TBILISI, DFWatch – Tbilisi Appeals Court upheld the city court’s decision in the case of opposition billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili’s citizenship.

This means he is still without a citizenship of his native Georgia, and he will be barred from standing for election or engaging in politics unless under a special clause in the constitution which he has said he won’t make use of.

Ivanishvili’s lawyers consider the decision illegal and plan to appeal it to the Supreme Court and if necessary to European courts.

They claim the government is just playing for time and wants to delay the whole process so long that by election time in October, Ivanishvili will still not have his citizenship restored.

The Appeals Court’s decision will be served within fourteen days, and then the businessman will have 21 days to decide whether to appeal to the Supreme Court.