvili's lawyers wrote in a statement that Credit Suisse is creating the illusion of negotiation that actually served the purpose of political pressure. Lawyers note that the relationship with the bank "went out of the legal plane and became purely political after the start of the war in Ukraine."
According to them, one of the trusts of the bank has not paid the amount for months and they are sending it from court to court "according to the June resolution of the European Parliament".
After the article was published, the Chairman of 'Georgian Dream' party, Irakli Kobakhidze publicly spoke about the 'political motives' of Credit Suisse. According to his statement, 'some people' who he did not name, want to force Bidzina Ivanishvili to 'return to politics' and 'act against the country's interests'.
"The public is already widely informed about what is happening at Credit Suisse regarding funds belonging to Bidzina Ivanishvili. Practically, unheard of processes are produced, which are related to the embezzlement of funds. It is a common robbery that we observe in one of the most powerful Swiss banks, whose reputation is practically ruined and the international media is talking about it widely.
The main thing here is what is the motive. The motive is unequivocally political, which was already hinted at by Credit Suisse itself, which pointed to the resolution of the European Parliament in connection with the seizure of these funds, and Bidzina Ivanishvili himself emphasized in his letter a few months ago that everything is political blackmail.
Naturally, we realize what the purpose of all this is. The hint is that some people want to force Bidzina Ivanishvili, against his will, to return to the political process and do what should not be done, based on the fact that all this is against the national interests of our country. I will say once again, if they do not know Bidzina Ivanishvili, no one can force him to take such a step that is against the interests of our country, our national interests," Irakli Kobakhidze said.
