Georgian PM: major steps taken to curb corruption and reform governance system

Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said significant steps had been taken to substantially reduce the scale of corruption and eliminate it at the political level, stressing that systemic changes in governance were more important than criminal prosecution alone.

Speaking during a debate on Rustavi 2 TV channel, Kobakhidze noted that over 200 cases have been initiated against political officials and public servants over the past six months.

The PM further added that some of those implicated were, regrettably, high-ranking political office holders.

Kobakhidze said that by the end of 2023, substantial governance-related corruption issues had been identified, prompting a statement by Honorary Chair of the Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili and a key emphasis on anti-corruption efforts at the party congress.

He further noted that since then, numerous measures had been implemented to significantly reduce corruption and eliminate it at the political level, which he described as a top priority.

“One aspect is criminal prosecution and investigation, but this is only part of the broader fight. At the same time, it should be noted that over the past six months, more than 200 cases have been initiated against political officials and public servants, including, unfortunately, state political office holders. However, this is not the main aspect of combating corruption”, Kobakhidze said.

He emphasised that the key factor was the establishment of new approaches within the governance system, particularly in terms of transparency.

“Serious problems existed in terms of transparency. From day one, after the new government was formed in February 2024, we decided to make all government acts public. Government activities have become fully transparent, and today thousands of acts are available on the official government website, allowing full public access to information. If there are any suspicions regarding corruption, we are ready to answer all questions”, the PM added.

Kobakhidze further addressed reforms in specific practices, including the privatisation of state property.

“In the past, there was a simplified practice allowing state property to be sold for a symbolic price, such as one lari [Georgia’s national currency]. This practice has been fully abolished. To ensure maximum revenue for the state budget, we introduced an auction system. All assets are now privatised through transparent auctions, which theoretically eliminates corruption risks in the privatisation process. Legislative amendments have removed even the theoretical possibility of corruption in this area”, the prime minister concluded.