30s Summary

The United National Movement Party (UNM) in Georgia has partnered with Rarilabs to create a blockchain-based public administration system named United Space. The project, led by politician Giorgi Vashadze, will only be rolled out if UNM wins the upcoming parliamentary elections. United Space’s goal is to digitise government services, involve citizens in decision-making, and generate income through a form of universal basic income. The platform also aims to become a hub for businesses, with a 0% tax rate for those set up via United Space.

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Giorgi Vashadze, a Georgian politician, wants to take his country into the future with blockchain technology. He’s part of a group called United National Movement (UNM) who’ve teamed up with Rarilabs to create a blockchain solution named United Space for public administration. The system they’ve created aims to digitize the government services whilst promoting and incentivizing people to be more active in society via universal income.

United Space will only be rolled out if the outcome of the parliamentary elections, due on 26th October, goes in their favor. The successful launch of United Space could potentially redefine the democratic future of the country, depending on if the ruling party, Georgian Dream, is defeated.

Vashadze, in conversation with Cointelegraph, stated that United Space’s goal is to simplify Georgian citizens’ lives, get them involved in the decision-making process, and help generate income. The app will function as a digital national identity utilizable for business openings, tax payments, and other administrative activities.

After the disintegration of the Soviet Union and Georgia’s independence in 1991, public administration became one of the most corrupt sectors of Georgian governance. Fast forward to today, though Georgia has made considerable progress towards streamlining its administrative processes, there’s still a ways to go according to Vashadze. An example of this is the Tbilisi Public Service Hall, the primary administrative body, only accepting in-person appointments with no provision for online ones.

The UNM’s intent with United Space goes further than just public administration. If they win the elections and get to form a government, they plan to use the portal as a platform for Georgian citizens to partake in governance. Draft laws or bills, for instance, will be listed on the platform for users to vote on. Voting would earn them points, which could be redeemed for lari, the country’s national currency, thus serving as a form of universal basic income. Vashadze claims that this would also encourage broader participation from the electorate and generate greater transparency and trust in the legislative process.

What’s more, Vashadze aspires for United Space to become a hub for businesses to be established in Georgia. He draws inspiration from the Estonian e-government concept and desires for the app to be a one-stop super app for businesses, attracted by Georgia’s direct regulatory structure, and a 0% tax for businesses set up via United Space.

The realization of UNM and United Space’s plans for Georgia, however, firmly lies in the hands of the Oct. 26 elections. Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, has been under severe criticism due to allegations of unfair conduct and attempts to suppress political dissent. Georgia Dream’s zealousness to maintain their grip on power coupled with the opposition’s inability to form a strong coalition could potentially solidify Georgian Dream’s victory.

Despite the prevailing distress, Vashadze is positive about the future. He assures that UNM’s blockchain initiatives will play a vital role in their coalition agreement, only to be finalized after the elections based on their support.

Source: Cointelegraph