Intermediate Report Research of Pre-election Period - The Human ...

15. Although the government promised every political party will have equal election
conditions in Georgia, oppression on the members and supporters of the Coalition Georgian
Dream continues.
State institutions fined Giga Bukia, majoritarian candidate of the Coalition Georgian Dream
in Khobi district, with 190 000 lari and sequestered his property. “Three months ago I
donated 35 000 lari to the Conservative Party to cover the expenses of the Coalition. State
Audit Office summoned me as a witness and requested clarification about the origin of the
donated money. I verbally clarified to them that I had a credit line at the Bank of Georgia
and had transferred the money from there. I was ready to provide them with the Notary
document on my property if they needed. However, I was not summoned to the SAO and
received a summon directly from the court which notified me that State Audit Office had
appealed to them alleging I had no income and could not prove origin of the sum. I provided
the court with the Notary‟s notification on 200 000 lari which I owned. Judge gave only 7
minutes to me and my lawyer to provide evidence; they found me guilty without asking any
questions and fined me with 167 000 lari. I appealed the verdict at the Appeal Court but in
vain; finally my fine has amounted to 190 000 lari.”
Bukia, like many others, could not find justice in Georgia and has appealed to the European
Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
While Bukia is waiting for the Strasbourg judgment, the state has sequestered his property
and sold his house at the auction for 313 714 lari. Bukia said the price is much higher than
his fine and requests to transfer remaining 120 000 lari to the account of the Georgian
Dream.
Giga Bukia has already informed local and international organization about his problems. 36
16. Members of Gurjaani District Election Commission from the Conservative Party of
Georgia and Industry Will Save Georgia stated that Nato Begashvili, the head of the Election
36 http://www.humanrights.ge/index.php?a=main&pid=15333&lang=geo
32