Speculation over plans of Russian billionaire with political aims
By Shorena Labadze
Wednesday, March 19
Speculation is mounting over the plans of London-based exiled Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky after he met with a prominent opposition figure in Britain last week.
Leading opposition coalition member Goga Khaindrava downplayed the significance of the meeting and dismissed suggestions that Berezovsky will finance the opposition as a smear campaign conducted by government-friendly television station Rustavi 2.
He also said the main reason for his visit was to meet the widow of Georgian business tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili, who financed an opposition campaign and ran for president in the January election.
“I met in London with Inna Gudavadze, Patarkatsishvili’s widow. Boris Berezovsky was present at that meeting. We spoke about Badri and many other things,” the news agency RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.
Patarkatsishvili, who died in his mansion near London last month, founded and co-owned the embattled television station Imedi TV, which voluntarily stopped broadcasting in December after the government accused Patarkatsishvili of plotting to overthrow the statement.
Asked about his future intentions in Georgia, Berezovsky said he would “do what Badri used to do,” in a March 13 interview with Rustavi 2.
While he refused to give further details, he said that Khaindrava had informed him of the political situation in Georgia, which he was “not indifferent to.”
Berezovsky had close ties to former Russian president Boris Yeltsin, under whom he was an oligarch and media tycoon, but fell out with his successor Vladimir Putin and fled to Britain in 2001 after Russian prosecutors charged him with fraud and political corruption.
Last year he caused controversy when he claimed he was plotting a revolution in Russia to overthrow Putin, in an interview with British newspaper The Guardian.
“It isn’t possible to change this regime [the Russian government] through democratic means. There can be no change without force, pressure,” he said in the interview.
Most Georgian opposition figures have ruled out any cooperation with the businessman.
Giorgi Targamadze, head of the recently formed Christian Democratic Party, said he would only support Berezovsky’s involvement in the Georgian media sphere.
“He will probably act in line with Georgian law. As for his interests in issues connected to Imedi TV, I think it is necessary for the Georgian nation to maintain at least one television station that is not owned by the government,” Targamadze said, in reference to suggestions that he could buy out Imedi TV.
Representatives of local NGOs, which have more legal leeway to take money from abroad, have taken a similar position. Nana Kakabadze, head of the Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights NGO, ruled out collaboration with a non-Georgian citizen.
“He isn’t even a Georgian citizen and can’t interfere with Georgian affairs. But if he helps Imedi TV resume broadcasting we would work with the television company of course,” Kakabadze said.
On the other hand, Gocha Jojua, who headed Patarkatsishvili’s election campaign and recently announced the establishment of his own political party, said that while he has no connection with Berezovsky at the moment, he did not rule out future cooperation.
Georgian law does not permit foreign citizens to financially support political parties, a lawyer confirmed. However, political expert Ramaz Savarelidze says there are ways around this.
“Support is possible as there exist different ways of carrying it out, but it would be unproductive for Georgia and its international image. We don’t need Berezovsky’s finances as he is a scandalous figure…it is not desirable,” Sakhvarelidze told the Messenger.
Most ordinary Georgians take a similarly dim view of the prospect of Berezovsky offering behind-the-scenes support to the opposition. “We don’t know exactly whether he is a criminal or not…but why hasn’t he been extradited to Russia?” one Tbilisi resident said.
Leading opposition coalition member Goga Khaindrava downplayed the significance of the meeting and dismissed suggestions that Berezovsky will finance the opposition as a smear campaign conducted by government-friendly television station Rustavi 2.
He also said the main reason for his visit was to meet the widow of Georgian business tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili, who financed an opposition campaign and ran for president in the January election.
“I met in London with Inna Gudavadze, Patarkatsishvili’s widow. Boris Berezovsky was present at that meeting. We spoke about Badri and many other things,” the news agency RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.
Patarkatsishvili, who died in his mansion near London last month, founded and co-owned the embattled television station Imedi TV, which voluntarily stopped broadcasting in December after the government accused Patarkatsishvili of plotting to overthrow the statement.
Asked about his future intentions in Georgia, Berezovsky said he would “do what Badri used to do,” in a March 13 interview with Rustavi 2.
While he refused to give further details, he said that Khaindrava had informed him of the political situation in Georgia, which he was “not indifferent to.”
Berezovsky had close ties to former Russian president Boris Yeltsin, under whom he was an oligarch and media tycoon, but fell out with his successor Vladimir Putin and fled to Britain in 2001 after Russian prosecutors charged him with fraud and political corruption.
Last year he caused controversy when he claimed he was plotting a revolution in Russia to overthrow Putin, in an interview with British newspaper The Guardian.
“It isn’t possible to change this regime [the Russian government] through democratic means. There can be no change without force, pressure,” he said in the interview.
Most Georgian opposition figures have ruled out any cooperation with the businessman.
Giorgi Targamadze, head of the recently formed Christian Democratic Party, said he would only support Berezovsky’s involvement in the Georgian media sphere.
“He will probably act in line with Georgian law. As for his interests in issues connected to Imedi TV, I think it is necessary for the Georgian nation to maintain at least one television station that is not owned by the government,” Targamadze said, in reference to suggestions that he could buy out Imedi TV.
Representatives of local NGOs, which have more legal leeway to take money from abroad, have taken a similar position. Nana Kakabadze, head of the Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights NGO, ruled out collaboration with a non-Georgian citizen.
“He isn’t even a Georgian citizen and can’t interfere with Georgian affairs. But if he helps Imedi TV resume broadcasting we would work with the television company of course,” Kakabadze said.
On the other hand, Gocha Jojua, who headed Patarkatsishvili’s election campaign and recently announced the establishment of his own political party, said that while he has no connection with Berezovsky at the moment, he did not rule out future cooperation.
Georgian law does not permit foreign citizens to financially support political parties, a lawyer confirmed. However, political expert Ramaz Savarelidze says there are ways around this.
“Support is possible as there exist different ways of carrying it out, but it would be unproductive for Georgia and its international image. We don’t need Berezovsky’s finances as he is a scandalous figure…it is not desirable,” Sakhvarelidze told the Messenger.
Most ordinary Georgians take a similarly dim view of the prospect of Berezovsky offering behind-the-scenes support to the opposition. “We don’t know exactly whether he is a criminal or not…but why hasn’t he been extradited to Russia?” one Tbilisi resident said.