Papuashvili Discusses Amendments to the Law on Grants
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Chairman of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, discussed the recent amendments to the Law on Grants, which will introduce a new system requiring donors, rather than NGOs, to obtain consent before issuing grants. Papuashvili clarified that the consent required will not be for receiving a grant, but for issuing one.
"With the amendments to the Law on Grants, there will be a system where the donor must obtain consent, not the NGO. This will be consent not to receive a grant, but to issue a grant," Papuashvili explained.
He emphasized that it is crucial for the Georgian people to know what is being financed in their country and whether the funding aligns with their interests.
"Unfortunately, there are many irresponsible donors, with whom we have been talking for months, years about how they should behave responsibly. We see that they give money, and then with this money they do things like advertise the 'Molotov cocktail,' carry out fascist campaigns, and commit violent acts. When we ask donors about this, they act like it is not their responsibility. They are spending the money of the people of their country and they should behave responsibly. They harm the interests of our society when they finance advertising of Molotov cocktails, etc. Therefore, it is important that the Georgian people know what is being financed in Georgia and that what is happening in Georgia is in the interests of the Georgian people."
Papuashvili further explained that the new system would ensure greater transparency, with citizens being able to track what is being financed and the purpose behind it.
"The system will be that the donor must obtain consent, not the NGO. This will be consent not to receive a grant, but to issue a grant. If the donor wants to issue a grant, they must apply to the government or a subject designated by the government and obtain consent to issue a grant. This will ensure that the process will be fully transparent for citizens and everyone will know what money is circulating, what is being financed, what projects are being financed."
He emphasized that this system will also ensure that foreign funding serves the interests of Georgia, rather than those of other countries or political entities.
"In addition, it will be ensured that this is done in the interests of the Georgian people, and not in the interests of the Estonian government, or in the interests of any other country. We are citizens of Georgia and everything should be done in our interests, not in the interests of other peoples and their political interests, which, unfortunately, is the case in some cases," Papuashvili said.
