03 July 2024,   21:28
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As it turned out, a large part of opposition is directly financed from abroad. Given that we have an election year, this is equivalent to foreign interference in Georgian elections - Papuashvili

The opposition parties have created a scheme through fake NGOs to receive illegal donations. Such a statement made today the Chairman of the Parliament.

“It is a fact that the opposition parties have created a scheme through fake NGOs to receive illegal donations. This is both an illegal donation and an illegal donation. We are talking about financing from abroad. As it turned out, a large part of the opposition is directly financed from abroad. Given that we have an election year, this is equivalent to foreign interference in Georgian elections. Foreign interference is one of the threats expected in these elections.

This threat comes primarily from Russia, but I emphasize, it doesn’t matter where the intervention comes from - the territory of Russia, the territory of the EU, or the territory of the US, any intervention is interference in the choice of the Georgian people and it is a Russian style.

Therefore, I once again call on the donors who are part of this hidden scheme that hide their funding, I will name one - the European Endowment for Democracy, which has covered its own expenses in Georgia, appears to directly fund political parties and interfere in elections. The proper holding of elections is one of the parts of the 9 points, and we cannot deal with this problem alone - the EU, its representation, the European Commission must intervene here.

If our common will is for elections to be honest, it is necessary to ban and stop direct or indirect funding of parties in Georgia from European channels, including Russian channels.

This is the responsibility of the EU, and if the funding of the parties is not stopped, it will harm the elections and interfere with the choices of the Georgian people. Foreign money has nothing to do with Georgian politics and pre-election campaigning, and such financing should be stopped. I appeal to all donors, all embassies to pay attention so that not a single cent of theirs ends up in the party piggy bank”, - said Shalva Papuashvili.

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