On 24 July 2016, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, nominated Irakli Khakhubia as a Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidate in Poti. The Prime Minister characterised Mr Khakhubia as a "young, energetic person with business experience."
On 11 August 2016, Shalva Natelashvili blamed some of the Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidates for having relations with the former government. Among them was Irakli Khakhubia who was named by Shalva Natelashvili as a United National Movement sponsor.
Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidate for Poti, Irakli Khakhubia, decided to leave business and enter politics. Mr Khakhubia previously worked in the business sector where he founded Iceberg-2 LTD and Geonuts LTD. Before starting his own businesses, he worked as the Senior Operative Officer for the Sixth Directorate (Samegrelo-Guria) of the Operative Department of the Financial Police of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia.
The State Audit Office’s website publishes monthly reports about donations to political parties. Information about money donated to political parties can also be found on the website of Transparency International. According to the information we obtained, Irakli Khakhubia donated GEL 27,000 to the United National Movement on 27 August 2012.
FactCheckalso received information about other Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidates who donated money to the United National Movement in 2012. The largest donor to the United National Movement was Majoritarian MP from Ambrolauri (in 2008-2012), Gocha Enukidze, who donated GEL 60,000 in 2012. This year he is a Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidate for Ambrolauri, Oni, Tsageri, Lentekhi and Mestia. He donated GEL 55,000 to the Georgian Dream on 29 August 2016.
Majoritarian MP from Khulo, Anzor Bolkvadze, was also a member of the United National Movement and donated GEL 6,500 to the party. This year he is a Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidate for Khulo, Keda and Shuakhevi.
Other Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidates also donated money to the United National Movement in 2012. These candidates are Beka Odisharia, Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidate for Krtsanisi who donated GEL 35,000 to the United National Movement in 2012; Giorgi Mikeladze, Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidate for Samtredia who donated GEL 35,000; Ioseb Makrakhidze, Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidate for Gori who donated GEL 25,000, and Davit Songhulashvili, Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidate for Gurjaani who donated GEL 7,000.
Table 1:
Georgian Dream Majoritarian Candidates who Made Donations to the United National Movement
| Majoritarian Candidate | District | Amount of Donation | Date |
| Gocha Enukidze | Racha and Svaneti | 60,000 | 16.07.2012 |
| Beka Odisharia | Krtsanisi | 35,000 | 29.06.2012 |
| Giorgi Mikeladze | Samtredia | 35,000 | 21.06.2012 |
| Ioseb Makrakhidze | Gori | 25,000 | 07.06.2012 |
| Irakli Khakhubia | Poti | 10,000 | 27.08.2012 |
| Davit Songhulashvili | Gurjaani | 7,000 | 11.09.2012 |
| Anzor Bolkvadze | Khulo/Shuakhevi/Keda | 6,500 | 14.07.2012 |
Conclusion Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidate for Poti, Irakli Khakhubia, donated GEL 10,000 to the United National Movement in 2012. In the process of this research, FactCheck
took interest in whether or not other Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidates have also made donations to the United National Movement. It appears that apart from Irakli Khakhubia, there are six other Georgian Dream Majoritarian candidates who have done so.
Taking this information into account, FactCheck concludes that Shalva Natelashvili’s statement is TRUE.
