Prominent Georgian businessman Temur Chkonia voiced strong criticism over the recent sentencing of Lelo party leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze to 8 months in prison for failing to appear before a parliamentary investigative commission. In an interview with BMG, Chkonia described the arrests, carried out publicly and in handcuffs, as a disproportionate and humiliating act, expressing concern that such actions may signal a broader attempt to intimidate political or business figures.
“Putting handcuffs on them in public for not appearing before a commission is not justice, it’s humiliation,” said Chkonia, who is a longtime friend of both Khazaradze and Japaridze.
He emphasized their contribution to the Georgian economy, particularly through the founding of TBC Bank, and warned that undermining human labor and business history erodes the foundation of national development.
Chkonia expressed deep concern about the growing number of arrests targeting young people, journalists, activists, and political leaders, stating that it creates fear and discomfort in the business community.
“We’re spending more time analyzing politics than building the economy. That’s depressing,” he remarked.
He described the current political environment as one where successful individuals are being oppressed by those seeking to humiliate them, warning that this signals a dangerous imbalance in Georgian society.
While refraining from moral judgment, Chkonia urged fellow citizens, especially businessmen, not to remain silent.
“Silence is not appropriate. Expressing an opinion seems punishable today, but that doesn’t mean we should stay silent.”
In a direct message to Bidzina Ivanishvili, the informal leader of the Georgian Dream party, Chkonia called on him to reflect on his own path and the shared struggle of building the Georgian economy:
“Let him reconsider his path. Just as it was difficult for him, it was no less difficult for us. Those who built the Georgian economy deserve more respect.”
