TI Georgia chief says investigators ignored corruption evidence submitted by watchdog

Eka Gigauri, Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia, has accused Georgia’s investigative bodies of failing to respond to information the organisation provided on alleged high-level corruption.

Gigauri on Thursday said TI Georgia submitted evidence both to the State Security Service and the Anti-Corruption Service, including a 35-page document sent in recent weeks detailing alleged wrongdoing - but received no reaction.

“We were providing information to the investigation, both to the State Security Service and the Anti-Corruption Service… there was no response,” she said.
“Those controlling the investigative agencies are trying to pressure and prosecute people who oppose the [PM Irakli] Kobakhidze clan.”

Gigauri argued that former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, former GSSS chief Grigol Liluashvili, and others had not done anything different from what many high-ranking Georgian Dream officials routinely do, in her view.

Her comments followed the publication of a new TI Georgia report documenting 250 cases of alleged elite corruption recorded over the past five years, involving 221 senior officials - including:

• 38 ministers or deputy ministers
  
  

• 40 MPs
  
  

• 17 judges
  
  

• 67 municipal officials
  
  

The watchdog claims corruption risks have risen sharply, while accountability mechanisms have weakened.