Georgia passes law to ban dissolved party members from politics

The Parliament of Georgia has passed a controversial package of legislative amendments in its third and final reading that would prohibit certain individuals from participating in political life.

Under the newly approved measures, individuals associated with political parties that have been dissolved will be barred from forming new parties, holding leadership positions, or even being members of any political organization, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

In addition to these restrictions, the legislation grants plaintiffs the right to petition the Constitutional Court to extend these prohibitions to specific individuals. If approved by the court, these individuals may also be banned from holding high-ranking political or governmental positions.

Furthermore, political parties will be prohibited from accepting donations from persons who have been legally barred from political activity. Any party found violating these restrictions—particularly those imposed by the Constitutional Court—will face financial penalties starting at a minimum of 5,000 Georgian lari (approximately $1,848).

The ruling Georgian Dream party has already announced plans to submit a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court by the end of October. The suit reportedly seeks to disband several political parties and impose political bans on hundreds of individuals, although specific names have not been disclosed.

By Vafa Guliyeva