Georgian businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili founds a new party

Today, the billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the oppositional coalition "Georgian Dream", has founded a new party – "Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia".

Since the businessman himself, who was deprived of Georgia citizenship, cannot lead the party, today the constituent assembly elected Manana Kobakhidze, a lawyer and a human rights defender, to be the party chair.

"The authorities have put us into such situation that we need to have a party chairperson. For me it's a huge responsibility; and I am ready to share this responsibility with you," the "Interfax" quotes Ms Kobakhidze as saying.

She promised that this autumn the party would have hundreds of thousands of Georgian citizens, and they will "smash away" the current government at the parliamentary elections.

The constituent assembly, which took place in the Tbilisi Exhibition Centre "Expo-Georgia", brought together 1109 delegates, the "Georgia Online" reports.

"For us the 'Georgian Dream' means, first of all, the united and prosperous Georgia based on democratic institutions and inhabited by decent citizens. We need to make this dream come true," the "News Georgia" quotes Mr Ivanishvili.