U.S. Ambassador ‘Concerned About Controversy’ over State Audit Agency’s Activities

U.S. Ambassador to Georgia, John Bass, says he is “concerned about the controversy surrounding the Chamber of Control’s recent activities,” referring to the state audit agency, which is also in charge of monitoring political finances.

“The lack of clear guidelines regarding its work to implement campaign finance legislation will not increase public confidence in this institution or in a competitive campaign environment,” Ambassador Bass said in a comment posted on his Facebook account.

Meanwhile, the Georgian Public Defender’s Office (PDO) said on March 16, that it was studying the cases of summoning and questioning by the state audit agency of activists from Bidzina Ivanishvili’s opposition coalition as part of, what the Chamber of Control said was, ongoing monitoring of the opposition group’s finances. The PDO said that “it has launched proceedings upon its own initiative in connection with alleged violation of the rights of members of political parties.”