The financial amnesty announced for energy companies by the authors of the political narrative of “zero compassion” is not a step toward the development of the sector, but rather a continuation of a corrupt path, stated Lasha Parulava, a member of the Political Council of the United National Movement, during a briefing.

Parulava said that the United National Movement demands full transparency and the immediate disclosure of the beneficiary companies.

“This is a billion-lari New Year’s gift from the illegitimate Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, to the ‘Georgian Dream’ elite. This is the choice of Ivanishvili’s regime - to feed and enrich its own business circle at the expense of the Georgian people.

The justification and argumentation for this decision is the height of cynicism: when they cite arbitration disputes and faulty contracts, they are essentially admitting their own incompetence and irresponsibility. When, due to ‘Georgian Dream’s’ negligence and indifference, Georgia lost 220 million lari (USD 76 million) to Inter RAO in international arbitration - which our citizens paid from their own pockets - and when, due to corruption and carelessness, the billion-lari (USD 383.2 million) dispute lost to ENKA became our and our children’s debt, nobody has been held accountable. On the contrary, such behavior is effectively encouraged.

Against this backdrop, the announced amnesty is a clear demonstration of the continuation of corrupt governance. The ‘Dream’ group does not name a single company that is a beneficiary of this billion-lari amnesty. This silence only reinforces the suspicion that it concerns business groups close to the government and Bidzina Ivanishvili, who have enjoyed privileges for years. We demand full transparency and the immediate disclosure of the beneficiary companies,” Parulava said.

As a reminder, according to the government’s decision, all companies operating in the energy sector will have their accumulated fines - totaling 1 billion lari - written off under certain conditions.

According to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, speaking at a briefing at the Government Administration, if the renewed deadlines are violated, companies will be fully obligated to pay any newly accrued penalties and fines, and previously forgiven fines will be reinstated.

He added that the forgiveness of debts should mark the beginning of a new process based on mutual cooperation but also filled with responsibility.