Transparency International records 250 cases of corruption among Georgian elite over five years
Corruption in Georgia’s elite
Transparency International Georgia (TI) has revealed cases of corruption involving former senior Georgian officials, noting that it recorded 250 instances within the elite over the past five years. At a briefing, the organisation outlined the schemes high-ranking officials used to enrich themselves personally.
According to TI, 221 senior officials were involved, including 38 ministers and deputy ministers, 40 members of parliament, 17 judges, and 67 senior municipal officials.
Until recently, the ruling Georgian Dream party had completely denied the existence of corruption within the elite.
Corruption schemes used by officials to enrich themselves
Misuse of public funds through government procurement
According to investigations by Transparency International, officials from the Georgian Dream party obtained 5 billion GEL through manipulations in public procurement. 3.3 billion GEL came from regional budgets. A third of this amount — 1.13 billion GEL — relates to 2024, when Irakli Kobakhidze was prime minister. Examples include:
- 650 million GEL went to a company owned by businessman Otar Tatishvili, linked to Bidzina Ivanishvili;
- Tender contracts worth 390 million GEL were awarded to relatives of Irakli Garibashvili through a company connected to him, Serpatim;
- Companies connected to Georgian Dream MP Giorgi Chkonia received tenders worth 392 million;
- Companies linked to Georgian Dream MP Anzor Bolkvadze won tenders worth 30 million GEL;
- Companies linked to Georgian Dream MP Viktor Japaridze won 25 million GEL in tenders;
- Companies connected to Senaki mayor Vakhtang Gadelia won tenders worth 32 million GEL.
Corruption schemes through subsidies, agricultural programmes, and business support
Companies donating to the Georgian Dream party received 71 million GEL via agricultural programmes. Of this, 7.7 million GEL was returned to the party as donations.
- A large share — 56 million GEL — went to one individual, Vakhtang Karichashvili, a business partner of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s cousin.
- Companies linked to Georgian Dream received 30 million GEL through the 2022 crop subsidy programmes.
- Companies participating in the “Produce in Georgia” programme received 7.4 million GEL, of which 1.6 million GEL was returned to Georgian Dream as donations.
Corruption schemes also involved funding the ruling party.
Companies that donated 7 million GEL to Georgian Dream between 2020 and 2024 received 1.028 billion GEL in public procurement contracts.
Another part of the corruption scheme involved issuing licenses and permits to influential individuals.
A significant number of permits for small and medium hydropower plants were allocated through corrupt channels.
- Twenty-nine of these permits went to Koke Kokolashvili, a businessman and relative of Bidzina Ivanishvili.
- Permits for hydropower construction were also awarded to individuals connected to the family of Agriculture Minister David Songulashvili.
Seizure of state property through privatisation or leasing.
Between 2013 and 2020, state property was sold for 13 million GEL to private individuals, who then donated 2 million GEL to the Georgian Dream party.
In Adjara alone, more than 15 million GEL was gained through privatisation by Georgian Dream donors.
“More than 300 government decrees adopted between 2021 and 2023 remain classified. These directly concerned the transfer of state property, often for a symbolic 1 GEL.
We have also documented cases where laws were passed specifically to enrich certain individuals or avoid taxes. One such case involves the so-called offshore law, which brought around 100 million USD into the state budget,” Transparency International said.
Corruption in Georgia’s elite
