David Lee, CEO and co-founder of the European Business Association in Georgia (EBA), says some NGOs in Georgia, like Transparency International (TI), tell the people that “we are complete corrupt when we are not.”

Lee went on to say that “I don’t like that the TI went to Brussels and told people we had loads of the problems. I think that we have corrupt NGOs using donor money from SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) to use make political statements. I think that the organizations like the ICC, telling people not to invest, are not independent.”

“I do not like that the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce in Georgia) tell the people not to invest. I do not like that the TI says we are complete corrupt when we are not. We are not corrupt. We have few problems but we are better that some of the EU countries,” he asserted.

Lee believes “these NGOs and the interference that we are getting now is hurting foreign direct investment.”

“And the most important thing this country needs right now, in my opinion, and it is really, really important, is we need more money from business because for the business pays the taxes and that’s my political opinion and I have the right to have political opinion and I know how to do this. I am an investor in Georgia. And I know what people are looking for, so, the thing is we have got to stop all these interference.

Someone who runs the NGO can’t say something personal on its personal social media page, what is the freedom of speech about if you can’t say what you have believe?

Me saying for example that TI is corrupt and is actually a political organization, in my opinion, using the SIDA funds to promote the UNM (United National Movement opposition party), that’s wrong and I think that it’s wrong when associations and chambers like the ICC tell people not to invest in Georgia, that’s wrong. I think its wrong when independent grassroot business association like the EBA (European Business Association) is blocked from the Investors Council by people like the ICC, because they don’t want a neutral association on the Investors Council. These things are wrong,” he underscored.

David Lee stressed that Georgia needs FDI (Direct Foreign Investment) “more than anything else and you are not going to get FTI in a highly competitive global market today if you go around or some of your so-called representatives, who are not elected by the way, going around the place, like the TI, saying the country is completely corrupt, because why would you invest in the country like that.”

“The fact is that its a lie, a complete lie. It is causing a problem and I want to talk about this. I want to build a business association and I built the business association and I left the business association to protect that business association, but there is a problem in Georgia with this interference all the time from some political western players and corrupt NGOs like the TI and chambers like the ICC which say don’t invest; its a problem and it is costing the jobs and it is costing the investments and hurting our brand,” he added.