USAID Under Scrutiny
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has been accused of using its projects as a way to exert informal influence over countries, including Georgia.
This claim was made by Levan Makhashvili, the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration. He stated that while USAID had implemented many useful projects, it had also been used as a “shield and cover” for other activities.
According to Makhashvili, some of these projects undermined democracy in Georgia. He also claimed that funding schemes were aimed at distorting the country‘s electoral and political processes.
The scandal surrounding USAID is likely to be just the beginning, with more information expected to come to light. The focus will now be on ensuring that money is not used for illegal political activities in Georgia.
Makhashvili said that in the future, media outlets would have the freedom to report independently and focus on local issues. This change would allow them to serve the needs of their communities, rather than being influenced by external forces.
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