Georgian philosopher, Zaza Shatirishvili Wednesday issued a statement saying “I am carefully following the relation between the Credit Suisse and Bidzina Ivanishvili, which does not seem to be settled in the nearest future.”

Below is his full statement:

I was telling the public exactly 10 days ago, on May 17, that the Americans were achieving two goals with this. On the one hand, they are blackmailing Bidzina Ivanishvili and, on the other, they are destroying the Swiss banking system. The more time passes, I am getting more convinced that the second goal is even more important for them than the first one. It is commonly known that the Swiss banking system is a serious competitor to the American or any other banking system. Consequently, it is not difficult to guess what is the interest behind destroying this system. In my opinion, the Americans have already realized that they will not achieve their goals through exercising blackmailing against Ivanishvili. If Ivanishvili was ready to follow their request, he would already make steps towards the war. However, it is already clear that the they failed to scare Ivanishvili through blackmailing and they seem to be already put up with this. Now, it is obvious that they are trying to achieve the second goal and destroy the Swiss banking system.

I have said on May 17 that since 2008 the Swiss banking system is being de facto managed not by Switzerland, but by the American special services. This is the main explanation for the fact that the Swiss bank is behaving in such a strange manner. Ivanishvili has already published dozens of articles in the international media on how roughly the bank was violating the client’s rights. This articles seriously damage not only the reputation of the Credit Suisse, but also of the entire Swiss banking system. However, I was carefully following the international media and I have not found any single response of the Swiss bank to all these claims. The fact that the bank has never responded to the criticism published in the international media and never tried to defend itself, has been confirmed also by Ivanishvili’s lawyer today. Ivanishvili’s claims against the bank are very strong. However, everyone knows that one can neutralize any claim at least to a certain extent. Consequently, they would at least partly diminish the reputation damage with their response. However, the Credit Suisse’s behavior is very strange and they never respond to Ivanishvili’s articles. Such a strange behavior can have only one single explanation – the system is being managed not by Switzerland, but by the US, and the latter is exactly benefitting by leaving the attacks without response. Similarly, it is clear that the president and entire management of the Credit Suisse are working not on Switzerland, but on the United States. Besides, Ivanisvhili’s lawyer, Viktor Kipiani explained today that Ivanishvili has no money in the Credit Suisse itself. The money is kept in a relatively small bank in Switzerland and the Credit Suisse is managing it only as a trustee. Consequently, it appears that the Credit Suisse has no financial interest in terminating the money transfers.

To summarize, there are three circumstances, which strongly prove my version shared on May 17: 1) Ivanishvili has no money in the Credit Suisse and, thus, this bank has no benefit from this money; 2) Despite this, the bank is behaving in a strange manner and is not defending itself; 3) Ivanishvili manages to criticize the bank in the international media without any obstacles; even a child knows that it could not have happened, if the Americans were against; everyone, who is aware of the system, knows very well that the Americans can block any campaign or article in the international media, if they wish. These three facts fully strengthen my conclusion that the management of the Credit Suisse is working not in favor of Switzerland, but in favor of the Americans. Considering all this, I am strongly confident that by attacking the bank, Ivanishvili is shaking the tree on which he is sitting.

Nobody can impose sanctions against Ivanishvili and, I am sure, Ivanishvili also knows it very well. It will be hard for the Americans to explain these sanctions internationally, and it will be even harder for them to explain them in Georgia. Consequently, the blackmailing against Ivanishvili became completely ineffective and unreasonable. With due consideration of all this, it would be my humble advice to Ivanishvili to stop attacking the Swiss bank.

As I have mentioned, they cannot impose sanctions against Ivanishvili, but Ivanishvili could prepare some kind of sanction against himself. The more the Swiss banking system will be damaged and destroyed, the more difficult it will be for him to receive the money, which he is keeping in Switzerland. Thus, I would suggest him to act pragmatically and take care of the Swiss banking system, despite the fact that Ivanishvili’s claims against the Swiss bank and the banking system are more than fair,” the statement reads.