Transparency International – Georgia says the government has changed the terms of privatization of the GD Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili’s business partner Vano Chkhartishvili’s offshore company. The exact details of this change are unknown.
Transparency International – Georgia is calling on the government administration to act in accordance with the requirements of the Georgian legislation, ‘to give up the illegal practice of hiding government decrees and orders of the Prime Minister and to make the documents public’.
“By the decree of December 4, the Government of Georgia made changes in the conditions of privatization of property transferred to the family company of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s business partner, Vano Chkhartishvili. The government administration has not disclosed what exactly has changed. Considering that the privatization of state assets is an area vulnerable to corruption, especially when the assets are transferred to offshore companies, it is necessary to maintain the highest standard of transparency.
“In 2014, the state granted 35,000 sq.m. to “Somgo Company” in Sighnaghi. It gave the plot of land at a symbolic price of 1 GEL, on the condition that a hotel would be built, a vineyard cultivated and locals employed. The investment obligation was not fulfilled within the originally agreed 3-year period, after which the period was extended twice, in 2016 and 2018. The decree of December 4, 2023, also probably refers to the extension of the investment period of the project. In the past, this case of privatization became a subject of investigation by investigative journalists of TV Pirveli.
“Changing the investment terms of privatization is a frequent practice and this is not a problem in itself. Questions arise when the government changes conditions to a person close to the ruling party and withholds information about it.
“We call on the administration of the Georgian government to act in accordance with the requirements of the Georgian legislation, to refuse the illegal practice of hiding government decrees and orders of the Prime Minister, and to make these documents public,” TI-G states.
