Ruling Georgian Dream party moves to regulate foreign grant process through new legislation

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Committee on European Integration of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said the ruling Georgian Dream party was planning to adopt a new legislation requiring donor organisations to obtain government approval for each grant issued in the country.

In his remarks, Makhashvili noted that despite repeated calls, neither donor organisations nor grant recipients had disclosed how the funds were used.

“Despite our repeated calls and requests for greater transparency and accountability - specifically, to disclose funding and ensure public oversight - there has been no response either from donor organisations or implementing entities. As a responsible Government, we plan to adopt this law to ensure that donor organisations obtain approval from the authorities for every single grant. At the same time, the law will ensure that the grant process serves the public interest”, the Parliament official said.

Under the proposed legislative amendments, the procedure for issuing grants from foreign sources will be subject to regulation.

The initiative, launched by the ruling party, aims to safeguard national interests and maintain stability. Approval from the Government of Georgia - or an authorised individual or agency designated by it - will be required for any foreign grant issuance.
Oversight of grant disbursement will be carried out by the Anti-Corruption Bureau.