Today’s decision of the Prime Minister-controlled Anti-Corruption Bureau, which declares “Transparency International-Georgia” and its director as an entity with declared electoral goals, goes beyond the framework of the constitution and national legislation and shows the government’s fear of the observation missions.
The Bureau’s decision declares everyone who speaks about public problems and citizens’ needs as a political actor. With this decision, the Bureau has given itself the power to impose censorship and start financially monitoring anyone who speaks out that our path leads only to the EU. Moreover, according to this definition, political activities are considered to be the goals that non-governmental organizations serve – whether it is the protection of the interests of women, children, and disabled people or taking care of ecology. The Bureau considers any activity that has a constitutional purpose to be political activity and is a subject of attack.
Thus, it is obvious that the “Georgian Dream” has turned its bureau into a mechanism for attacking civil society instead of fighting corruption. The Venice Commission noted last year that the creation of the Bureau, its powers, accountability, and independence were fundamentally flawed. According to the conclusion, the Bureau lacks sufficient guarantees of independence and impartiality, is weak in terms of monitoring the declarations of high-level officials, and the appointment and dismissal of its head, instead of multi-party parliamentary support, is only in the hands of the Prime Minister. The Bureau was created as the punitive apparatus of the Prime Minister against the Georgian non-governmental sector. The government has started to enforce the Russian law using this bureau.
The decision of the bureau shows the government’s fear of monitoring missions. The “My Voice to the European Union” coalition, which unites more than 30 organizations, is planning an unprecedented large-scale observation mission – “My Voice” to freely express the will of the Georgian people on October 26. We are following the Georgian people’s aspiration to the European Union, reinforced by Article 78 of the Constitution of Georgia, and party-based attacks cannot stop our work. We will continue the European integration of Georgia, protection of democratic values, equality, freedom of speech, and fair elections.
