PM Bidzina Ivanishvili returned his GEL 80 millions

PM Bidzina Ivanishvili got back GEL 80 miillion (about USD 49 million), which he transferred to the state budget before the elections as a fine.

«As far as I know, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s money has not been used to help the affected people in Kakheti (region). This amount was on the account of the National Bureau of Execution and was returned to Bidzina Ivanishvili, as long as it was an illegally paid penalty,» the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia David Narmania stated at press conference.

The court imposed a multi-million fine on Ivanishvili earlier last summer after the State Audit Service accused the Georgian Dream leader of violating party funding rules. Bidzina Ivanishvili refused to pay the fine at first, but later said he paid «illegal» fine of GEL 80 million to contribute to relief efforts for disaster-hit Kakheti region.

Adapted from Georgia online