Khorguani: Gambling Law Is Lobbying by Specific Business Groups

Sofio Khorguani, a deputy from the party "Gakharia Sakartvelos" (Gakharia for Georgia), said on the Palitra News program "Free Studio" that the amendments approved by Georgian Dream to the law on "lotteries, gambling and prize games" are lobbying by specific business groups. According to her, this will bring the misfortune of more and more families, and a catastrophe is occurring especially among young people, because dependence on gambling begins at a very young age.

Khorguani called cynicism and insolence the statement by Shota Berekashvili that the international gambling tournament serves to attract tourists in the off-season and that such tournaments are also held in European countries. According to Khorguani, the country has far greater potential to attract tourists, but the infrastructure is faulty and these problems must first be eliminated. In her assessment, cultural heritage monuments are also not being looked after.

"I am telling you directly that this was lobbying by specific business groups, and I declare it with full responsibility, because they are not interested in anything at all, the main thing is that they satisfy their own interests," Khorguani said.

Asked which political figures she sees lobbying for the gambling business from, the deputy said she cannot speak based on assumptions, "but what I see directly and what is, is Shota Berekashvili himself, who gave special importance to gambling games". Khorguani noted that Berekashvili heads the Committee on Economic Sectors.

The opposition deputy also spoke about the parliament's accelerated adoption of amendments to the law on "energy and water supply". According to her, the government is resorting to manipulation so that the increase in tariffs does not provoke protest in society. According to Khorguani, the country has no energy policy that ensures a reduction of tariffs and energy security, and in recent years dependence on Russian gas has doubled.

According to her, the government knows that a tariff increase would cause major protest, so it offers a scheme under which whoever consumes more pays more, and whoever consumes less pays less. Khorguani also called cynicism and insolence her assessment of the introduction of a culture of saving: according to her, citizens already save and economize on food so that they can turn on heating from time to time. "Should a millionaire deputy teach a person in need how to save and how to be more thrifty and frugal? The majority of our citizens already live in forced frugality," she said.