“Very soon, the relevant regulation will come into force, and whether Georgian or British, they will operate within Georgia under the law, which stipulates that government approval is required for grants,” stated Mamuka Mdinaradze, leader of the parliamentary majority.

When asked about the British Embassy in Georgia’s recent statement, which reads: “After discussion with the Georgian authorities, we have been told that the planned Government Decree establishing a procedure for grant approvals is not finalised, and therefore, no mechanism or timeframe currently exists for grant approval decisions. Due to this uncertainty, we have reluctantly had to cancel our grant plans to support the transparency and competitiveness of the upcoming municipal elections.”

Mdinaradze responded: “Democracy is in danger. The ‘agents’ can no longer be funded. That was the essence of the British Embassy’s statement. There is a rule that our country will establish, and we will implement it very soon. As you know, this is an ongoing process. According to this rule, a law will come into force in a few days, allowing anyone to apply to the government with noble goals and receive approval.

It is, to put it mildly, very unfortunate when someone rushes ahead by a few days and undermines the process, launching an attack from the embassy. When you are aware that a relevant law will be enacted in a few days, you can apply to the government and receive approval. Yet today, you claim that this is a terrible development—something the British Embassy is capable of doing. There is nothing to discuss here.

The relevant law will come into force shortly, and whether Georgian or British entities, they will operate within Georgia under the law, which will require government approval for grants,” said Mamuka Mdinaradze.