Parliament Committee Chair: new laws aim to ensure transparency of illegally entering funds

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Committee on European Integration of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday defended recent legislative changes initiated by the ruling Georgian Dream party, stating that their primary objective was to ensure transparency of funds illegally entering the country.

Speaking about the amendments to Georgia’s organic law on political associations of citizens, which were passed in the third reading yesterday, Makhashvili said the legislation was targeting the core of an ongoing problem.

Makhashvili stressed that the criticism was not acceptable from individuals who themselves were the source of the problem the law was addressing.

“We are not in a position to leave their arguments unanswered. We’ve always said there’s a problem that needs solving. If anyone had a solution, we were ready to consider it, but no one came forward. No one has offered a solution. Instead, everyone waited silently for the parliamentary discussions to end. We don’t need loud statements - we need shared solutions”, he said.

The Committee Chair emphasised that the newly adopted changes were the only viable way to address the issue. He also accused some non-governmental organisations of contributing to the problem through their actions.

“Non-governmental organisations have contributed to this problem through their actions. Therefore, we cannot accept criticism from those who are not solving the problem but are, in fact, its source”, Makhashvili continued.

The official further added that regarding the bureaucracy, Georgia could not surpass Brussels, but in other areas, transparency was the main objective.

“Let’s remember what this is all about - our goal is to make transparent the money that enters Georgia illegally. That was the central aim of the laws we adopted. The provision requiring a formal notification to the Government will ensure that we know how much money is coming into the country, who is spending it, and where it is being spent. We’ve been asking for transparency for a long time. The requirement to notify the Government will guarantee that the funds entering Georgia serve public needs - not the throwing of Molotov cocktails”, Makhashvili concluded.

Key provisions of the amendments include restrictions on indirect donations. Political parties or individuals with declared electoral goals will be prohibited from receiving donations in the form of lectures, seminars, or other similar public events from both domestic and foreign legal entities or associations.