{"id":7315,"date":"2021-01-12T16:20:17","date_gmt":"2021-01-12T16:20:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=149079"},"modified":"2021-01-12T16:20:17","modified_gmt":"2021-01-12T16:20:17","slug":"ivanishvili-says-hes-leaving-georgian-politics-for-good-%e2%80%a8-his-critics-have-heard-that-one-before","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/01\/12\/ivanishvili-says-hes-leaving-georgian-politics-for-good-%e2%80%a8-his-critics-have-heard-that-one-before\/","title":{"rendered":"Ivanishvili Says He’s Leaving Georgian Politics For Good.\u2028 His Critics Have Heard That One Before."},"content":{"rendered":"
TBILISI — The billionaire businessman-politician who founded the ruling Georgian Dream party back in 2012 says he has decided to leave politics for good.<\/p>\n
Former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili announced on January 11 that he was stepping down as the chairman of Georgian Dream and will quit the party.<\/p>\n
Proclaiming that he\u2019d accomplished his \u201cmission,\u201d Ivanishvili said, \u201cI have decided to completely withdraw from politics and let go of the reins of power.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the fact he will turn 65 next month also was a factor in his decision.<\/p>\n
But few in the Georgian capital are taking Ivanishvili\u2019s announcement at face value.<\/p>\n
One reason is because it is not the first time Ivanishvili has announced his retirement from politics in the former Soviet republic.<\/p>\n
In November 2013, when Ivanishvili voluntarily stepped down as prime minister after just 13 months in office, he also said that he was quitting the political arena.<\/p>\n
Then, in 2018, Ivanishvili announced his formal return. He was promptly elected to serve again as chairman of Georgian Dream.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, all four men who\u2019ve served as prime minister since Ivanishvili quit that post have been party colleagues — including current Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. And critics accuse Ivanishvili of having continued to govern the country from behind the scenes.<\/p>\n