Georgian Parliament Speaker emphasises Gov’t’s commitment to uncompromising fight against corruption, regardless of political rank

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said that ongoing investigations into high-level corruption have revealed patterns suggesting that illegal funds were used to finance media outlets associated with the domestic radical opposition.

Speaking to reporters regarding the recent detention of Grigol Liluashvili, the former State Security Service Head, Papuashvili emphasised the Government’s commitment to an uncompromising fight against corruption, regardless of political rank.

The Speaker highlighted a specific detail from the General Prosecutor’s report, suggesting a systematic link between illicit financial flows and media coverage.

"The General Prosecutor spoke about an interesting detail indicating that schemes are emerging where corruption and illegal funds were used to finance the propaganda media of the radical opposition”, he continued.

The Speaker suggested that these financial ties may have influenced editorial decisions, ensuring specific media coverage or the suppression of certain topics.

“It seems the propaganda media was part of an agreement to provide appropriate coverage or silence on specific issues”, he added.

The Speaker reiterated that law enforcement agencies, including the Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the State Security Service, are actively working to uncover all instances of corruption. He noted that these actions align with the priorities set by the ruling Georgia party.

Papuashvili stressed that political positions offer no immunity in corruption probes.

He referenced Bidzina Ivanishvili’s return as the Honorary Chair of the Georgian Dream party, noting that Ivanishvili’s keynote speech specifically placed corruption at the forefront of the party's agenda.

While Papuashvili declined to comment on the specific legal details of the charges presented by the General Prosecutor, he expressed hope that more information regarding the alleged media financing schemes would soon become public.