Russian black, criminal money was laundered in Georgia, and naturally, the authorities were aware, including those still in power today – this was an economic expansion by Russia with black money, which turned out to be a successful FSB special operation, said political scientist Gia Khukhashvili on PalitraNews’ program “Day’s Newsroom,” commenting on the Prosecutor’s Office statement about the detention of one individual for the legalization of illicit income amounting to $624 million USD and €35 million.
According to him, the authorities, along with all relevant agencies, are responsible for the unprecedented laundering of Russian money in Georgia.
Khukhashvili believes the National Bank and commercial banks were also involved in this.
“I can’t speak about specific individuals; that would sound like gossip, as I have no information. As for the operation itself—I wrote about this two years ago, that a massive, unprecedented money laundering operation was underway. It was absolutely obvious. After the war started in Ukraine, when Russia found itself on the brink of economic isolation, a huge amount of black money came to Georgia from Russia. I was saying that this was a matter of national security and required serious control. This money is Russian money, Russian criminal money, the FSB’s cash reserves. That’s what we’re talking about. How did it end up in the legal space? Someone wants to pretend it happened through a currency exchange booth, which is complete nonsense. I believe the responsibility lies with the National Bank. Such a scale of money legalization could not have gone unnoticed by its oversight. I think commercial banks were also involved in this. I ask the National Bank why there was no regulation of account openings in Georgia’s banks, let alone the transfer of enormous sums to them.
This was an economic expansion by Russia with black money, a successful FSB special operation in Georgia. Naturally, the authorities were in the know. It’s impossible to conduct such operations without the authorities, including those still in power today. Of course, everyone was involved. There was a complete criminalization of the authorities. This special operation had, of course, a criminal dimension, but also a political one. The authorities said, ‘This black money is coming, let it come, what’s better than that?’ We had some economic problems at the time, and there was an informal legitimization of this huge filth, resulting in the laundering of Russian black, criminal money in Georgia. Who the specific figures are is entirely uninteresting. The fact is that the authorities, with all their relevant agencies, are responsible for this,” Khukhashvili stated.
He also spoke about the arrests of former high-ranking officials in connection with corruption crimes, noting that the SSS is fulfilling a political order, with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze as the orchestrator.
According to him, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s plan is to pin responsibility for ongoing processes in the country on Kobakhidze and his group and to “wash them out” after the elections. In response, Kobakhidze is trying to “burn the ground around Ivanishvili, leaving no one who could carry this out.”
Khukhashvili stated that “if they play with Bidzina like this, they will end very badly, because in such tactical games, Bidzina will eat them alive—he’s a grandmaster at it.”
He also noted that Irakli Garibashvili, Grigol Liluashvili, and Vano Gomelauri are among the targets as “Bidzina’s potential sacrificial pawns.”
“The SSS doesn’t have a target. The SSS is fulfilling a political order. The question should be, who is the orchestrator? I compare this to a Brazilian soap opera where a rich man has an evil child who tries to become the sole heir by constantly telling the father that the other siblings are stealing money and ruining the business. That’s the story we’re dealing with. This evil child is Kobakhidze. From the start, he went to Bidzina, saying this one is involved in that, that one in this. How did he become Prime Minister? He told Bidzina the worst about everyone and then took responsibility for recovering this money from them. Bidzina let him go, saying, ‘Go ahead, recover it.’ He messed it up. He couldn’t recover the money because one tried to commit suicide, and I expect another might jump from the third floor of their father-in-law’s mansion and break a leg. Since he couldn’t recover the money, he decided to add a political dimension. He needs to justify himself to Bidzina somehow, so he says these people are allied with the opposition. A new theory has emerged. He’s trying to justify his fiasco with the money recovery. Where did this fairy tale come from that Garibashvili is allegedly funding Khabeishvili? It’s complete nonsense. How could Garibashvili be funding Khabeishvili?
It’s not about someone necessarily needing to be arrested. Arrest is just one method. This evil child’s ultimate goal is to sterilize Bidzina, meaning to ensure Bidzina has no heir besides him, because he’s afraid. Bidzina has his own game. His plan is to pin all this trash on Kobakhidze and his group and wash them out after the elections. These guys know this, so they’re trying to leave Bidzina sterile, not giving him room to maneuver. After the washout, what can he do if no other heir remains? That’s the game. Arrests aren’t necessary. Some will flee in this process, some will bring money to buy their freedom, some will be arrested. Garibashvili is one of the targets, of course, as Bidzina’s potential sacrificial pawn, along with Liluashvili and Gomelauri. When Bidzina decides to wash out Kobakhidze, he’ll need someone to do it. So Kobakhidze is trying to burn the ground around Bidzina, leaving no one who could carry it out. At the same time, this evil child goes to Bidzina’s partners, the Russians, and says, ‘Dad’s getting old, he can’t do business as well anymore, but I’ll come and do better business with you.’ He’s created his own lines in Russia, independent of Bidzina, and this multi-layered game is ongoing. Everyone has their own game, their own role. If you’re interested in my prognosis, if they play with Bidzina like this, they’ll end very badly, because in such tactical games, Bidzina will eat them alive—he’s a grandmaster at it,” Khukhashvili stated.
Regarding other issues, the political scientist commented on statements by “National Movement” members about the “peaceful overthrow” of the government on October 4, saying there is no resource for this and opposition politicians should stop creating false expectations.
According to him, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s plan is to hold elections on October 4 with minimal rigging, aided by the opposition’s boycott. Khukhashvili says that, in parallel, Ivanishvili plans to “take the disobedient society to the mat and beat them there.”
Regarding Levan Khabeishvili’s statements specifically, the political scientist says he is neither a national leader nor even a leader of the “National Movement.”
“I don’t agree with creating expectations that you issue an ultimatum, and if it’s not met, the government will end on October 4. Unfortunately, there’s no resource for this. Of course, we all want a government that violates the constitution and drags the country back to the Russian empire to lose power, but in politics, besides emotions and desires, there’s common sense. You need to assess your resources, your opponent’s resources, know what your opponent is planning, and where and how to fight them. Creating expectations that end in disappointment—we’ve been through this many times, and I don’t want it to happen again. Bidzina’s plan is to hold elections on October 4 with minimal rigging, and the opposition is helping with its boycott. The government should win the elections easily because the opposition electorate is boycotting. So, Bidzina wins the elections amid the chirping of birds. In parallel, he wants to take the disobedient society to the mat and beat them there. That’s how the regime is cemented. We know this is Bidzina’s plan. He invites us to the mat on October 4 to then say these people are orchestrating a state coup and suppress everything with fire and sword. As for ‘peaceful overthrow’—how far will they go with oxymorons? They want an overthrow but don’t want to give up peace.
Khabeishvili is a political prisoner, and I sympathize with him, but he’s not a national leader. He’s not even a leader of the ‘National Movement,’ where he faces opposition, let alone a national leader. Why create expectations at all? This resembles provocation, which serves the government’s interests because it has big muscles and says, ‘Come to the mat, let’s fight.’ What do we do, follow their game? Let ourselves be beaten again? Or is it better to act smartly?” Khukhashvili stated.
The political scientist believes it would have been better for opposition parties to participate in local elections.
According to him, if the government rigs the elections and tries to end everything in the first round, it creates a legitimate constitutional basis for rebellion.
Khukhashvili agrees with Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of “Lelo for Strong Georgia,” who said there’s a chance to “wrest Tbilisi.”
According to the political scientist, all three opposition wings should stop criticizing each other, focus, and “plan something.”
“Of course, there’s no chance for a national victory, especially since they don’t even have candidates in many places, but the key issue is Tbilisi. There’s always a chance. Tbilisi is opposition-minded. Instead of calling for a boycott, shouldn’t the opposition urge voters to go to the elections? Why isn’t there a chance? This is the battlefield. Instead of starting October 4 in the morning and ending it in the evening, isn’t it better for voters to go to the elections? After that, there are two scenarios. The government rigs the elections and tries to end everything in the first round. In that case, it creates a legitimate constitutional basis for rebellion. Then we can talk about rebellion if the government steals the source of power—the vote. That creates a constitutional basis. In that case, the government can’t talk about coups or overthrows if it blatantly rigs the vote. If it doesn’t rig, a second round will be scheduled, right? Let’s take that period – what happens between the first and second rounds? That’s a very interesting process, and I’m not discussing everything on air. I’m saying something needs to be planned. All three opposition wings are hopeless. They need to unite. Instead of criticizing each other, they should focus. They should stop creating false expectations that something will happen on October 4,” the political scientist stated.
Gia Khukhashvili: Russian black, criminal money was laundered in Georgia, and someone wants to pretend it happened through a currency exchange booth, which is complete nonsense – it’s impossible to conduct such operations without the authorities
