Georgian Journal offers an extract of the interview of the Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili with Russian editorial office of Deutsche Welle, were he talks about Russian-Georgian relations and presidential elections. The Prime Minister confirmed again his intention to go from politics. On the question of the journalist of DW, why the candidate of Georgian Dream is not Bidzina Ivanishvili, he answered: “I am going to leave politics and it will happen very soon – after the elections. That’s why I am not going to run for the presidency.
There is another reason too: the post of the prime minister is more important due to the constitutional changes, than the post of the president. As for Giorgi Margvelashvili, he has all traits to be a worthy president. He is educated, experienced, a good manager, a creative person, a good friend and a good team player. He is respectable, loves his country and he won’t be obsessed by the idea to maintain the post. It’s very important that he won’t cling to the post after finishing the term of the presidency unlike others. I think that he is very popular in Tbilisi. He is less known in the regions but Georgia is a little country and I think he will be able to make himself known to the entire population in several months. Besides, popularity of our coalition, which nominated him as a candidate, will help him. We have quite a good rating.”

The topic of the arrest of Vano Merabishvili, who was a supposed candidate for the presidency from the National Movement, was touched by the Prime Minister in answer to the corresponding question. He said: “This question is objective. It is also a topic of discussion in Europe. When former prime Minister and secretary general of opposition is arrested, it raises questions. As for the candidacy of Merabishvili, he is not the only influential figure in the National Movement. I think that nationals are not our competitors. They won’t be able to take even a second place in the elections.
- Is it possible to restore diplomatic relations with Russia before the Sochi Olympic Games?
Bidzina Ivanishvili: No, by the Olympic Games this problem won’t be settled. It needs time and appropriate circumstances. But it is possible to make Russian-Georgian relations better. We’ve already taken some positive steps: economic relations are already moving forward and Georgian production appeared on the Russian market. We are working actively to restore regular flights between Moscow and Tbilisi. There are negotiations to ease or even cancel visa regime. Still there are problems; for example, borders of barbed wires and arrests of people by border guards at the administrative border with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We demand answers on these questions. But I don’t think these actions are controlled from the Kremlin. In general, the first stage of settling relations with Russia went on very fast and successfully. There is perspective for future normalization of relations. But it needs time. Diplomatic relations won’t be restored before Olympic Games but in future we will surely do it.
About the territorial integrity of Georgia and readiness of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to join Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili said: “I think that Abkhazia and South Ossetia will have to make their own decision and we have to build the state by appealing to them. We have to fight not for the land but for people. They have to have will and desire to live together with us. This is a decisive moment. There is only one way leading to it - friendly relations and negotiations. I think the fact that Russia has two separatist regions near its border is not in favor of that country. Moreover, it creates danger. And Russia has a lot of external and internal dangers. In his recent interview Vladimir Putin said: “I can’t imagine how we can draw back from the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia”. We can read between the lines: the people have to decide on their own. If they will decide that they want to live together with Georgians, it will be easier for Russia to renounce this decision. If one thinks that Russia can take away or return lands on its own will, it is not true. Nothing is simple and we have to convince our brothers that living with us is better than without us. The Sochi Olympic Games are approaching and Russia is getting more concerned with the security during the games. Maybe the strengthening of the border and toughening of the rules of crossing of the border are connected with this issue. We declared several times that we will do everything to help in providing security during the Olympic Games.