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People Labeled as Criminals by the Authority Fund the Ruling Party

June 22, 2012

Maya Metskhvarishvili, netgazeti

Among the businessman and acting officials of the government, who donate to the ruling party, there are people, whom the current government arrested as members of the organized criminal groups.

According to the Financial Monitoring Service at the Chamber of Control CoC, the ruling party received the most donation – 1 768 492 lari from 75 physical persons from January 1 to June 19, 2012.

People, whom the acting government arrested for criminal activities, are among large donators of the United National Movement [UNM]. For example, physical persons – Sergo Labartkava and Tamaz Jamagidze donated 40 000 lari each to the UNM. Officers of the Constitutional Security Department detained them on March 30, 2010 for the membership of a criminal group which had extorted 370 000 lari from an entrepreneur in exchange of reduced tax payment. This crime envisages imprisonment up to 10 years but as the CoC report these people donated solid sums to the United National Movement.

Elguja Beruashvili donated 20 000 lari to the UNM though he was also arrested by the CSD as a member of organized criminal group. Employees of the State Supervision Inspection at the Ministry of Economic Development of Georgia, Supervision Department for Natural Air and Pipe-Line Systems were members of this group. They were accused of accepting a large amount of bribe that was punished under imprisonment up to 15 years.

Zurab Inasaridze, owner of the Iberia Trading Ltd, transferred 12 000 lari to the UNM; he was also arrested by the CSD as a member of the organized criminal group. According to the information published on the CSD website, the members of this group hid tens thousands lari of taxes from the state budget.

There are businessmen too among the donators to the ruling party besides people with criminal past; those people are either relatives of high-ranking officials of the government or representatives of the companies, which had implemented various activities funded from the state budget.

Businessman Iago Chocheli, brother of Mtskheta-Mtianeti regional governor Tsezar Chocheli donated the maximum allowed sum – 60 000 lari to the UNM. Vasil Sulkhanishvili, a representative of Chocheli’s company “Berta” donated 12 000 lari to the ruling party.

Founder of the JSC “Ana Group” (unifying meat factory Mitana, pastry factory “Tkbili Kvekana” and distribution company Kant) Amiran Kortiashvili donated 60 000 lari to the National Movement.

Financial director of the Madneuli JSC Mikheil Esiashvili, purchase director of the JSC Zurab Gozalishvili, enterprise director Jambulat Jakeli and Director General of the JSC Giorgi Devadze transferred 60 000 lari each to the ruling party; in total their donation amounted to 240 000 lari.

Businessman and former deputy minister of economy Kakhaber Damenia, who is brother of MP Lasha Damenia, donated 60 000 lari to the ruling party. His partners in the Company “Gutidze Damenia Chantladze Solutions” (working on lobbying, real estate management and other issues) Izabela Gutidze and Davit Chantladze (former minister of environment and former deputy head of President Saakashvili’s administration) transferred the same amount of money to the ruling party. Ministry of Finances, Madneuli JSC, Georgian Railway, Energo-Pro Georgia and other large companies are clients of this company.

Director and 60% shareholder of the Kano Ltd Nodar Aladashvili transferred 60 000 lari to the UNM; Ilia Aladashvili, who owns 40% share in the Ltd, transferred 7 000 lari. The construction company Kano has implemented the following projects: several crosswalk bridges in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Gori, Osiauri, Kopitnari military bases, US Embassy in Digomi, Cartu Group’s business-center in Sololaki, reconstructed several theatres in Tbilisi, etc.

In accordance to the last year amendments to the law, legal entities are no longer allowed to fund political parties, however, as the materials of the Control of Chamber prove this particular provision in the law does not restrict the ruling party to receive solid donations from physical persons representing superior management group of various companies.

Shota Abuladze, father of deputy minister of agriculture of Georgia, is among the donators who donated 60 000 lari to the ruling party; Shota Abuladze is director and 50% shareholder of the Road Construction Department # 1 Ltd. This company carries out construction activities in Shida Kartli with budget funds; deputy governor of Shida Kartli region is Abuladze’s son-in-law.

Director and 15% shareholder of the Ibolia Ltd Ioseb Makrakhidze transferred 25 000 lari to the ruling party; his company was implementing projects of the Road Department with budget funds.

Representatives of governmental institutions also are among donators: for example. Deputy Head of the General Inspection of the MIA Joni Otarashvili donated 25 000 lari to the UNM.

According to Mikheil Gigauri’s resume, who is member of Akhalgori municipal board, he lives in IDP Settlement in Tserovani; however he managed to donate 15 000 lari to the UNM.

According to the CoC data, political party Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia received 43 923, 50 lari as donation from 6 physical persons from January 1 to June 19 of 2012. Among them, 10 562, 50 lari was donated to the party by Manana Kobakhidze, chairwoman of the party. Economist Nodar Khaduri, member of the political council of the Georgian Dream donated 11 361 lari and chess-player Zurab Azmaiparashvili donated 20 000 lari.

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