Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association head: so-called monitoring process shows how state resources are wasted

The head of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, Nona Kurdovanidze, on Wednesday criticised the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s ongoing “monitoring process” against civil society organisations, calling it not only a violation of fundamental freedoms but also a “clear example” of how state resources were being wasted.

“The so-called monitoring process initiated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau against civil society organisations is not only an intensive violation of the freedom of association and related rights, it also clearly shows how state resources are being used entirely without purpose,” Kurdovanidze said.

She added the Bureau, which should be a model of transparency, was itself concealing the materials related to the monitoring it has launched against these organisations.

“The Bureau has initiated monitoring against at least 80 organisations. It is checking whether, after April 16, they have signed any new grant agreements with foreign donors without Government approval or amended contracts signed before that date.

“The Bureau knows perfectly well that no violations will be found, yet it continues to spend resources. More than half of these organisations no longer have any grant agreements, new or old and due to the repressive environment, they continue working only on a voluntary basis,” she said.

Kurdovanidze added that despite this, the Bureau kept sending letters to organisations, appealing to courts and requesting orders compelling them to submit documentation, even in cases where no such documents existed.

“The courts, in a conveyor-like process, automatically satisfy the Bureau’s requests and order organisations, commercial banks and the Revenue Service to provide materials. This consumes their time and resources endlessly,” she noted.

“In the end, the Anti-Corruption Bureau, which should be setting an example of transparency, hides the materials of these monitoring proceedings from us. Despite numerous requests, it completely ignores its obligation to share the documents related to the proceedings launched against our organisations,” Kurdovanidze said.