The founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, refused to meet with US Assistant Secretary of State James O'Brien. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said this at a press conference, Novosti Georgia reports, according to UNN.
I can confirm that there was a request for a meeting (of O'Brien) with Bidzina Ivanishvili, to which he refused,
Details
According to Kobakhidze, there have been several cases in recent months when Ivanishvili has refused to meet with foreign diplomats and politicians because of "blackmail and de facto sanctions of the party of global war.
We are talking about $2 billion of Ivanishvili's funds, which were frozen by the Swiss bank Credit Suisse shortly after the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine on suspicion that they might be of Russian origin.
The position of Bidzina Ivanishvili is that he cannot hold any meetings under blackmail... As soon as this blackmail and de facto sanctions are over, of course, the meetings can take place immediately,
Addendum
O'Brien's visit is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14. On the same day, Georgia's parliament is set to pass a controversial law on "foreign agents" despite protests, escalating tensions over the legislation that has been criticized as repressive.