Lasha Parulava, a member of the United National Movement party, and Paata Manjgaladze, MP of Strategy Agmashenebeli domestic opposition group, on Monday raised concerns about reforms over the anti-corruption bureau, the Georgian agency created last year to combat corruption, labeling them as “deceptive to Western partners”. The opposition representatives also criticized the ruling party's intentions to utilize the agency as a “tool of repression against the opposition”.

Parulava asserted the GD was not genuinely committed to combating corruption and accused the party of being a “significant source of corruption” in the country. 

Manjgaladze also echoed the sentiments, describing the changes as “superficial and merely decorative”. 

He emphasized the proposed reforms did not meet the nine recommendations outlined by the EU last year for opening accession talks with Tbilisi, stressing the necessity for the anti-corruption bureau to operate “independently” from the government. 

Manjgaladze argued that corruption had “direct ties” to the government, and establishing a bureau dependent on them would not address the issue.

The bureau was formed last year to meet a condition for obtaining the bloc’s membership candidate status, with its chair appointed by the country’s Prime Minister.