A business legal entity that has been fined for the first time for political activity will face criminal liability in the event of a repeat offense. Criminal liability will be imposed both on the legal entity and on the respective natural person responsible for the violation.
The relevant amendments to the criminal legislation in this direction were presented by the Chairman of the Legal Issues Committee, Archil Gorduladze, during a committee session – at the second reading discussion of the legislative package.
As is known, political activity by a business legal entity is defined as prohibited activity. In the initial version of the bill, an administrative fine was stipulated for the business entity – 20,000 GEL for the first offense and 40,000 GEL for a repeat offense.
According to the revised version, in the case of a second commission of the offense, criminal liability will be imposed both on the business legal entity and on the natural person responsible for the violation. Liability is defined as a criminal fine or community service from 120 to 200 hours or imprisonment for up to 3 years. In the case of multiple offenses, liability will be imprisonment for up to 4 years, a fine, or community service of up to 300 hours.
For the specified act, the business legal entity will be punished with a criminal fine or liquidation along with a fine.
As Gorduladze stated once again today, politics should be the domain of parties, while business entities should engage in entrepreneurial activity and business.
