May 6, 2025 - The South Caucasus News - SouthCaucasusNews.com

Rep. Joe Wilson, co-chair of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, on May 6 published a list of Georgian officials and public figures he described as “enablers of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s state capture,” accusing them of aligning Georgia with U.S. adversaries including China, Iran, and Russia.

In a post on X, Wilson wrote, “The MEGOBARI Act has passed the House, and all enablers of the America-hating Ivanishvili mafia cabal should be put on notice! Support free and fair elections or face the consequences.”

The list includes Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, GD Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, GD Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Botchorishvili, and other high-ranking officials from both the executive and legislative branches. Judges, media figures, businesspeople, and members of other key institutions also appear on the list.

The announcement follows the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage a day earlier of the MEGOBARI Act, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Helsinki Commission leaders. The bill now moves to the Senate for further debate and a vote before heading to the President for final approval.

If enacted, the legislation would authorize sanctions against Georgian Dream party members and senior government officials determined to have engaged in significant corruption, political violence, or intimidation aimed at derailing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration. Immediate family members of sanctioned individuals could also face restrictions.

The list of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s ‘enablers’ includes:

Executive and Law Enforcement: GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze; Mayor of Tbilisi and GD Secretary Kakha Kaladze; former GD Chairman Irakli Garibashvili; GD Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri; GD Head of the State Security Service Anri Okhanashvili; GD Minister of Justice Paata Salia; GD Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Botchorishvili; GD Head of the Adjara Government Sulkhan Tamazashvili.
Legislature: Speaker of GD Parliament Shalva Papuashvili; Deputy Speaker of GD Parliament Nino Tsilosani; GD Leader of the Parliamentary Majority Mamuka Mdinaradze; GD Member of Parliament and owner of propaganda channel PosTV Viktor Japaridze; GD Member of Parliament and GD Regional Secretary Dimitri (Dito) Samkharadze; GD Member of Parliament Tea Tsulukiani.
Judiciary: Chairman of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal Mikheil Chinchaladze; Member of the High Council of Justice Levan Murusidze; Member of the High Council of Justice Dimitri Gritishvili; Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court Giorgi Mikautadze; Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court Levan Tevzadze; Deputy Chairman of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal Irakli Shengelia; Chairman of the Constitutional Court Revaz Nadaraia; former Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court Shalva Tadumadze.
Key Institutions: General Prosecutor of Georgia Giorgi Gabitashvili; Chief of the Special Investigative Service Karlo (Koka) Katsitadze; Chairman of the Central Election Commission Giorgi Kalandarishvili; Secretary of the CEC Giorgi Javakhishvili; Head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau Razhden Kuprashvili; President of the National Bank Natia Turnava.
Business: Ucha Mamatsashvili; Ivane (Vano) Chkhartishvili; Aleksandre Ivanishvili; Otar Romanov-Partskhaladze; Noshrevan Namoradze.
Propaganda: owner of the main propaganda channel Imedi TV Irakli Rukhadze; founder of the propaganda channel PosTV Lasha Natsvlishvili; Chairman of the Board of the Georgian Public Broadcaster Vasil Maghlaperidze; Director of the Georgian Public Broadcaster Tinatin Berdzenishvili; Chairman of the Georgian National Communications Commission Kakhi Bekauri.