Georgian Dream party proposes new rules for foreign grant allocations

Irakli Kirtskhalia, the Deputy Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction in the legislative body, on Monday announced a package of legislative amendments aimed at regulating the process of grant allocation by foreign donors.

In his remarks, Kirtskhalia noted that once the proposed amendments come into effect, both foreign and domestic legal entities will no longer be permitted to fund lectures, seminars, or similar public events that serve partisan political interests.

“To further strengthen the country’s sovereignty and national security, the proposed amendments will introduce a requirement for prior approval from the Government of Georgia - or a designated competent authority - before any foreign grants can be accepted. This is essential to prevent external forces from funding campaigns in Georgia that romanticise violence, such as the use of Molotov cocktails, promote violent protests, or engage in other destructive activities that the public has witnessed repeatedly - especially since 2022. These acts aim to undermine Georgia’s statehood and bring foreign-backed operatives to power”, the ruling party official said.

The key provisions of the proposed legislative changes include:

• The consent of the Georgian Government or the authorized person or body designated by it will be mandatory for receiving grants from foreign sources
• Oversight of grant acceptance and compliance will be carried out by the Legal Entity of Public Law - the Anti-Corruption Bureau
• Unauthorized acceptance of grants without Government consent will be subject to a financial penalty amounting to double the value of the received grant

To prevent misinformation and clarify concerns, Kirtskhalia stressed that the following grants will be exempt from the requirement for prior Government approval:

• Individual scholarships and grants for pursuing secondary and higher education, as well as scientific research, abroad
• Grants issued by international sports associations, federations, and committees
• Grants received by international organisations operating in Georgia

Furthermore, Kirtskhalia addressed a loophole in the current legislation, which, while prohibiting political parties from receiving donations from legal entities, does not prevent domestic or foreign legal entities from indirectly interfering in Georgia's internal politics by funding lectures, seminars, or similar public events to support the radical opposition. He cited examples from the pre-election period of the 2024 parliamentary elections. The proposed amendments aim to close this loophole.

He further highlighted the recent admission by the European Commission that it had, in fact, used non-governmental organisations for lobbying activities. He stated that the Commission itself acknowledged that the work programs presented by activist organizations contained inappropriate lobbying, with funds being misused and aimed at suppressing dissenting opinions. He argued that this revelation further underscores the necessity of adopting the presented changes to strengthen Georgia's sovereignty.