Shalva Papuashvili on the list of “predators of press freedom”: The aim is to try to inflict harm on Bidzina Ivanishvili, because otherwise they cannot force him to take decisions that are not beneficial for Georgia
Their aim is to surround Bidzina Ivanishvili from various sides and try to inflict harm on him, because otherwise they cannot force him to take decisions that are not beneficial for Georgia, – this was stated by Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Shalva Papuashvili in response to the list of “predators of press freedom” published by the organization “Reporters Without Borders,” in which the founder and honorary chairman of “Georgian Dream,” Mr. Bidzina Ivanishvili, has been included.
According to him, no one has any trust left in such organizations and, despite their attempts, “in the final analysis they make fools of themselves.”
“That such organizations no longer have credibility is something we already understand. We listened to the US administration speaking about Amnesty International and the Venice Commission, which they left. These organizations are created in order to influence the political decisions of states and to bring them under their influence through various false reports. This is an entire network of these organizations, about which it is good that the US administration is speaking openly. Until now the US administration was speaking about organizations financed by them, for example USAID, which was exposed in fraud and in changing governments in other countries. Now they are speaking about internationally operating organizations. I am convinced that this will be a new wave of exposing this network. The network whose sole aim is the subordination of various states in order to influence their decisions. Of course, in this case as well their aim is to surround Bidzina Ivanishvili from various sides and try to inflict harm on him, because otherwise they cannot force him to take decisions that are not beneficial for Georgia. They are trying, but in the final analysis they make fools of themselves,” Shalva Papuashvili stated.
For reference: the organization “Reporters Without Borders” has published the 2026 list of “predators of press freedom,” in which Bidzina Ivanishvili is also included.
According to the report of “Reporters Without Borders” (RSF), the honorary chairman of “Georgian Dream,” Bidzina Ivanishvili, is on the list of persons and organizations that exert influence on the media economically.
In Bidzina Ivanishvili’s profile the organization writes that “the billionaire oligarch, former prime minister and founder of the party ‘Georgian Dream,’ remains the real power behind the government of Georgia.”
Among the approximately 35 persons on the list of “predators of press freedom” are, among others, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin; the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko; the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan; and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. This year the President of the United States Donald Trump is also included in the list.
