TBILISI, DFWatch – An auction is in progress to sell property seized from 17 people who donated money to political parties.

A land plot with a dwelling belonging to Giga Bukia, a member of the Georgian Dream coalition, has already been sold.

The State Audit Service went to Tbilisi City Court asking to fine 17 persons an amount five times what they allegedly donated to political parties. As usual, the court agreed with the prosecution.

One of the 17 is Bezhan Odishvili, member of the National Movement. He was fined 25 000 lari. The other 16 persons appealed the ruling, but they lost in the Appeals Court. Afterwards, the property of these persons was seized because of failure to pay the fine.

The amount of fines is the following: Davit Batsikadze – USD 82 300, Zaal Gogsadze – USD 36 400, Giga Bukia – USD 46 800, Givi Ramazashvili – USD 48 500, Bidzina Gujabidze – USD 90 100, Kakha Chakvetadze – USD 56 600, Levan Chichua – USD 15 200, Levan Chkareuli – USD 12 200, Marina Nadiradze – USD 34 800, Irma Davitadze – USD 47 500, Avtandil Davitadze – USD 69 200, Giorgi Mosiashvili – USD 76 000, Maya Taniashvili – USD 15 200, Irakli Chubabria – USD 48 000, Bezhan Edisherashvili – USD 15 200, Badri Tsitskladze – USD 24 400 and Alexandre Shalamberidze – USD 24 400.

Those of the affected people who are supporters of various opposition parties say that the fine was illegal. This was the reason they refused to pay, which led to their property being put up for auction.

All of their seized property is up for auction, regardless of the size of the fine.

A land plot with a dwelling belonging to Giga Bukia, a member of Georgian Dream, has already been sold.

He says he was fined 190 000 lari, but the money income from the auction is 120 000 more than the fine. He demands to have this money transferred to his account. He says if this money is transferred to his account, he will donate it to Georgian Dream.

“The price of the property sold at auction was 313 000 lari. The difference is about 120 000. I want to thank people who were kind to my family and Georgia, but I also want to say that the government is obliged to transfer the remaining 120 000 lari to my account. I and my family will donate this money to Georgian Dream. The government’s goal of illegally fining me has become controversial, because I was the only one person who had an income and donated to Georgian Dream. Now there are four of us – me, my children and my wife.”

The property of one of these persons was not sold, but the National Enforcement Bureau doesn’t specify which of them.

The auction will continue on August 6.