How to gain Support Ivanishvili's Support

On October 15, Salome Zurabishvili, independent presidential candidate gave the interview to the journalist of Rustavi 2. In the interview, Zurabishvili said that she did not like the project of Panorama Tbilisi as it doesn’t fit the capital of Georgia.

As Zurabishvili said she will not protect Bidzina Ivanishvili in every case and as it seems Panorama Tbilisi is one of this case, but regarding the creation of Dendrological Park in Shekvetili and the process of collecting trees from different parts of Georgia for this park, Zurabishvili has no problem.

“I have no problems with trees. By the way, Niko Nikoladze was also bringing trees from Europe to Georgia ... I will not protect Bidzina Ivanishvili in all cases, but I will protect his effort of collecting trees till the end. Even My relatives from Guria asked me if I knew Bidzina, to help them sell a tree", said Salome Zourabichvili.

Panorama Tbilisi and Dendrological Park in Shekvetili are the projects that Bidzina Ivanishvili implements not taking into consideration protest from the society and can be said that they are very important for him, as much as the case of the Presidential Palace in Avlabari. Bidzina Ivanishvili believes that the palace built by Mikheil Saakashvili should not be used as a residence for presidents, and a president should live in Orbeliani Palace on Atoneli street. Ivanishvili urged Saakashvili to leave the palace. Giorgi Margvelashvili, before becoming the president was promising that he would never enter in Avlabari Palace, though he didn’t comply the promise and it became one of the main reason for complicit between Margvelashvili and Ivanishvili. And now Salome Zurabishvili says that she will live in Orbeliani Palace as a president. But not always she was thinking that Avlabari Palace should not have Presidential or Governmental functions:

“In principle, I consider that building of presidential palace (built by the American billion given to the Georgian people after the war) should have Presidential or Governmental functions, and not be in private property for university, club or something else. “ - said Salome Zurabishvili in 2015.

After 3 years Zurabishvili changed her mind and by expressing her position about the Avlabari Palace, in fact, she strengthened trust and support from Ivanishvili.

"Salome Zurabishvili is a symbol of the recent history - the first emigration representative, the great descendant of Niko Nikoladze…

We are asking you show the maximum possible support to Salome Zurabishvili and I am sure she will win the elections, but of course, most important contribution in her victory will have her history, her actions and our support, " - Bidzina Ivanishvili said.

Interesting episode about Ivanishvili - Zurabishvili cooperation, is 2013 year, when Zurabishvili wanted to participate in Presidential elections and wanted to gain the support of Ivanishvili and “Georgian Dream”, but she didn’t manage it and went in opposition. And later in 2016, she became an independent MP as a majoritarian representative of Mtatsminda district, as “Georgian Dream” didn’t initiate candidate in that district in favor of Salome Zurabishvili. And when Salome Zurabishvili sais now that she doesn’t like “Panorama Tbilisi”, she could do the same and protest the project when she was representing the district in Parliament, which is affected by the Panorama Tbilisi mostly, but she preferred to say nothing.

In fact, she is an independent presidential candidate supported by the “Georgian Dream”, because, as it seems, she will not protect Bidzina Ivanishvili only in those cases when nothing can be changed, for example in case of “Panorama Tbilisi”, in all other circumstances she will be his “apologist”.