TBILISI, DFWatch – The audit body in Georgia, which for several months has been busy fining the largest opposition bloc, now wants to fine five persons for donating to the ruling party.

In contrast to the opposition related cases, the identity of the people in question is not disclosed.

The accused, who are a few dozen in number, belong to the category of socially vulnerable people and receive USD 35 in social assistance each months. Now they are on the list of people donating to the National Movement party. According to the list, they donated thousands of dollars to the ruling party. The list is published and available to see. It is simple to compare the list to the list of socially vulnerable people and define similarity.

Georgian media have reports on this problem for a long time, but the State Audit Office only now decided to fine five persons who donated to the National Movement. The Audit Service says nothing about other similar cases.

The opposition relates this decision to remarks recently expressed by international organizations. A few days ago, representatives from the Council of Europe and the OSCE made statements that fining Georgian Dream coalition persons and subjects is too harsh and disproportionate and expressed concern about this.

Yesterday, the State Audit Office went to Tbilisi City Court asking to fine people donating to the ruling party with 1 575 00, nearly USD 95 500 000.

“Official evidence obtained by the SAO confirmed that five contributors who made donations to the UNM did not have savings that would have allowed them to make the donations from their own funds,” the statement by the Audit Office says.

Evidence was also forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office.

The State Audit Office also asked the National Movement party to return the illegally donated money back to the persons who donated it.

Ruling Party representatives have said that they will return 315 000 lari back to these people.