Parliamentary inquiry: former UNM Gov't's governance model corrupt, targeted businesses, property owners

Thea Tsulukiani, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament and Chair of the Parliament’s Temporary Investigative Commission examining crimes committed by the former United National Movement Government between 2003 and 2012, on Tuesday said that the governance model established in Georgia by the United National Movement was corrupt and involved unlawful processes aimed at racketeering and terrorising businesses and private property owners.

In her remarks, Tsulukiani noted that the UNM had developed various schemes of extortion against businesses and other private owners, in which representatives of multiple state bodies had participated.

“The UNM had elaborated different schemes for racketeering businesses and private owners. These schemes involved representatives of various state bodies, who, when necessary, would execute orders bypassing their superiors. Law enforcement and other relevant agencies were divided under the control of several National Movement representatives, who, through coordinated efforts and mutual assistance, forced business representatives and private owners to surrender real or movable property using state resources and coercive methods, including unlawful detention and the initiation of baseless criminal cases”, she said.

“Decisions were enforced regardless of whether the matter fell within the executing official’s authority. A so-called ‘blacklist’ of businesses to be terrorized existed, and extortion was used for personal or political revenge. Property taken from businesses or private individuals by force or other illegal methods was either absorbed into state ownership, used for party purposes, or redirected to serve the commercial interests and personal benefits of Mikheil Saakashvili, other leaders, and their families or associates”, Tsulukiani concluded.

The Commission’s report underscores systemic abuse of power and highlights the use of state mechanisms to enforce political and personal agendas during the National Movement’s administration.