**Georgia’s Ruling Party Cracks Down on Foreign Support for Opposition**
In a move that has raised concerns about the erosion of democratic freedoms, Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream (GD), plans to ban political parties from receiving in-kind foreign support for public events. The changes to the country’s Law on Political Associations of Citizens will be rushed through parliament and take effect immediately after President Mikheil Kavelashvili signs them.
The GD party has also introduced amendments to the Law on Grants, requiring foreign donors to obtain prior approval from the government-appointed executive before disbursing funds. If permission is denied, the donor faces a fine equal to twice the grant amount. This move has been seen as an attempt to strangle the flow of foreign funding to opposition groups.
**GD Officials Target Opposition Groups**
Commenting on the amendments, GD MP Levan Machavariani openly stated that the government would block grants for prominent opposition figures, including Nino Lomjaria of Georgia’s European Orbit, Eka Gigauri of TI-Georgia, and Baia Pataraia of Sapari. He further described Lomjarias as belonging to “undesirable organizations” that will no longer be eligible for grants.
**Admission of Political Prisoners**
In a surprising slip-up, Machavariani acknowledged the existence of political prisoners in Georgia when asked about the government’s plans to attend a commemoration on April 9. He appeared to downplay the significance of this issue by making light of it, implying that some people would “make a fuss” instead of paying tribute to victims.
**Tbilisi Court Imposes Bail on Former Defense Minister**
Meanwhile, Tbilisi City Court has imposed a bail of GEL 20,000 (approximately USD 7,130) on Irakli Okruashvili, a former defense minister under the previous United National Movement (UNM) government. He is accused of failing to appear before a parliamentary investigative commission established by the ruling GD party.
**Press Freedom Under Threat**
TV Pirveli’s cameraman, Lasha Jioshvili, has been charged with an administrative offense for allegedly verbally insulting law enforcement in a Facebook post. This incident highlights concerns about press freedom and government attempts to suppress dissenting voices.
**International Community Criticizes Georgian Government**
UK Minister of State Stephen Doughty recently criticized the Georgian government for democratic backsliding while congratulating the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) on receiving the Democracy Defender Award. The OSCE Permanent Council presented this award today, April 8, to GYLA representatives from eight member states.
In conclusion, these recent developments have raised concerns about Georgia’s trajectory towards authoritarianism and a clampdown on civil liberties. As the international community closely monitors the situation, it remains essential for Georgian citizens to speak out against these measures and demand their democratic rights be respected.