According to the media outlet, since 2007, 95 million Swedish kronor (around $12 million) went towards American organizations in Georgia, such as the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the Eurasia Foundation (EF) and the Eurasia Partnership Foundation (EPF). These organizations, claiming to promote the democratization of certain countries, spent vast amounts of money on radio and television shows, talk shows, salaries to the heads of the companies and flights to Washington.
"The aid has been assessed as highly relevant," the spokesperson of Sida, the government agency responsible for Sweden's assistance to developing countries, said, as quoted by Aftonbladet.
"Getting closer to the EU and NATO membership were relevant themes, so it is only natural that Sida was involved. Support of the rapprochement of Georgia with Europe has been an important part of Swedish work in the area of development since 2006," the Sida spokesperson said.
Sweden started providing aid to Georgia in 1994. Combatting poverty, the rehabilitation of infrastructure, assistance to refugees and support of health and education were the initial aims of the aid programs, following the collapse of the Soviet Union and a civil war. Since Mikhail Saakashvili came to power, Georgia has initiated close cooperation with the United States.