Opposition accuses ruling party honorary chair Ivanishvili of deepening political and economic crisis

Giga Lemonjava, a member of the Coalition for Change, has accused Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, of responsibility for what he described as a “severe political and economic crisis” in Georgia.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Lemonjava said recent government measures, including regulatory interventions in pricing, amount to “populism” and “manipulation of people’s hardship”. He also criticised the involvement of the State Security Service in economic matters, calling it unprecedented.

“Georgia is a poor country and is becoming poorer under the current government,” Lemonjava said, referring to the ruling Georgian Dream as an “illegitimate regime”. He further alleged widespread corruption and described Ivanishvili as an oligarch whose actions are contributing to the country’s economic decline.

His comments come after the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission approved an increase in electricity tariffs, raising household rates by five tetri and commercial tariffs by five to six tetri.