The Georgian Dream is the party which has spent the most money in the recent pre-election period, with less than one month until the 2017 local self-government elections, scheduled for October 21.
In the period of August 22nd to September 11th, 2017, the ruling party spent 1.8 million GEL and received donations worth 3 million GEL, according to a financial report which was given by the Georgian Dream to the State Audit Office of Georgia.
The document shows that the Georgian Dream transferred 104,830 GEL to the company Elita Burj, which is owned 100% by the company Ringold Finance Limited, which was founded in the UK in 1999 by Georgia’s former Prime Minister and founder of the Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili. The document reads that Elita Burj provided stage equipment for the Georgian Dream.
The same document states that the party has a separate budget for musical performances when presenting their election candidates or for other campaign needs. For each concert, musicians are receiving 3,125 GEL.
95% of All Donations to Political Parties went to Georgian Dream
According to the report of the State Audit Office of Georgia, the Georgian Dream’s funds increased by 7.3 million GEL between July 1 and September 12, 2017, the period covered by the report.
The Georgian Dream received more than 95% of all donations that were give to political parties in this period.
Donations received by political parties between July 1 and September 12, 2017, according to the State Audit Office of Georgia report:
- Georgian Dream - 7,343,993 GEL
- Movement for Liberty - European Georgia - 323,675 GEL
- Patriots’ Alliance - 15,600 GEL
- Girchi - 15,300 GEL
- National Democratic Party - 12,204 GEL
Donors giving to the Georgian Dream including private companies and individuals.
Companies which have been winning government tenders are among the companies which gave donations to the Georgian Dream in August 2017.
The company GMP/PSP, owned by MP Kakha Okriashvili transferred 120,000 GEL to the Georgian Dream in donations in August 2017. During the course of the past years, PSP has won government tenders worth 40 million GEL, whereas PSP insurance has won tenders worth 60 million GEL.
Georgian Dream also received donations from the construction company ‘Shara’, which has won tenders worth more than 10 million GEL in the last couple of years.