restrictions on party financing

Georgia’s governing coalition received most donations in 2014

By | March 4th, 2015|Categories: Politics|Tags: |

Georgian Dream received four fifths of all donations in 2014. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian Dream received almost 82 percent of all political donations in Georgia in 2014. In total, 7.4 million laris (USD 3.7 million) was donated to political parties and subjects last year. The State Audit Office, a government body tasked […]

2012’s democracy campaign revived in Georgia

By | March 6th, 2014|Categories: NGO news|Tags: , |

Kakha Kozhoridze, one of the campaigners. (Video still from the new ad by This Affects You Too.) TBILISI, DFWatch–A campaign in Georgia which played an important role ahead of Saakashvili’s unexpected election defeat in 2012 has been revived. The campaign This Affects You Too is being brought back to life in order to fight against illegal surveillance by […]

New party financing model to include small parties

By | August 2nd, 2013|Categories: Elections '12-'13, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia has presented figures for how political parties are to receive state funding in this year’s election campaign. 2 100 000 lari (USD 1 300 000) will be allocated for the seven parties that are represented in parliament; 1 050 […]

Controversial head of party finance watchdog resigns

By | May 9th, 2013|Categories: News, Politics|Tags: |

Natia Mogeladze has not commented on why she resigned as head of the body that monitors the financing of political parties. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Natia Mogeladze, head of the Financial Monitoring Service for political parties, resigned on Wednesday. According to the State Audit Office, a body subordinate to the Financial Monitoring Service, it was Mogeladze’s own decision to resign. […]

Audit Office was biased, new report finds

By | April 14th, 2013|Categories: NGO news|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch–According to a new report, the Audit Office was biased in favor of the United National Movement (UNM) under the previous government. The report by Transparency International Georgia (TIG), called Finances of Political Parties for the year 2012, […]

Saakashvili’s party broke law, escapes consequences

By | January 27th, 2013|Categories: Elections '12-'13, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch — Georgia’s new government has pardoned the National Movement party for law violations during the election campaign in 2012. The violations were described in a dossier published Friday by the Audit Office, a public body tasked with tracking […]

Audit service committed many violations

By | October 13th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch — A new survey shows that the State Audit Office committed many violations during the last year. Representatives of Coalition For Freedom of Choice and an independent expert group have studied the work of the State Audit Office’s activities and presented […]

Government backtracks on seized property

By | October 10th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch — Property seized in the heat of the election campaign is to be returned, even though the new government is not yet in place. New stricter legislation was used by authorities in spring to fine tens of individuals, including election winner Bidzina Ivansivhili, […]

Seizure lifted of satellite dishes

By | October 6th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch — Friday, authorities in Georgia lifted the seizure of thousands of satellite dishes belonging to Maestro TV and Georgian Dream affiliated Global TV, a cable network operator. Both companies on Friday received a letter about the lifting of the seizure. […]

Christian Democrats fined USD 3 000

By | September 11th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Tbilisi City Court has fined the Christian Democrats Movement with USD 3 000 for violating law about political unions of citizens. The Christian Democrats Movement, who is currently represented in parliament, June 31 held a meeting with the […]

Georgian opposition hit by yet another fine

By | September 3rd, 2012|Categories: Elections, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The largest opposition coalition in Georgia may be fined again, after the State Audit Office has said certain individuals implemented financial operations in the name of Georgian Dream, which is prohibited by law. A statement by the State Audit […]

Audit body brings up more cases related to ruling party

By | August 29th, 2012|Categories: News, Politics|Tags: |

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 […]

Audit agency fines pro-government campaign group

By | August 28th, 2012|Categories: Elections, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgia’s State Audit Service wants to fine a non-governmental organization (NGO) which supports the government by 5 000 lari, or about USD 3 000. The State Audit Service, which has authority to track the financial relations of political parties and […]

Assessment of the election campaign so far

By | August 27th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The international community has begun to assess the election period in Georgia. Their comments focuse on the government’s fining of Georgian Dream coalition members and seizing their bank accounts. As they see it, such actions restrict […]

Claims procedures against opposition parties delayed

By | August 23rd, 2012|Categories: News, Politics|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgia’s National Enforcement Bureau postponed the enforcement of fines that have been issued to political parties which are members of the opposition Georgian Dream coalition. June 27, seven political subjects in the coalition were were fined […]

Government claims opposition is trying to discredit authorities

By | August 23rd, 2012|Categories: News, Politics|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The government in Georgia accuses the opposition bloc Georgian Dream of attempting to discredit government bodies. Two officials in the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly expressed concern about the seizing of bank accounts of parties […]

Campaign finance watchdog treats parties unequally

By | August 21st, 2012|Categories: NGO news|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A new report by Transparency International Georgia shows that the State Audit Service (SAS) has is treating political parties unequally. According to the report “Political Parties’ Finance – in 2011”, the SAS tends to be more interested […]

Georgian opposition has run out of cash

By | August 20th, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Nodar Khaduri from the opposition Georgian Dream says the coalition doesn’t have money, because the government seized the party’s accounts. He calls on the population to donate to Georgian Dream, only to not give money, but posters and t-shirts with […]

Georgia’s opposition bloc has exceeded its fundraising limit

By | August 20th, 2012|Categories: News, Politics|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The largest opposition coalition in Georgia will no longer be allowed to receive donations from persons who partly or fully receive financing from its leader Bidzina Ivanishvili or companies related to him. The State Audit Office informs that […]

Ivanishvhili and Kaladze lost their appeal

By | August 15th, 2012|Categories: News, Politics|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The Appeals Court in Tbilisi rejected an appeal by the leader of the opposition Georgian Dream coalition and a former AC Milan player. This means that the decision by Tbilisi City Court to fine them stands. Bidzina Ivanishvili was fined USD 12.3 […]

Kaladze and Ivanishvili may pay new fines to help storm victims

By | August 13th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The leader of the opposition Georgian Dream coalition and his partner, a former AC Milan player, are ready to give more money to the state to assist people who suffered losses due to a hailstorm on July 19. The storm seriously damaged villages in […]

Ivanishvili hit by new USD 12 mill fine

By | August 12th, 2012|Categories: News, Politics|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Tbilisi City Court once more issued a fine to Saakashvili’s main competitor Bidzina Ivanishvi. The case was brought by the State Audit Office, which accused the businessman of illegally donating to his own party and fined him 20 243 827 lari, […]

Audit office wants to know opposition leader’s spending

By | August 9th, 2012|Categories: News, Politics|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The financial monitoring service of Georgia’s state audit office accuses Bidzina Ivanishvili and his partner, a former professional football player, of withdrawing money from their own accounts, and calls on both of them to return the money to […]

Polling institute’s bank accounts seized

By | August 3rd, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – By decision of Tbilisi City Court the bank accounts of Georgian Development Research Institutes (GDRI) were seized. The leadership of the organization doesn’t know the reason, but suspect that it is because of a donation from Bidzina Ivanishvili. […]

Former AC Milan player Kakhi Kaladze denied appeal hearing

By | July 31st, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The former footballer, now opposition campaigner Kakhi Kaladze has been deprived of the right to appeal the seizure of his bank accounts. This news was relayed by Shalva Tadumadze, a lawyer for the former AC Milan player. Tbilisi City Court […]

Ruling party ex-MP vows objectivity as audit service head

By | July 26th, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A former high-ranking member of parliament who was appointed new head of the audit service promises that he will be fair, independent, professional and objective. Lasha Tordia was appointed to the position after the former head, Levan Bezhashvili, left […]

Ivanishvili pays state USD 48 mill to help storm victims

By | July 25th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Saakashvili’s main competitor Bidzina Ivanisvhili yesterday gave 80 million lari to the state. This is about USD 48 million. He says the government has denied him of all other ways to help the disaster struck population, and therefore he decided […]

Georgian audit service gets new director

By | July 25th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The head of parliament’s committee on human rights will replace the head of the audit service. Davit Bakradze, Speaker of Parliament, announced the decision Tuesday during a visit to Abasha, small town in the Samegrelo region. The audit service […]

The head of Georgia’s audit service resigns

By | July 23rd, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The head of Georgia’s audit service today resigned in order to help people affected by the storm in Kakheti last week. Levan Bezhashvili has held the position since 2008. Monday, he announced his decision to resign, on the fifth day […]

Media workers gather in support of Maestro TV

By | July 21st, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – 20 media outlets in Georgia gathered today at Tbilisi Marriott Hotel to discuss the recent seizure of satellite dishes belonging to Maestro TV. The media workers consider the prosecutor office’s action illegal and appeal to both the government […]

Opposition activists fined USD 200 000

By | July 19th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Tbilisi City Court Wednesday fined six representatives of the main opposition movement USD 200 000 for donating money to their own political movement, Georgian Dream. The court made its decision under mediation of the State Audit Service, which […]

Three opposition activists arrested

By | July 18th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Three Georgian Dream activists were arrested July 16 on suspicion of bribery. According to the Justice Ministry, one of the suspects, Merab Kachakhidze, transferred 7 000 lari to the chair of the Conservative party’s branch in Mtatsminda […]

Georgian TV station’s ads considered illegal funding

By | July 12th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The State Audit Service has intervened in the activity of the TV company Maestro, demanding information about advertising agreements and money transfers with Georgian Dream and Komagi foundation, which is also affiliated with the Georgian Dream […]

Second TV station targetted in satellite dish clamp-down

By | July 11th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The Government is to seize satellite receivers belonging to the small, independent TV station Maestro under a controversial new party finance regulation. The Prosecetor’s Office suspects that Maestro is distributing satellite receivers to voters […]

Opposition activists fined USD 700 000

By | July 9th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Tbilisi City Court on Sunday fined seventeen opposition supporters USD 700 000 for illegal campaign donations. In local currency, the exact size of the fines are 1 202 000 lari, collectively. The State Audit Service, which is entitled to track […]

Georgia comes down hard on companies helping opposition

By | July 7th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Tbilisi City Court handed out fines totalling USD 6.7 mill Friday and Saturday. A company was found guilty of lending 45 cars to the opposition for free, and fined USD 5.2 mill, while that company and another was fined USD 1.4 mill for letting them […]

Political audits continue with more people on trial

By | July 7th, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The State Audit Service, which used to be called the Chamber of Control, has seized property and bank accounts of a company which they say belongs to opposition billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. The audit service also determined seventeen people […]

Georgian opposition parties fined USD 1.5 million

By | June 28th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Tina Khidasheli, one of the leaders of the opposition Georgian Dream coalition says the government is preventing Georgian Dream from conducting an election campaign. Tbilisi City Court fined the Georgian Dream coalition’s constituent parties 2 383 097 […]

Georgia seizes Cartu Bank and Progress Bank

By | June 27th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – National Bureau of Enforcement has seized Bidzina Ivanishvili’s 100 percent share in Cartu Group and Cartu Bank and a 21.7 percent share he has in Progress Bank because of failure to pay a USD 45 million fine. The businessman claims that he only […]

Georgian opposition’s bank accounts may be seized

By | June 26th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Parties in Bidzina Ivanishvili’s opposition bloc may have their bank accounts seized. Tina Khidasheli, one of the Georgian Dream coalition leaders, says if their bank accounts are seized, it will mean they will have to stop campaigning. The Chamber of Control has […]

Ivanishvili: I don’t own any companies in Georgia

By | June 23rd, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Bidzina Ivanishvili, who has been fined USD 45 million but refuses to pay, says he doesn’t own shares in any Georgian companies. According to Ivanishvili’s official Facebook page, he says he no longer owns shares in Cartu Bank nor in any other […]

Georgia intervenes against Ivanishvili’s fortune

By | June 21st, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgian authorities are starting to seize the property of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Article has been updated.) A prosecutor has ordered thousands of satellite receivers seized, while another office is preparing to forcefully collect a USD […]

Ivanishvili’s USD 45 mill fine was due Monday

By | June 19th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Monday the deadline ran out for opposition financier Bidzina Ivanishvili to pay a USD 45 million fine. Tbilisi City Court issued the fine in a lawsuit raised by the Chamber of Control’s party finance audit agency. Originally, the fine was 149 […]

Ivanishvili’s fine reduced to USD 45 million

By | June 15th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The appeals court in Tbilisi has decreased reduced to half a fine issued to the opposition billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. (Article has been updated.) Lawyers working for Ivanishvili say the businessman still will refuse to pay the fine and […]

Democracy campaign gathering signatures for media reform

By | June 15th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A democracy campaign in Georgia is gathering signatures in support of their law proposal about diversity in media, after the government said it is against it. The campaign called This Affects You Too has developed a law proposal which would […]

Ivanishvili will not pay fine, property may be seized

By | June 14th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The Georgian opposition billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili refuses to pay a USD 90 million fine he was issued for illegal party funding. This could lead to seizure and forced sale of his property. The 149 million lari fine corresponds to 2.1 percent […]

Sheep and wine to voters might have been vote-buying

By | June 12th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The party financing audit agency in Georgia is continuing not only going after the opposition, but might also fine the ruling party. Kakha Baratashvili is head of Rustavi city council. Earlier this year, Transparency International Georgia reported […]

Georgian opposition financier Ivanishvili fined 148 million lari

By | June 12th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The main opposition leader in Georgia has been issued a fine of 126 million lari and an additional 22 million lari in a second case. The city court in Tbilisi ruled in favor of the audit agency in the case against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire who last […]

Ivanishvili lawyers were denied to submit evidence

By | June 9th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Lawyers working for a Georgian opposition leader accuse a judge at Tbilisi City Court for being subjective. Lawyers representing Bidzina Ivanishvili, who has been taken to court by the Chamber of Control’s (CoC) financial audit branch, criticize the […]

Court case starts against Ivanishvili

By | June 8th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A court in Tbilisi is to decide whether President Saakashvili’s strongest challenger is a criminal. It’s the Chamber of Control (CoC) that is taking Bidzina Ivanishvili to court. The body, which was given tough new powers last December, accuses the […]

Claims that Georgian opposition bribed voters

By | June 8th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A new strongly pro-government organization says the main opposition bloc in Georgia may be disqualified in the upcoming parliament elections, because of what it says is bribery of voters. The organization, called Clean Politics, which was set up two […]

Georgia’s government seeks reconciliation ahead of contested election

By | June 2nd, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A government commission set up to monitor usage of administrative resources during the elections is calling for a halt in the dismissal of ministry employees before the elections are over with. Deputy Interior Minister Eka Zghuladze released a […]

Democracy campaign in Georgia hopes for Clinton’s support

By | June 1st, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Ahead of a visit to Georgia by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, democracy campaigners are appealing to her for support in providing a fair election environment. The campaign This Affects You Too was started in February 2012, after the […]

Don’t hesitate, says democracy campaign in Georgia

By | May 22nd, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A pro-democracy campaign in Georgia calls on the Saakashvili regime to not stall a negotiated deal intended to secure a more fair election in October. The campaign sent a letter appealing to the president and speaker of parliament to start […]

Pro-democracy campaign wants equal access to media

By | May 18th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A pro-democracy campaign in Georgia Thursday presented their latest package of modifications to various aspects of the election system, as there are four months left until the parliamentary elections. Among issues they presented to an audience of […]

EU Commissioner Štefan Füle encourages civic groups in Georgia

By | April 24th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Štefan Füle, the EU’s commissioner for enlargement, promises that the upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia will remain a high priority on the EU’s agenda. He says they are paying particular attention to the newly adopted law on political unions […]

Groups in Georgia note progress on democracy

By | March 21st, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A pro-democracy campaign in the former Soviet republic Georgia is noting a slight progress as parliament Wednesday took into account their criticism. The groups have said that recent changes to the campaign finance rules pose a threat to democracy. […]

Groups note progress about Georgian election rules

By | March 19th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – In Georgia, a vague new law is on its way to be clarified, as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) continue their negotiations with parliament’s judiciary committee to amend the law about political unions of citizens. The concept of ‘related legal […]

Groups met Georgian lawmakers over campaign law

By | March 19th, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Four non-governmental organizations in Georgia Monday for the third time met with parliament’s judicial committee about the new law on party financing, called ‘law on political unions of citizens’. Georgian Young Lawyers Organization, Transparency International […]

Wave of political interrogations in western Georgia

By | March 13th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The Chamber of Control has started a wave of interrogations in western Georgia. People are being called in for questioning at local government buildings. The coalition Choice for Freedom says the letter calling people in for talks does not give any […]

EU’s NGO platform in Georgia asks Füle for help

By | March 13th, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Eastern Partnership Georgia appeals to the EU for help in the case of party financing rules. Authorities in Georgia enforced new tough restrictions on party financing last December, and made the rules apply also to organizations and individuals ‘indirectly’ […]

Democracy campaign in Georgia continuing

By | March 9th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Here in Georgia, the ‘This Affects You Too’ campaign continues as organizers delivered a special appeal to parliament, the president’s administration and the foreign affairs ministry, requesting them to invite long term observers from the OSCE for the whole […]

Democracy campaigners in Georgia note slight progress

By | March 8th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Pro-democracy campaigners in Georgia welcome a step by the government to change a controversial law which they believe would be used to secure Mikheil Saakashvili’s power grip over the country in an election this fall. But the groups are not satisfied […]

EU and OSCE help needed to avoid unfair election in Georgia

By | March 7th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Campaigners in the former Soviet republic of Georgia are asking the European Union and the OSCE for help to prevent Mikheil Saakasvhili from rigging the election this fall. Pro-democracy groups have been campaigning since December last year to reverse […]

How Party Financing Regulations Should be Changed

By | March 6th, 2012|Categories: Opinion|Tags: , |

Georgia’s party financing law was amended in December 2011. A campaign called This Affects You Too was formed in February out of concern that the amendments are a threat to democracy. Recently, the campaign presented their proposal for how to make new amendments, so that […]

Democracy-support gets in a squeeze in Georgia

By | March 6th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A new law in the former Soviet republic of Georgia has led to several international organizations reconsidering their democracy building activities. The law was supposed to strengthen transparency in the election campaign this year and next, but a broad […]

OSCE must send observers to Georgia now, not wait

By | March 2nd, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Democracy campaigners in the former Soviet republic of Georgia call for international observers to come and monitor what’s going on. They believe the Saakashvili government is setting things up to rig the election for parliament this fall. Last election, […]

Campaigners meet lawmaker to discuss party finance rules

By | March 1st, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The ‘This Affects You Too’ campaign continues to push for amendments to recent new rules that they say restricts freedom of speech, property rights, the right to political activism, right to assembly and independence more generally. Today, […]

Georgian opposition bloc fined by party financing authority

By | February 27th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgian authorities have issued fines to an opposition figurehead and his associates totaling 363 000 US dollars. The businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili, who since October 2011 has been gradually building a base within the country’s politics, was […]

Continued pressure to change vague party financing rules

By | February 23rd, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Groups in Georgia Thursday continued their campaign against the new party financing rules which were ushered in last December. At different spots around Tbilisi and in several other towns there were demonstrations to highlight the threat posed by […]

Georgian election watchdog wishes it had retroactive powers

By | February 21st, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – As a new chapter unfolded in the saga about Georgia’s party finance reform, the Chamber of Control Monday made a request which seemed an implicit criticism of its critics. The CoC was given retroactive powers in a reform last December, but since such […]

Georgia’s new party finance rules to be reworked

By | February 21st, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgian Speaker of Parliament Davit Bakradze is asking parliament to change the recently introduced party finance rules so that they guarantee the freedom of speech more. He said this during a bureau session on February 20, responding to a petition […]

New party finance rules create chilling effect, warn activists

By | February 17th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The loud sound of a horn and whistles was heard outside parliament in Tbilisi today, as activists and rights groups protested against a new set of rules that they say threaten basic freedoms. They came there not only to show how strongly opposed they are […]

U.N. Envoy criticizes Georgia for not respecting human rights

By | February 14th, 2012|Categories: Elections, News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A United Nations envoy says the new party finance rules Georgia introduced in December are a violation of human rights. Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai says that ‘they at times use ambiguous language, are fuelling an overall climate of distrust, and […]

It affects you too: Petition in Georgia against new election rules

By | February 13th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Most newspapers in the former Soviet republic of Georgia today publish a petition which protests controversial changes to a law about party financing. When the law on Political Associations of Citizens was changed in December 2011, it caused a strong […]

Party finance watchdog may be willing to curb its powers

By | February 11th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Several leading Georgian organizations are now demanding clearer limits for the powers of the country’s party finance watchdog. The Chamber of Control itself is considering changes in its powers. The groups met Friday with the head of the Chamber of Control’s […]

Groups under threat in Georgia mobilize to defend rights

By | February 11th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Organizations in the former Soviet republic of Georgia are planning to take immediate measures together with media workers to protest against a new law amendment which they claim poses a serious threat to freedom of speech, freedom of the media and […]

Georgian authorities go after election observers

By | February 9th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – The government of Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili has begun an unprecedented move to cut off the foreign funding of civil rights groups and election observers, because it believes that the groups are trying to affect the outcome of the election this fall. […]

Legislative Novelties Leading to the Absurd

By | January 30th, 2012|Categories: Opinion|Tags: , |

An election reform which started out with the aim to create an equal and fair election environment in Georgia ended up creating discriminatory regulations, violating freedom of speech and property rights; imposed real threats for voters, media, NGOs and business organizations, writes Tamar Chugoshvili, chair of Georgian Young Lawyer's Association. Amendments made to the [...]

Georgia’s ruling party responds to trickery accusation

By | January 28th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - The Georgian speaker of parliament says lawmakers never rubber-stamp laws after receiving advice from the Council of Europe. Davit Bakradze was responding to criticism from a think tank that the ruling party manipulated the legislative process by changing a law after it had been submitted to the Council of Europe for [...]

Confusion sets in over Georgian election reform

By | January 27th, 2012|Categories: Legal reform, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - As Georgia is heading for potentially the first real competitive election, confusion arose Friday over different versions of the same law. A think tank says the government significantly changed a draft law which was sent to the Council of Europe (CoE) for advice. The Georgian Development Research Institute, which was founded [...]

Tbilisi mayor’s 2010 campaign to be scrutinized

By | January 16th, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: , , |

TBILISI, DFWatch - The Georgian Chamber of Control is looking closer at the financial activities of an organization which campaigned for Tbilisi mayor Gigi Ugulava in 2010. The organization is called Our Vote to Gigi Ugulava and had several well-known Georgian singers among its members. This is the result of recent changes in the law [...]

National Bank shared information about Ivanishvili

By | January 13th, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch - Georgia’s party finance watchdog claims it obtained information about the financial activities of the Georgian Dream movement from the National Bank. The body released a report Tuesday which showed how much money opposition financier Bidzina Ivanishvili has spent on advertisement in various newspapers and TV not affiliated with the government. As DFWatch has [...]

Georgian media swept up in campaign finance clampdown

By | January 11th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - Newspapers and TV not affiliated with the government in Georgia have been swept up in a major effort by authorities to restrict an opposition financier's influence. Civil rights groups warned in late 2011 that this could happen, and now it has. Georgia's new party finance law is being applied far outside of party [...]

Political ‘interest’ prompted Ivanishvili audit

By | January 7th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – A political movement in Georgia must follow rules for party financing, because it wants to impact the election. The new head of Georgia’s campaign finance watchdog, Natia Mogeladze (pictured), says she ordered Ivanishvili's movement to report on its finances because they made statements indicating political intentions. “The motivation was their own [...]

Party finance boss’ neutrality questioned

By | January 6th, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: , , |

TBILISI, DFWatch - Opposition parties in Georgia object against the appointment of an employee at the Ministry of Justice as new head of the party finance monitoring body. The objections come not only from the many fiercly anti-government parties, but also from those that signed an agreement with the government last summer about how to overhaul [...]

Full checkup for Ivanishvili’s nascent bloc

By | January 5th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch - One day after being given responsibility for enforcing Georgia’s new tough rules on campaign financing, Natia Mogeladze takes the bull by the horns and asks the country’s new opposition movement to see their finances. This is the first time a new, controversial law on party financing is being applied outside of party politics, [...]

Parliament’s powers weakened, warn lawyers

By | January 5th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) calls for the Minister of Justice to immediately amend a decree he issued which gives the government the right to change the wording a laws already passed by parliament. Last week saw an unusual legal manouver in Tbilisi, when the government changed the wording of a [...]

Little known official will lead campaign finance control

By | January 5th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch - Georgia has appointed the official who will be in charge of enforcing a set of new tough rules on campaign finance, as the country is preparing to hold parliamentary elections in the fall. The responsibility to enforce the new rules has been handed to Natia Mogeladze, a lawyer about who little is known. [...]

Government to ‘edit’ laws in Georgia

By | January 3rd, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - The government in Georgia has given itself the right to edit the wording of laws after they are passed in order to avoid misunderstandings. Recently a new law brought democracy groups to the streets to protest, but afterwards lawmakers claimed that the contentious part of the law was based on misinterpretation. The law [...]

“Retroactive law” was a misunderstanding

By | December 30th, 2011|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - The government says that the political partners of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili won’t have to return the money received from his companies for the last two months. Pavle Kublashvili (pictured), chairman of the Parliament Judiciary Issues Committee claimed this December 29 at the special briefing in parliament. The issue came to the public’s attention [...]

It’s magic! Legal somersault in Tbilisi

By | December 30th, 2011|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - Lawmakers in the Georgian capital seem to have changed a law after it was signed by the president and entered into the formal record. The law raised a chorus of objections from activists who said it violated the constitution and international conventions. Now it appears that the offending paragraph of the law has [...]

Why, Mr President?

By | December 30th, 2011|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - Democracy activists and rights groups descended on president Saakashvili's palace in Tbilisi's Avlabari district Thursday to protest against his signing of a bill into law. Frustration and disbelief has been the dominating reaction among political circles after this became known, and in a spontaneous show of emotion, activists took to the streets outside [...]

President signed controversial campaign finance law

By | December 29th, 2011|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - The Georgian president has signed the law about political associations of citizens, which imposes restrictions on campaign financing. The amendment includes restrospective powers, which are prohibited by international conventions and the Georgian constitution. This means that the law has come into force and political parties which have received financing which until now was [...]

Welcome Back to the USSR!

By | December 29th, 2011|Categories: Opinion|Tags: |

Yesterday Parliament of Georgia passed a law which in fact outlaws political activity. Furthermore, to a degree it even outlaws political thinking. The law amends the Organic Law on Political Associations of Citizens, the statute which once controlled political parties as such. Hereinafter it is going to control non-political, non-for-profit or business organizations too and, strangely [...]

New law illegal, say rights groups

By | December 28th, 2011|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - Several authoritative non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Georgia consider the retrospective powers of a new law amendment unconstitutional and are asking the president to veto it. The amendment imposes sanctions on political parties that have received money via private companies during the last few months, which was and still is legal until January 1. [...]

Opposition must return tycoon’s gifts

By | December 28th, 2011|Categories: Elections, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - The political partners of the Georgian tycoon turned opposition leader will have to return the money they received from him. Otherwise, they must give it to the state. This is the consequence of a new bill approved by parliament on Wednesday at the third and last hearing. The final version of the bill [...]

Theatres to reject opposition financing

By | December 24th, 2011|Categories: News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch - From next year, Georgian theatres will refuse to accept help from billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, culture minister Nika Rurua said on December 23. Artists are saying the government forced theatre directors to make this decision. The directors have not commented. Billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili has been supporting the development of Georgian culture for years. The [...]

Human rights groups targeted in Georgian power game

By | December 22nd, 2011|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - The government in Georgia is planning to make it illegal for human rights groups to let their criticism of the situation be used in party politics. If they violate the rule, their funding will be restricted. Businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili is doing well in the polls ahead of Georgia’s election next year, but is [...]

Objections ignored about party financing

By | December 13th, 2011|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - Another surprise bill about election reform made its way to parliament Monday, making it clear that the government intends to ignore objections from a broad section of society when it comes to party financing. Legal persons in Georgia will be prohibited from financing political parties. Only banks will be able to offer parties [...]

Party financing rules target opposition

By | November 23rd, 2011|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - A leading legal expert says the new rules on party financing will severely hamper opposition parties as Georgia enters two consecutive election years. The new rules are widely seen as a move to make it more difficult for billionaire philanthropist Bidzina Ivanishvili to use his wealth to claim political power. They will criminalize [...]

Secret bill reins in party financing

By | November 22nd, 2011|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - The government has secretly sent a bill to the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission which seems to block Bidzina Ivanishvili's last option for using his wealth to build an opposition movement. Private companies and organizations are prohibited from financing political parties. Individuals will have the right to give a maximum of sixty thousand [...]

Should we expect more unexpected initiatives regarding party financing?

By | October 31st, 2011|Categories: Opinion|Tags: |

On 22 October, local non-government organizations met representatives of the Analytical Department of the Ministry of Justice. At the meeting, the Ministry declared that it intends to present legislative initiatives regarding party financing to the parliament of Georgia which would reflect the recommendations offered by local and international organizations (GRECO, CoU) meant to deal with corruption [...]