GIZ experience meets Georgian budget: Who is Tamar Zodelava – and why was she appointed head of the new NGO financing office?

The Georgian government has once again pulled off a coup—a completely altruistic coup, of course, and solely for the good of democracy. On April 22, Prime Minister Irakli Kobachidze personally appointed Tamar Zodelava to head the new state funding agency for NGOs , the State Agency for Grant Management .

But who is this woman who will be entrusted with deciding which civil society organizations have a financial right to exist – and which do not?

Career with German seal

Zodelava has an excellent legal education – at least on paper: She studied at the University of Tbilisi and completed a master's program in private international law in German. She then specialized in international business law at the University of Bremen and additionally received training at the Speyer University of Administrative Sciences – a classic for anyone who wants to imitate German administrative structures without truly understanding them.

The real highlight of her CV: From 2003 onwards, she worked for GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation) . She supported various projects and even served as a consultant in a Council of Europe project. She also worked as a project manager for the Public Administration Reform Fund within the framework of the Eastern Partnership.

Neutrality? Only as long as it remains close to the government

The new office, which Zodelava will head, was created on the basis of a law passed by the Georgian Parliament on February 20, 2025. In the third reading, 80 MPs voted in favor, with no opposition. Yes, as we all know, in Georgia there is no political plurality, but political unanimity—as long as one follows the will of the Georgian Dream .

In the future, a state-installed institution will decide which NGOs receive funding. Anyone who thinks this is a politically motivated selection process is a scoundrel. The fact that Tamar Zodelava now occupies this key position fits perfectly with the current government strategy: an internationally decorated expert who was once entrusted with democratic reform projects at GIZ – and who is now empowered to cultivate a state-approved civil society to measure.

Conclusion: From GIZ to the gatekeeper of the NGO scene

With Tamar Zodelava, the government has installed a figure who outwardly appears "Europe-compatible," but internally will likely act more loyally—at least if one realistically considers the purpose of this new agency: It is not about supporting civil society, but about controlling it. The decision for Zodelava is therefore symbolic: The government wants to maintain its international credibility while simultaneously establishing a selective NGO system in its own interests.

And the next step? Presumably a "transparency law" that requires NGOs to regularly report on their emotional attitudes toward the government.

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