Ivanishvili Claims Annulment of People’s Debts Not Linked with Elections
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, November 22
Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder and chair of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, assures that the recent initiative of the government, as a result of which bank debts of over 600,000 Georgian citizens, including those on a so-called ‘Black List’, will be written off, is not linked with the upcoming second round of the presidential elections.
As stated by Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze several days ago, total money for debts amounting to 1,6 billion GEL would be covered by the Cartu foundation, the foundation owned by Ivanishvili.
GD Chair told Imedi Live that he voiced a promise to help citizens in hardship in May 2018. According to him, he told the ex-pm Giorgi Kvirikashvili in May that the number of people below the poverty line should be reduced and some steps need to be taken for their assistance.
“In May we promised people that we would manage this to help this part of the society by the end of the year, so do not link this step to the elections,” he stated.
Non-governmental sector believes the initiative of the ruling party contains the signs of vote-buying before the November 28 elections.
“The decision announced by the government contains signs of vote buying and is directed in favor of Salome Zourabichvili, the candidate supported by the ruling party and aims at winning the heart of voters before the second tour of the election,” the NGOs said.
They even addressed the Prosecutor’s Office to launch an investigation into the case, which is already underway.
The opposition also shares the position of the NGOs regarding the alleged attempt of vote-buying. They say the authorities “pressure private banks and micro-finance companies to sell the debts of people to Cartu Foundation for 1% of the total amount.”
United National Movement member, Zaal Udumashvili says that this is the “racketeering microfinance organizations.”
"Bidzina Ivanishvili does not intend redemption of any debts and does not intend to pay any money to assist people. He directly started racketeering the microfinance organizations. In fact, this is only pre-election fraud,” Udumashvili stressed.
Georgia’s Minister of Finance, Ivane Machavariani says Cartu Foundation has financed a lot of charity projects in the last 20 years but they cannot be labeled as “vote-buying.”
"The government should do what they have to do-help the society. They did it not from the budget, not at the expense of people's money, but with the support of Cartu Foundation and their good will,” said the minister.
