Top Officials not to be Subjected to the Financial, Tax Amnesty

The Georgian government proposed on December 3 a list of those state officials, to whom the draft law on financial and tax amnesty will not apply.

The list includes: the President, MPs, ministers and their deputies, Chief of the State Chancellery and his deputy, heads of the state departments and their deputies, as well as top officials from customs and tax departments and chairman and deputies of the Chamber of Control, governors and their deputies, heads of city councils.

The list also includes the President and the members of the council of the National Bank of Georgia, members of the National Security and Justice Councils, members of the National Regulatory Commission, the CEC Chairman, his deputy and secretary. Financial amnesty also will not apply also the judges, Prosecutor-General and his deputies, as well as top officials of the Prosecutor?s Office.

Directors of the state-run enterprises will not also be subjected to financial amnesty.

The draft law envisages amnesty for those persons who evaded paying taxes before January 1, 2004, as well as the legalization of undeclared property and finances. The initial draft provided to the blanket amnesty to all, except those individuals against whom the criminal charges had already been brought, as well as the persons suspected in terrorism, arms, drug trade and trafficking.

A radical faction of the National Movement, led by the MP Giga Bokeria protested against what they termed the “financial amnesia” and demanded that the top government officials remain fully responsible for possible abuses while in office.