2016-08-06 On August 6, during Shuamtoba Festival in Beshumi, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and Head of Ajara Government Zurab Pataradze gave wedding rings made of gold to newlyweds Igor Abuladze and Natia Dekanadze as gifts. ISFED obtained photos illustrating that Natia Dekanadze was provided with rings both by the Prime Minister and the head of Ajara Government. Her family has confirmed that she received two rings. Parties are legally prohibited from providing material or non-material possessions to voters, including through their representatives or other persons, for election purposes. For the 2016 parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Kvirikashvili is registered with the CEC as an authorized leader of the political union Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia. Therefore, provision of gifts to voters by the Prime Minister during pre-election period contains signs of vote buying, as defined by the Law of Georgia on Political Unions of Citizens. Head of Ajara Government Zurab Pataradze, although not a registered candidate for any political subject, is actively holding pre-election meetings with voters. He is considered to be one of the Georgian Dream’s candidates for the upcoming elections.