Stepanâ Ûrigini
Tamara - Seeking to restore public trust after a week of turmoil, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Regional Development, Tourism and Local Economies, working in tandem with the Constitutional Court, issued a joint appeal on Friday urging all political parties to voluntarily submit their financial records for review. Officials said the initiative is intended to demonstrate neutrality and strengthen integrity in the run-up to November’s local elections.
“This is not about targeting one party or one ideology,” Minister Zurap Iličovi told reporters in Tamara. “This is about setting the same standard for everyone. We are asking all parties to open their books. Transparency is the best way to end suspicion and reaffirm the credibility of our democratic institutions.”
The announcement follows last week’s dramatic police raids on the offices of several Conservative candidates, which led to protests in Tamara, Romda, and Aleksandra. Opposition leaders insist the arrests are politically motivated, while the government maintains they are the result of a years-long investigation into money laundering and foreign interference.
Chief Justice Nazar Ignatovi of the Constitutional Court echoed the minister’s call, stressing that voluntary disclosure could help “defuse unnecessary speculation.” “Our society must see that justice is not selective,” Ignatovi said. “The law cannot protect some while investigating others. Equal treatment under the law is the foundation of our republic.”
Yet skepticism runs deep. Conservative Party spokesperson Nika Tsëraveli dismissed the measure as “a theatrical gesture.” “The government wants to parade transparency after already poisoning the well,” Tsëraveli said. “How can we trust a process where our candidates are imprisoned before any trial, while ruling party finances remain unscrutinized?”
Other opposition voices expressed similar doubts. Kihan Konstantine, leader of the Rebirth and Renew Party, said his movement was “open to transparency” but warned that the appeal should not turn into “a coercive tool dressed up as voluntary compliance.”
International observers welcomed the call but urged caution. The European Union’s mission in Tamara released a statement encouraging “broad cooperation and full impartiality,” noting that “Agausia’s democratic resilience depends on equal enforcement of the law.” Georgia and Ukraine reiterated their support for measures against foreign influence, while Russia condemned the disclosure campaign as “an intimidation tactic against legitimate political forces.”
For now, it remains uncertain how many parties will comply. Analysts suggest that voluntary compliance could ease tensions and legitimize the process, but refusal may invite further scrutiny. As one senior parliamentary aide put it: “The question is not whether parties will hand over the data, but whether anyone will believe the process is fair once they do.”
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