German Government confirms funding Georgian NGOs, withholds names

The German Government has admitted to providing financial support to non-governmental organisations in Georgia but declined to reveal their identities.

The disclosure came in response to parliamentary questions from the opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

In written answers to nine detailed questions submitted by AfD lawmakers, the German Government confirmed ongoing funding for Georgian civil society groups through GIZ (German Agency for International Cooperation) and other channels.

“Disclosing the names of local civil society partner organisations poses a significant risk to the continued functioning of these organisations and the people working in them, given the growing repressive climate towards civil society organisations in Georgia”, the German Government said.

However, it refused to disclose recipient names, funding amounts, or specific project details.

“In this case, funding from the Federal Government is based on trust, which includes confidential handling of confidential data. This trust is a fundamental condition for cooperation; otherwise, the implementation of relevant projects would be jeopardized. Disclosing the names of local partners as confidential information is also impossible due to the potential threat to the lives and health of people working in partner organisations in Georgia. Even the slightest risk of publicly disclosing their names is unacceptable. The funding recipients have not given consent for this”, the statement noted.

The German Government further noted that the primary objective of the support was to bolster political, social, and economic participation, thereby strengthening pluralism, democracy, and social cohesion.

“The main goal is to strengthen political, social, and economic participation in Georgia and, accordingly, to enhance pluralism, democracy, and social cohesion through support for civil society organizations," the statement said.

“The German Embassy participates through standard procurement and reporting procedures”, the Gov’t concluded.