Almost GEL 150,000 on Gamkrelidze Election Campaign
GEL 149,896 (about USD 94,200) was spent on New Rights Party leader Davit Gamkrelidze’s presidential election campaign, according to the campaign’s official financial records submitted to the Central Election Commission (CEC) and seen by Civil.Ge.
A total of GEL 152,500 was raised through contributions from 20 individuals, including some New Rights Party leaders (MP Irakli Iashvili – GEL 30,000; MP Davit Saganelidze – GEL 30,000 and MP Mamuka Katsitadze – GEL 10,000). The New Rights Party itself contributed GEL 7,500.
Shortly before the January 5 presidential election Gamkrelidze complained that not a single business had “dared to finance Saakashvili’s competitors even with a symbolic, small sum, out of fear.”
Gamkrelidze’s campaign spent GEL 14,852 on political TV ads, including production costs; GEL 10,000 on print media ads and billboards; GEL 13,212 on campaign rallies, including renting meeting space; GEL 33,773 on printing promotional materials and flyers.
Mikheil Saakashvili, according to his campaign’s official financial records, spent almost GEL 23 million on his re-election campaign and leader of the Labor Party Shalva Natelashvili only GEL 35,000.
The other four presidential candidates have yet to submit financial records – the deadline is February 18.
A five-member group, involving academics (Roman Kharbedia and Dimitri Japaridze), election observers (Koki Ionatamishvili of New Generation-New Initiative and Giorgi Chkheidze of Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association) and one private auditor (Zurab Kharatishvili), has been set up within the CEC to monitor election funds. The group will present its findings after all candidates have submitted their financial records.
