Critics Say Draft on Financial Amnesty Hinders Anti-Corruption Drive
The government has already submitted the draft to the Parliament, which envisages amnesty for those businessmen who evaded paying taxes before January 1, 2004, as well as the legalization of undeclared property and finances. The amnesty will not apply to those whom criminal charges have already been brought against, as well as persons suspected in terrorism, arms, drug trade and trafficking.
Chairman of the Liberty Institute Levan Ramishvili said at a news conference on October 28 that the amnesty should also not apply to former and current officials.
“The problem is that in the list [of whom the amnesty will not apply] there are no state officials. There might be exclusions for lower level officials… but the draft should apply [to top-level] officials and their relatives as well. Otherwise, this draft law means that our state made a deal with corruption,” Levan Ramishvili said.
Senior MP Giga Bokeria of the ruling National Movement-Democrats party has also expressed similar concerns on October 28. “I have only one complaint towards this draft. Amnesty should not apply to officials,” Giga Bokeria told Rustavi 2 television.
Levan Ramishvili of Liberty Institute also said that the adoption of the draft will make already existing anti-corruption laws, which envisage confiscation of assets of those officials who fail to prove those assets were acquired legally, useless.
“With this draft [on tax and financial amnesty] former officials can now legalize their property and finances, obtained through corruption,” Levan Ramishvili added.
At a cabinet session on October 27, Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania said that through the adoption of the law on tax amnesty “each citizen of Georgia, as well as foreigners, will have a chance to legalize their property or finances in Georgia and make investments to further develop their business.”
“By declaring tax amnesty and adopting a new tax code, we will lay the foundation for a new, business-friendly policy in Georgia,” he added.
by Civil Georgia
