Ex-President Saakashvili: Our people access grants through other countries to transfer their livelihood funds

“The so-called Law on Grants and the prohibition on businesspeople expressing their opinions hasn’t even occurred to the worst dictators of modern times,” Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili wrote on social media.

According to him, the finances of both the government and the opposition are monopolised, which is detrimental to the country.

“As for the so-called Law on Grants and the prohibition on businesspeople expressing their opinions, such a thing hasn’t even occurred to the worst dictators of modern times.

Well, as for grants, our people have already learnt; they open accounts in Armenia or other countries and bring in their livelihood money that way. They targeted businesses because businesses have clearly begun financing the opposition, understanding that this is their only chance of survival.

The situation where Ivanishvili is on one side and only 1-2 figures on the other, and the finances of both government and opposition are monopolised, is very bad for the country.

Recently, it appears that others have emerged who are providing limited support to activists and opposition groups, but support nonetheless, and Bidzina is deeply concerned about this. I want to address small and medium-sized businesses: financing the opposition and boldly voicing your own opinions are the only ways to save yourselves and the country,” wrote Saakashvili.

On January 28, the majority leader, Irakli Kirtskhalia, announced that several legislative amendments had been prepared. Specifically, according to Kirtskhalia, changes are being made to Georgia’s Law on Grants, including the introduction of criminal liability and measures to make external lobbying punishable. Amendments have also been drafted to the Law on Political Associations of Citizens and regarding the political activity of business entities.