According to the organization’s study of the financing for 8 electoral entities, it was once again highlighted the financial advantage that “Georgian Dream”, compared to other political parties, has.
According to their information this is especially evident from the expenses incurred during the pre-election phase – the ruling parties spent more than all the other parties combined (53%), due to the large amounts of donations received since January (13.4 million GEL).
“Signs that systemic corruption is still present in the process by which the ruling party raises donations are still alarming.” Donors receive state contracts worth millions of dollars and subsidies in addition to their donation. The anti-corruption office is not interested in these donations. However, during the preelection period it harasses monitoring organisations and directly fulfills Prime Minister‘s duties, thus undermining his trust.
Parties’ income and expenses
During the pre-election phase, the 8 subjects studied received a total income of 18,8 million GEL (budgetary funding and donation) and spent 25,3 million GEL. 53% of total expenses (13.3 millions GEL) were financed by “Georgian Dream”.
In the pre-election phase, 94% (17,7 million GEL), of the total income received, came from donations. 6% (1,000,000 GEL) came through state funding.
In the pre-election phase, election subjects received a combined 17.8 million GEL as donations. Of this, 6 million GEL (34%) went to the party “Georgian Dream”, “Coalition for Changes“, which was ranked second with 5.6 GEL, and “Strong Georgia”, which was ranked third with 5.1 GEL. “.
Since the beginning of this year, “Georgian Dream”, received more donations than any other party combined. All parties received 25.3 million GEL. Of this, 13.4 million GEL (53%) was donated to “Georgian Dream”, 5.4 million GEL (21%), to “Strong Georgia”, 5 million GEL (20%) went to “Coalition for Change”.
Since the beginning the year, 40% have donated more than the average salary in Georgia (17,000 GEL each hand). These donors account for 84% the donations received by parties, indicating their dependence on large donors.
During the pre-election phase, the parties spent 17,7 million GEL for advertising. Of this amount, 47% (8,3 million GEL), was spent on the “Georgian Dream”. “Strong Georgia”, (4.5 million GEL), and “Coalition for Changes”, (4.1 million GEL), were the next two.
Donations that are at high risk of corruption
Companies related to donors of the ruling parties received contracts worth 684 millions GEL between January 1, 2023 and October 17, 2024. In return, these donors donated 3.1 millions GEL in 2024 to the “Georgian Dream”.
Gza LLC is a case worth mentioning, as it received 226 millions GEL in state procurement contracts between 2023-2024. Giorgi Chkonia is the owner of the company. He is a donor to “Georgian Dream”, and a candidate in the 2024 elections for a member of parliament. He and his shareholder Malkhaz Dumbbadze donated 75 000 GEL to ruling party in 2024. Since 2013, they have donated 621 thousand GEL.
In 2024, 32 beneficiaries of “Produce in Georgia”, a state-funded program, are donors to “Georgian Dream”. They donated 1.6 millions GEL. In 2014-2020 they received 7.4 million GEL in total within the framework of this program.
51 donors of the “Georgian Dream”, between 2014 and 2023, received subsidies totaling 71 million GEL through state agricultural projects. In return, they gave 7.7 million GEL in the years mentioned to the ruling party; 2 million GEL in the period between January 1 and October 4, 2024.
The largest amount was 16 million GEL, which went to the companies of winemakers Zurab Chkhaidze and Aleksandre Chkhaidze. They donated 320,000 GELs to the “Georgian Dream”.
Bolero & Company LLC received up to 10 million GEL in subsidy. “Georgian Alcohol Distillers Union”, LLC’s directors Davit Bochorishvili, and Irakli Betkauri donated 347,000 GELs to the ruling party. Bidzina Deidashvili is the owner of both companies. Ucha Mamatsashvili is Ucha’s business partner Vakhtang Karichashvili.
From January 1, 2024 to October 4, 2020, people with a family or business connection to Bidzina ivanishvili have donated 425,000 GELs to “Georgian Dream”.
Almost every election, large groups of donors have formed among the ruling party. They donate large amounts of money on the same day. Five owners of “Nova”, LLC donated 282,000 GEL on July 10-11, 2020 to “Georgian Dream”. “Nova” received 9,2 million GEL in state purchases in 2023-2024. He received 1.1million GEL through the “Make in Georgia ” program. On July 4th and 12th, 13 owners of the “Lilo-Mall LLC” donated a total amount of 558,000 GEL.
Supervision of Parties
The decision of the Anti-Corruption Bureau on September 24, 2024 by which “Transparency International – Georgia”, and its executive director – Eka Gigauri was granted the status as an entity with “declared electoral goals”, was illegal and extremely damaging, which resulted the anti-corruption office no longer existing as the financial supervision body of parties Trust.
The fact that the head of anti-corruption bureau reversed his decision at the public order of prime minister strengthens the argument that the bureau is not independent of the government.
Since the Anti-Corruption Bureau took over party supervision, transparency standards in political finance supervision have been deteriorating. The bureau hasn’t published the pre-election report, access to declarations submitted by parties has deteriorated, and there is still no info regarding completed or ongoing criminal cases against political parties or donor,” said the information released from “Transparency International- Georgia”.
Read More @ www.interpressnews.ge