Irakli Kobakhidze: Bidzina Ivanishvili was already under de facto sanctions - nothing special, in reality, this is an award for defending our country's national interests

"This is actually an award for defending our country's national interests," said Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in response to the U.S. Department of the Treasury's sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream party.

According to Kobakhidze, the formal sanctioning of Ivanishvili changes nothing, as he was already de facto sanctioned.

"Bidzina Ivanishvili was already under de facto sanctions, and he was blackmailed for almost three years with these formal sanctions. Now, they have lost even that basis for blackmail. I don't know what will happen to the opposition. In reality, nothing has changed. The de facto sanctions were already in place, and these informal sanctions were only in effect for one reason—because this man did not give up on our country's national interests.

You know the challenges our country faced in 2022, what was demanded from our team, what specifically was asked of Bidzina Ivanishvili, and precisely because he did not oppose our country's fundamental, key interests, that's why the de facto sanctions were activated, and now, in the end, they've made a decision that has no substantive impact. On the contrary, with this decision, they have ultimately lost the instrument of blackmail. This is what the force, which we call the global war party, has been doing for the past three years. I have great hope that everything will change in a different direction. However, in reality, nothing has changed. I recently spoke with Bidzina Ivanishvili, and his position is exactly the same. Nothing special. For three years, simply because Bidzina Ivanishvili was serving the interests of this country, he was under de facto sanctions. Now, they have implemented this formal sanction. Nothing special, in reality, this is an award for defending our country's national interests," said the Prime Minister.