At a special briefing today, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Georgia chair, Fady Asly stated that by damaging a reputation of Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze Bidzina Ivanishvili plans to take over the project of Aanaklia Port. Head of ICC Georgia notes that international sources have informed him that Ivanishvili may be interested to aid Russian companies which have international sanctions through different financial frauds and that he wants to use TBC Bank in this scheme.
“Mr. Ivanishvili wants to put his hands on TBC Bank and Anaklia, not through buying the bank, but through removing the chairman and deputy chairman of the supervisory board. He wants to replace people who are in management by people who are close to him, while using the National Bank of Georgia for that. Based on the information that we have received, his ultimate goal is to help Russian companies to shortcut international sanctions using TBC Bank through a network of screen companies in Georgia.
In regards to Anaklia, we don’t know the motives of Mr. Ivanishvili, but there are two scenarios. One scenario would be to stop Anakla port project, because this is a project which could have conflict of interests with Russia, as it is getting Abkhaz and Georgia people closer together. Second option is that Ivanishvili will scare potential investors of Anaklia port by slandering Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japharidze through accusations of money laundering. . .the game of Mr. Ivanishvili is to damage the reputation of the shareholders of TBC Bank to stop the financing of the project and then at some stage when there will be no financing of the project and the government will say that ‘the project is not moving forward and that the company has obligations, which it can’t fulfill, I’m [Bidzina Ivanishvili] taking over the project.” Says ICC chair, Fady Asly.
Today, ICC Georgia also issued the statement condemning government’s pressure on TBC Bank and calling upon the National Bank of Georgia to resist this pressure.
“We are also calling upon the chair of National Bank of Georgia, Koba Gvenetadze to resist the pressure from the government and ensure independency of NBG. Otherwise, we are calling upon Gvenetadze to leave his post, for him to keep dignity and reputation.
Such actions will not only harm the Bank but will seriously backfire on the business climate in Georgia and on the government itself. ICC is expressing its concerns in regards to that and calls upon the Government of Georgia to stop the mafia approach towards the business sector.
ICC Georgia is actively engaged in negotiations with local or international interested parties, in order to finally put an end to injustice”, reads the statement issued by the ICC Georgia.
