The oligarch, Russia and the West: The battle for Georgia’s future
Voice of America
FILE - Multibillionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, creator of the Georgian Dream party, greets demonstrators during a rally in support of a "foreign agent" law in Tbilisi, Georgia, on April 29, 2024. FILE - A protester shouts slogans during a rally against a law aimed at curbing the influence of "foreign agents," near the Georgian parliament building in Tbilisi, Georgia, on March 10, 2023. FILE - Participants carry a giant EU flag during a procession in support of Georgia's membership in the European Union, in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Dec. 9, 2023.
On top of a steep hill overlooking Tbilisi, tucked behind the city’s ancient fortress, sits a sprawling, futuristic $50 million mansion that locals call “the glass palace.” A shark tank, private zoo and helipad lie within the heavily guarded compound. Its owner, Bidzina Ivanishvili, reportedly calls it his “James Bond” house.
