Ivanishvili transfers 80 million into state budget for storm relief
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, July 26
The reason behind this gesture concerns the transfer of GEL 80 million into the state budget by Ivanishvili. As Ivanishvili has stated previously, he will not pay the GEL 74 million fine that was imposed on him for violating the law on Political Unions as Tbilisi Appellate Court decided. However, after the hailstorm, Ivanishvili stated that he would however transfer money to the state budget to assist the people in the Georgian regions affected by the storm. Ivanishvili underscored that he had no other choice to pay the fine in order to assist the people, as otherwise his action would be taken as voter bribing.
“The authorities will not have reason now that they are unable to give people the appropriate compensation. We will strictly control the process,” Ivanishvili stated, adding that the government has no money in the reserve funds.
“Ivanishvili refused to pay the fine, due to the mediation of the National Bureau of Enforcement Tbilisi City Court, made a decision on appointing the compulsory ruler of Cartu group’s 100% shares and 21% shares of Progress Bank, the shares have not been sold in the period defined by the law. On July 24 Ivanishvili fully covered the fine and we will appeal Tbilisi City Court to cease forced ruling regime and give the property back to the former owners within 24 hour,” the National Bureau of Enforcement stated. It has also been mentioned that Ivanishvili also paid additional GEL 5 for violation of fine terms.
As the former Chair of Cartu Group Nodar Javakhishvili stated, the rulers of the Cartu Group will be reappointed on the posts. He is sure that he will take the former position after solving some procedural issues.
“Such procedures would have been very easily undertaken, however, there are some inaccuracies,” Javakhishvili stated, adding that it is directly written in the court’s verdict that the forced ruling regime immediately concludes as soon as the obligation is fulfilled and that the temporal ruler is responsible to inform the court concerning the issue. “That is all that is written there. We could automatically take reins, however we are disturbed due to the procedures,” Javakhishvili mentioned.
Vladimer Ugulava, the government appointed head of the Cartu Group mentioned his obligation to inform the court and emphasized that the state demands are completely satisfied by Ivanishvili. Thus, from July 26 he will not have the status of forced ruler. After making the statement Ugulava left Cartu Group.
Georgian Young Lawyers Association has responded to the issue and stated that the forced ruler should immediately appeal the court and sequester the Cartu Group’s 100% share should be removed as soon as possible.
The Head of GYLA, Tamar Chugoshvili, also emphasized that the state must return the additional sum.
“The price of the share exceeded the fine imposed on Bidzina Ivanishviili. In the event if some of shares being sold, the amount should be returned,” Chugoshvili stated.
National Movement representatives are sure that Ivanishvili paid the money in order to get the bank back and his action had no connection with assisting the storm affected people.
According to MP, Mikheil Machavariani, budgetary money, including the money that flows in from fines, would be fairly distributed to assist the affected people and for infrastructural work. Fellow MP, Davit Darchiashvili claims that the state would decide how to spend the fine money and the process would not be dependent on the whims of Ivanishvili.
According to Ivanishvilli, the spending of the transferred money will be strictly monitored by the Georgian Dream.