GEL 721,000 Spent on Gachechiladze Election Campaign

GEL 721,190 (about USD 465,000) was spent on the election campaign of the nine-party opposition coalition’s presidential candidate, Levan Gachechiladze, according to the campaign’s official financial records submitted to the Central Election Commission (CEC).

A total of GEL 736,200 was raised through financial contributions from 22 individuals, including some politicians from the nine-party coalition (Giorgi Khaindrava, ex-state minister – GEL 30,000; Tina Khidasheli of the Republican Party – GEL 30,000; Natia Lazashvili, a former Rustavi 2 TV anchor who is now in ex-Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili’s Movement for United Georgia party – GEL 30,000; Valery Gelashvili, a businessman and former MP from the Republican Party – GEL 20,000).

Levan Gachechiladze himself, who came second after Mikheil Saakashvili with 25.7% of the vote, contributed GEL 93,200. As there is a GEL 30,000 cap on individual donations and a GEL 100,000 one for companies, a legal entity known as “Society of Levan Gachechiladze” is listed as having made the donation.  
 
Gachechiladze’s campaign, according to its financial records, spent GEL 300,071 on campaign staff salaries; GEL 292,536 on political TV ads, including production costs; GEL 35,750 on printing promotional materials.

Mikheil Saakashvili, according to his campaign’s official financial records, spent almost GEL 23 million on his re-election campaign.

The financial records of Badri Patarkatsishvili, who died in Britain on February 12, show that he spent GEL 400,000 of his own money.

GEL 149,896 (about USD 94,200) was spent on New Rights Party leader Davit Gamkrelidze’s presidential election campaign.

Leader of the Labor Party Shalva Natelashvili, according to his financial records, spent GEL 35,000.

Giorgi Maisashvili, leader of Party of Future, spent GEL 3,243 and Irina Sarishvili, the leader of Party of Hope, only GEL 348.

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 is expected to present its findings in the first half of March.