Free Business Platform Introduces “Free Donation” Feature
Amidst increasing financial sanctions imposed by the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) government on protesters and opponents, Free Business, an online platform created by the business sector in response to government pressure, has launched a new feature: Free Donation. The initiative, which operates under the slogan “A free society finances democracy,” aims to support individuals and organizations facing financial repression.
“Supporting democratic processes is one of the obligations of society. The goal of this platform is to bring together all those actors who strengthen democracy in one environment and to make it easier for society to support them,” the platform mission statement said. “This is not a unified fund. Each member of society—citizens, small, medium, or large businesses—individually decides who to support and for how long.”
Free Donation.ge serves as a hub where citizens can financially support foundations, movements and independent media outlets facing financial penalties imposed by the GD government. The website allows users to choose a recipient, be it a concrete media outlet, social movement, or a fund, specify an amount and determine the duration of their support.
The business sector sees this as a new form of protest, stressing that the most pragmatic response to the government’s actions is to support those fighting for democracy and suffering financial hardship. “Society needs to ‘self-finance its democracy’,” said Giorgi Chugoshvili, one of the founders of Free Business, underscoring the importance of the platform amid growing pressure from the state.
The platform also features the newly formed “Contemporary Art Foundation”, set up by artists who have stopped performing in theatres as a form of protest. As there are currently no performances in theatres, artists have lost an important source of income. “The idea behind expanding the platform is to strengthen the protest and allow more donations to people involved in it, not only from companies but also from ordinary citizens,” said prominent actor Giga Datiashvili. He highlighted the financial burden of state-imposed fines, revealing that it would take him “seven to eight months to pay off a 5000 GEL [1,798 USD] fine”. Questioning the government’s next steps, he asked, “Confiscate property and make people homeless?”
Since its launch in December, Free Business has grown rapidly, with over 2,400 companies registered on the platform. Signatories include leading supermarket chains, local branches of major accounting firms, telecommunications and transportation companies, and other top businesses. The movement has been catalyzed by widespread dissatisfaction with the GD’s foreign policy shift and increased repression, which many believe is undermining the country’s democratic foundations and economic stability.
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