Replacing Georgia's police chief won't fix the system, ex-Interior Ministry official says
Former Interior Ministry official on ministry reshuffle
A former senior official of Georgia’s Interior Ministry has said that the recent resignation of Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri will not lead to systemic reform.
“It doesn’t matter who becomes the next interior minister—nothing will change within the system,” said Irakli Shaishmelashvili, a former high-ranking official of the ministry’s Special Tasks Department, speaking to Georgian broadcaster Pirveli.
Shaishmelashvili noted that following Gomelauri’s resignation, Zviad Kharazishvili, the head of the Special Tasks Department, also submitted his resignation. According to him, Gomelauri was the only person Kharazishvili respected and obeyed.
Vakhtang Gomelauri, a close ally of billionaire and ruling Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, first served as interior minister in 2015. He later led the State Security Service, returning to the interior ministry in 2019.
He has been sanctioned by several Western countries for alleged human rights violations and the use of police violence against peaceful protesters and journalists.
On 28 May 2025, Gomelauri announced his resignation, citing family reasons. “Today, when the situation in the country is calm, I allowed myself and asked my team to resign. This will give me more time to spend with my wife, children, and newly born grandchild,” he said.
Gela Geladze was appointed as the new interior minister just one hour later. His candidacy was announced by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze during a briefing at the government administration.
“Ivanishvili is gradually stepping back and transferring control to Kobakhidze, so there’s someone who can restore order. I’ve said before—many officials in Georgia would be glad to leave their posts. Of course, Gomelauri didn’t name the real reasons for his resignation. But whether it’s Gomelauri or someone else, do you really think anything will change in the ministry? This is a systemic problem.
According to my information, Kharazishvili and his deputies—his ‘gang’, as I call them—have already submitted their written resignations. There were around 60 to 70 letters. Kharazishvili won’t spend a single day at the ministry without Gomelauri. He was the only person Kharazishvili respected and obeyed. During my time in office, Kharazishvili ignored orders from deputy ministers and never followed their instructions. Without Gomelauri, he’s more of a liability than an asset. On his own, he amounts to nothing. He’s the kind of person who, together with his team, can carry out any dirty job without hesitation or questions,” said Shaishmelashvili.
He added that some ministry employees are also likely to leave following Gomelauri’s resignation, though those who have worked under various ministers over the years will likely remain.
“I don’t know who the new minister will bring into the Special Tasks Department or how they’ll reorganize it—and frankly, it doesn’t matter, because nothing will change. I often hear about ‘red lines’. How many more red lines does this government need to cross before the public recognizes the danger we’re facing?” Shaishmelashvili concluded.
