No matter what the regime of Ivanishvili says, that resolutions are of no value, it seems this "straw" has become more expensive, because every resolution of the European Parliament has cost Ivanishvili a lot of money. The process will go irreversibly if Ivanishvili does not give up on new elections, said the leader of the "Strategy Agmashenebeli" party, Theona Akubardia, during her appearance on the TV show "Day's Newsroom" on PalitraNews.
According to her, the most important thing in the mentioned resolution is that since obtaining agreement on sanctions from 27 countries is difficult, "everything is done individually."
"No matter what Ivanishvili's regime says about the resolutions being worthless, it seems that this straw has become more expensive, as every resolution from the European Parliament has cost Ivanishvili a lot of money, if we recall, among other things, his complaint that he can no longer retrieve his money from Swiss banks, as well as the precious paintings he brought to Georgia, and the use of the draconian offshore law, which allowed him to steal money from the Georgian people's budget. This shows that, yes, the resolutions and sanctions work, and he [Ivanishvili] is using the country as a farce to maintain his power and money. Consequently, the new dimension of this resolution is a call to expand the circle of sanctions. This is not just about Bidzina Ivanishvili and his family, but also about the businessmen supporting him, who strengthen his regime, as well as the propaganda line he uses to fight against his own people and country through manipulation, disinformation, and lies," Akubardia stated.
Additionally, Akubardia spoke about the restoration of the Sokhumi airport and direct flights to Moscow. She claimed that the silence of the "Georgian Dream" on the matter means that "it was a silent deal and agreement."
"The restoration of the Sokhumi airport, its transfer to Russia, direct flights, and the silence of the 'Georgian Dream' mean that this was a silent deal, a silent agreement. These flights are not only for tourism but also serve military purposes. One is military, the other is economic interest. I have always talked about territorial integrity, which was endangered by Ivanishvili's regime, either through actions or inaction, including increasing military threats to Georgia. In 2023, Russia announced its decision to deploy a permanent naval fleet at the occupied Ochamchira port, and despite my initiation of a resolution, Ivanishvili's regime did not respond. On the other hand, there was the transfer of the Sokhumi airport for 49 years, completely illegally, to Russia. Ivanishvili’s regime did not voice any objection because the growth of Russian influence under his rule was already apparent. Russia needed two things: a naval fleet due to the war against Ukraine, and an airport, which had always been discussed, but in 2023 everything happened, and it now has both civilian and military purposes. When and how Russia will need this military purpose in the future, no one knows, although we know that Russia is an aggressive state. I had an interpellation with Ilia Darchiashvili, when he was the shameful foreign minister. Two things had to be done — one, restoring these flights directly related to Chicago and ICAO principles. ICAO canceled the code for Sokhumi airport in 2006, so it was possible to work with ICAO to protect air sovereignty and create problems for Russia. Despite the fact that Russia does not care much about international law. The second thing — our Western partners, who had been guarantors of military sovereignty, and if something happened, we would turn to them to express their position. There was no open or closed communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with our partners, which once again means that it was a silent agreement, a deal. The fact that Russian airlines are flying directly to Tbilisi and Sokhumi will start these flights actively, would not have happened without Ivanishvili's regime's consent. On one hand, it is a money issue and an evasion of sanctions, but in the long term, it is a military security threat, not only to Georgia but also to Black Sea security," said Theona Akubardia.
Moreover, Akubardia discussed evaluations regarding Bidzina Ivanishvili’s use of tax benefits as "stealing millions from the budget."
According to her, "This man needs Georgia as his office, to use for his money."
"If you send a parcel from Europe or America worth over 300 GEL, you pay VAT. However, Bidzina Ivanishvili brought millions of assets into Georgia without paying a single tetri, depriving the budget and people of this money. He is a regular liar and, in reality, a thief of the budget, although he does this with the support of his majority," Akubardia stated.
Akubardia further said that Ivanishvili "adjusts everything to his interests."
"When we talk about the interests of one man, everyone remembers the age of absolutism in France. Louis XIV said, 'I am the state.' He [Ivanishvili], who is just a Chorvileli man, decided that he should bring the country back to the age of absolutism, adjusting everything to his interests," said Akubardia.