Amendments to Grants Law don’t affect diaspora remittances, ruling party MP

Irakli Zarkua, Chair of the Parliament’s Diaspora Committee, has addressed recent amendments to Georgia’s Law on Grants, saying the changes have been followed by widespread misinterpretation and deliberate misinformation.

In a statement posted on social media, Zarkua said the amendments were aimed at ensuring that foreign funding and financial transfers were not used against Georgia’s sovereignty or to interfere in the country’s domestic or foreign policy. He stressed that the new regulations were intended to increase transparency and ensure that foreign funds were spent in accordance with the law.

Zarkua added claims that the amendments restrict money transfers sent by members of the Georgian diaspora to support their families are false.

“The law regulates only those foreign financial resources that are intended to exert political influence on Georgia’s authorities, state institutions, or any segment of society, or to negatively interfere in Georgia’s internal or external affairs,” Zarkua said.

He emphasized that the amendments did not apply to private remittances sent by diaspora members for everyday or social purposes. Zarkua noted that personal money transfers made to support family members are a form of social assistance and are unrelated to the interests of foreign governments, political parties, or foreign legal entities.

“Personal diaspora remittances sent as social support do not constitute a ‘grant’ under Georgian law and therefore do not fall within the scope of the Law on Grants,” Zarkua said.