The charity carried out by Bidzina Ivanishvili in Georgia exceeds USD 2.5 billion, he used his personal funds to fill the budget so that institutions would not collapse. Archil Gorduladze, Chairman of the Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee, said this in response to comments made by Ahali’s Nika Gvaramia.

"First and foremost, I must respond to the sheer audacity of Gvaramia, a leader in the collective United National Movement [UNM]. What he allowed himself to say in court today was unbecoming even for someone of his standing.

He cynically claimed to regret his former administration`s actions, alleging they exempted the Founder/Honorary Chairman of Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, from paying taxes, thereby enabling him to rise to power using public funds. Gvaramia also sought to disparage Ivanishvili`s charitable endeavours.

Let me be unequivocally clear: Bidzina Ivanishvili has never received public funds at any point in his career.

On the contrary, for years he personally replenished the state treasury, when the national treasury struggled under UNM rule. Using his private capital, not a single tetri of which was earned in Georgia, our honorary chairman personally funded the salaries of teachers, soldiers, police officers, parliamentarians, and thousands of public servants to prevent state institutions from collapsing.

He built modern barracks and administrative facilities for the military and police, fully equipping the security apparatus with vehicles, gear, and essential operational technology.

Furthermore, Ivanishvili used his personal fortune to finance the construction and renovation of 400 schools at a time when parents feared for their children’s safety in dilapidated facilities.

He transferred these funds directly into the state budget, allowing the Gvaramia-aligned administration to take credit for the upgrades.

Neither Bidzina Ivanishvili nor his family ever categorised these contributions as mere charity; because the state lacked the means to meet these vital obligations, he stepped in to bankroll the essential public infrastructure needed to keep the country functioning.

Bidzina Ivanishvili has consistently funded culture, sports, science, and numerous other sectors, with his total philanthropic contribution to Georgia exceeding USD 2.5 billion.

A few years ago, he transferred his remaining assets to the Cartu Foundation, which continues to drive hundreds of community initiatives nationwide. While the public is fully aware of his material, social, and political contributions, I deemed it essential that Gvaramia`s audacity did not go unanswered", - said Archil Gorduladze.