Parliament official rejects Helsinki Commission allegations of “dark money” within ruling party as “gross interference” in election campaign

Givi Mikanadze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on Education, Science and Youth Affairs, on Tuesday said allegations by the United States Helsinki Commission on presence of “dark money” within the ruling Georgian Dream party were a “gross interference” in the election campaign ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26.

Mikanadze’s comment came after the Commission on Monday alleged the Georgian Dream party was relying on “dark money” from a network of scam call centres around the world to fund its operations and “harass” its opposition.

In his remarks over the matter, Mikanadze stressed that the information about call centres was “completely absurd”.

The statement of the Helsinki Commission is a gross interference in the election process - no evidence has been presented and therefore cannot be accepted, because the statement is made in support of the [domestic] opposition parties”, he said.

“We are waiting for them to provide specific evidence. However, what does not exist in nature cannot be presented. I do not remember the statement of the Helsinki Commission on the international investigation, carried out jointly by German, Georgian and other investigative agencies, on the criminal network that the criminal [David] Kezerashvili [the wanted former Defence Minister of Georgia] carried out against European pensioners through call centres”, he noted.

Mikanadze further said the statement, which had “neither evidence nor basis”, was a “very rude and direct interference” in the campaign process ahead of the vote.