Transparency International Georgia calls for probe after opposition Tbilisi office vandalism

The director of Transparency International Georgia, Eka Gigauri, on Monday called for an investigation following a vandalism incident at the Varketili office of the opposition Unity National Movement party.

Gigauri accused representatives of investigative bodies and other institutions of ineffectiveness, alleging that Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Honorary Chair and the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party and the current state administration “under his influence” had taken control of various state institutions in Georgia.

Unidentified individuals have shattered the windows of the UNM office and bottles filled with paint were thrown into the premises. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of political parties and the overall state of democracy in the country ahead of the October 26 general elections.

“We call upon the investigative authorities to investigate these facts. We see that representatives of investigative bodies are ineffective, as well as representatives of other institutions,” Gigauri claimed. She highlighted the situation reflected a “broader problem of institutional abuse and the hijacking of state bodies by the ruling party”.