Georgian Parliament official raises concerns over misuse of EU funds in Georgia

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on European Integration, on Monday raised concerns over the misuse of foreign funds that are often transferred under one name but used for other purposes in the country.

Makhashvili responded to the Imedi TV investigation, according to which, €868,990 was transferred from the European Commission to Georgia, bypassing the domestic law.

In his remarks, Makhashvili stressed that it was a way of bypassing Georgian legislation

“It is common for money to be routed under the guise of beautiful words and projects, but in reality, it usually circulates for political purposes. This is a form of bypassing Georgian legislation”, the Parliament official said.

“It is clear that this money was not spent on the intended support for victims of torture. Most likely, as in the past, these funds were used for political activities that are not permitted by law. As you know, foreign funding of political parties and political activities is prohibited”, Makhashvili noted.