Georgian party funding - clinging to political power "no holds barred"

Georgian party funding - clinging to political power "no holds barred"

http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=24313

I see various groups are up in arms about this already, and have called on Georigan president Misha Saakashvili to veto the new regulations.

Under the new regulations the various opposition groups have three days to return all the money which Bidizna Ivanishvili gave them, or it goes to the state.

The new regulations also award sweeping powers to the Chamber of Horrors (Control Chamber) as it is charged with overseeing party funding. So, if they decide that Ivanishvili and his political  force is guilty of providing money to a political party, and that political party doesn't declare it (not his fault) does he lose his house and his goes to money to the state?

"It will gain powers to impound property, including bank account, of a political party, legal entity or of an individual person; this decision by the Chamber of Control can be appealed to the court, but the agency’s decision on impoundment will not be suspended during the court proceedings.

Political parties will have to notify the Chamber of Control about donations within three working days after receiving such donations. Parties will submit their financial declarations to the Chamber of Control every year before February 1 and the Chamber of Control will have to post these declarations on its website. Chamber of Control will be authorized to impose GEL 5,000 fine on a political party in case of its failure to meet disclosure requirements envisaged by these regulations."

The GYLA and others are saying that this new regulation (to give back money which was LEGALLY given to them before they change the law) is unconstitutional. Not only is it unconstitutional it's also yet another fucking stupid ham-fisted attempt by the government to cling on to power using any means possible. No wonder I speak to so many people who are afraid to invest their money here - and quite rightly so when the government can just bring in a new law to expropriate whatever they like.

News like this is likely to make any potential foreign investors fall off the fence laughing, and thanking their lucky stars that they held off putting money into the place. The only people really investing are those "best friends of Georgia", and various new entities which are shrouded in mystery, all of whom have the governments hands in their pockets.

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