Bidzina Ivanishvili: I see Free Media Differently

Former Georgian Prime Minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili, made an appearance on Imedi TV’s talk show Kronika.

Ivanishvili called the National Democratic Institute’s (NDI) research, “the National Movement’s dream.”

“The NDI is a respected organization for me, as well as the International Republican Institute (IRI). However, the NDI's surveys are conducted by Turmanidze’s organization founded by the United National Movement (UNM), while the IRI’s surveys are carried out by Tskitishvili, a member of the UNM,” Ivanishvili said.

After assessing the work of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Ivanishvili described him as a good Prime Minister and assumes Garibashvili’s emotional actions are due to his young age.

“There are strong leaders in the team. There are parties in the coalition, which perform their functions. I think Irakli is a very good leader, and in the future he will be even more effective,” said Ivanishvili.

According to Ivanishvili, Georgia does not need leaders from the past.

“We do not need that kind of team. Of course, lack of order can be seen in the team, but this is much better than the order of the UNM, when the rest of the team repeated one man’s stupidity. This does not happen anymore. We have a government that serves people,” Ivanishvili said.

The former PM also discussed the issue of TV Company, Rustavi 2, stating that he was surprised by such a stir solely around Rustavi 2, “while there is a dispute among the shareholders of Maestro TV as well.”

According to Ivanishvili, there are no TV channels controlled by the government today.

“Of course, there had been criticism against Rustavi 2, as well as against other channels, because we did not have our TV channel,” Ivanishvili said.

The ex-PM, who is accused of controlling the overall political processes in the country and especially the Rustavi 2 case, said that the TV Company is not independent.

“It is the UNM’s propaganda machine. However, they have a right to this,” Ivanishvili said.