Anti-Corruption Bureau reverses decision declaring Transparency International Georgia as electoral entity

The Anti-Corruption Bureau of Georgia has reversed its controversial decision to label Transparency International – Georgia and its executive director, Eka Gigauri, as entities with a declared electoral goal. The announcement was made by the head of the bureau, Razhden Kuprashvili, during a press conference earlier on Wednesday.

Kuprashvili cited the importance of upholding public confidence in the electoral process and protecting national interests as reasons behind the decision to cancel all previous instructions. “No one should be given the opportunity to question the results recorded by the citizens of Georgia in the elections,” Kuprashvili claimed. He emphasized the importance of discretion and transparency, underscoring the need to withdraw the directives aimed at Gigauri and her organization.

The reversal comes a day after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze publicly urged the Anti-Corruption Bureau to reconsider its decision. In his statement, Kobakhidze called for the removal of Transparency International – Georgia’s designation as an organization with electoral objectives, warning that this comparison could be misleading.

It was only last week that the Anti-Corruption Bureau issued its initial ruling, which categorized Transparency International – Georgia, along with another organization, Vote For Europe led by Khatuna Lagazidze, as subjects with declared electoral goals. This classification would have brought them under the purview of the law On Political Unions of Citizens.