“When any external actor allocates a grant for participation in Georgia’s political processes, it must clearly explain its purpose, who will benefit, and what impact it will have on the Georgian population,” said Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Relations.

“These are local elections, which carry less political weight than parliamentary ones. Typically, international actors are less involved in municipal elections. It is notable that everyone seems to have accepted the reality that the next elections in Georgia will be local. It’s good that illusions about unscheduled parliamentary elections—completely unfounded—are fading.”

Samkharadze stressed that transparency is essential whenever foreign grants are allocated for political involvement in Georgia.

The UK Foreign Office has announced a grant competition to support the municipal elections scheduled for October 2025 in Georgia. According to the statement published on its website, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is inviting Georgian non-profit organizations to submit applications by April 25, 2025, to support the effective conduct of these elections.