TI-Georgia: GD Receives Half of Political Donations in Q2 2024

On August 2, local watchdog Transparency International Georgia released quarterly data on political donations to Georgian political parties from April 1 to June 30. According to TI-Georgia’s findings, the second quarter of 2024 wasn’t characterized by a large number of donations, despite this being an election year, as the parties received only GEL 2 million. The ruling Georgian Dream party received half of the donations, GEL 1 million, but this was still less than it usually receives in the corresponding periods of other election years.

TI Georgia notes that among the donors to the GD party, the dominant role is played by individuals who are owners or co-owners of companies that have won a large number of state tenders, or individuals who have acquired budget subsidies, mineral extraction licenses, and state real estate through privatization.

During the reporting period, 207 donors donated GEL 1,930,293 to Georgian political parties, which is 60% more than in the first quarter of the year. 50% of the donations – GEL 961,176 were allocated to the party Georgian Dream, the second place with the highest amount of donations is taken by Lelo with GEL 464,990. In the third place comes United National Movement (UNM) – GEL 302,682. UNM received the most frequent donations – 66 donors gave 73 times to the party. The second place is taken by a relatively new party – “Change Georgia”, which received 55 donations from 35 donors.

TI Georgia notes that “Change Georgia” was founded in 2020 and hadn’t received any donations until May of this year. It received GEL 26,000 during the reporting period.

Who donated to GD and its spin-off – People’s Power?

The individuals who donated to Georgian Dream in the second quarter of 2024 have also donated in previous years, giving a total of GEL 2.4 million. The 31 GD donors were linked to two companies that won GEL 81 million in state tenders this year. GD spin-off People’s Power received political donations for the first time, amounting to GEL 96,000. Of this amount, GEL 38,000 was donated by former GD and current People’s Power MP Viktor Japaridze (he donated GEL 38,000 and his company won GEL 138,000 worth of simplified procurement contracts).

Other GD donations include:

• Sergo Khabuliani donated GEL 10,000 and his company Tsekuri won GEL 14.8 million in state tenders during the reporting period. In the first six months of 2024, Sergo Khabuliani donated GEL 50,000 to GD and his company Tsekuri won GEL 79 million in state tenders.
• Levan Nekreselishvili and Vazha Tsigorishvili donated a total of GEL 64,000 on the same day. Their companies “Chateau Nekresi”, “Nekresels” and “Marniskari” have received GEL 1,544,783 through various state agricultural programs in 2021-2022.
• Mikheil Buzaladze donated GEL 20,000 to GD, while his company “Rtvelisa” received more than GEL 1 million from the state budget in 2021-2023 within the framework of preferential agro-credit and agro-insurance. In addition, the company has received GEL 408,000 within the framework of the grape harvest subsidy program in 2022 and 2023.
• On April 22, Elguja Mutchauri donated GEL 20,000. On February 23, 2024, two months before the donation was made, the company related to Mutchauri, LLC “E.I.L.J.” was granted a sand-gravel mining license near the city of Gori for 5 years in the amount of 95,400 m3.
• On April 4, Adelaide Nanikashvili donated GEL 60,000, and on April 23, her company “IMC”, according to the government decree, increased the license amount of mined minerals by 5 times.

Also Read:

• 28/06/2024 – TI Georgia: Georgian Dream Received Highest Amount of Political Party Funding in 2023
• 21/05/2024 – TI-Georgia: GD Donations Drop 95% in Q1 2024
• 22/02/2024 – GD Received GEL 9.5 Million in Political Donations, TI Report Says