Georgia's billionaire ex-PM launches NGO to 'control government'

Former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili on Tuesday said he was launching a non-governmental organisation aimed at helping citizens in the ex-Soviet state "control their government". Billionaire Ivanishvili, who stepped down in November after a year at the helm in favour of a handpicked successor, pledged to pump some $1.5 million annually into the organisation to fund the training of journalists and political analysts.   "To be a free citizen is the biggest pleasure on earth and at the same time it is the heaviest load. This is why I have founded this organisation called 'Citizen'," the tycoon told journalists in the capital Tbilisi. "We must learn to control our government. 'Citizen' has been founded to help people control their government," said Ivanishvili, 57, who is estimated to have a fortune of some $5.3 billion by Forbes. Ivanishvili -- who chose protege Irakli Garibashvili, 31, to take over as premier and oversaw the election of another close ally as president -- has rejected fears that he will continue to wield power over the government of the tiny Caucasus nation from behind the scenes. The yoga-loving magnate -- who owns a private zoo and priceless modern art collection -- emerged from seclusion a few years back to wrest power from his arch-foe former President Mikheil Saakashvili whom he accused of authoritarianism. Staunch US-ally Saakashvili, whose second and last legally permitted term in office came to an end last year, is currently lecturing at the Fletcher School for Law and Diplomacy at Boston's Tufts University.