Jailed ex-PM Garibashvili faces new bribery charge after prison letters accusing Gov’t of pressure

Jailed former Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili has been charged with allegedly accepting a particularly large bribe as part of a group while in office, adding a new corruption case to the conviction that is already being served in prison.

The new charge follows cooperation with investigators by convicted former defence ministry official Vasili Mkheidze, a relative of former defence minister Juansher Burchuladze, and testimony from Burchuladze himself, Deputy Prosecutor General Amiran Guluashvili said on Monday.

The Prosecutor's Office claimed Mkheidze approached investigators on 12 August and provided all information in his possession. Burchuladze was also questioned and cooperated with the investigation.

The offence carries a sentence of 11 to 15 years in prison.

Prosecutors allege that in late 2022 the Defence Ministry needed to purchase expensive medical equipment and inventory through classified procurement procedures.

Mkheidze, allegedly acting in coordination with Burchuladze, approached a businessman and proposed arranging the procurement so that a company connected to him would be guaranteed to win at a preferred price.

In return, prosecutors allege, Mkheidze demanded 10% of the total contract value in cash.

The businessman initially sought guarantees from senior officials before agreeing, according to the prosecution. Investigators allege that Burchuladze subsequently reached an agreement with then-prime minister Garibashvili to arrange the procurements in a way that would guarantee the businessman-linked companies' success and generate substantial illegal financial benefits.

Prosecutors further allege that Garibashvili provided official protection for Burchuladze and requested that part of the financial benefit be transferred to him.

The investigation alleged that officials at the Defence Ministry subsequently created an anti-competitive environment in procurement procedures for the Defence Ministry's Military Hospital, artificially increasing the value of contracts for medical equipment and other goods and services.

The state is alleged to have suffered GEL 6,985,255 in property damage, the Prosecutor's Office said.

Garibashvili is already serving a five-year prison sentence after reaching a plea agreement with the Prosecutor's Office in January 2026.

He pleaded guilty to an offence concerning the legalisation of particularly large amounts of illegal income. He was also fined GEL 1 million, while money seized from his residence and identified by prosecutors as proceeds of criminal activity was ordered to be confiscated.

The original offence carried a potential sentence of nine to 12 years, but the plea agreement reduced the prison term to five years.

The new charge comes days after Garibashvili began making a series of public statements from prison accusing the Georgian Dream leadership of attempting to destroy him politically.

On 17 August, he said he had received a letter sent on the instructions of Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili. He claimed the letter warned of a new corruption case and proposed that he admit guilt in exchange for not extending his prison sentence, while also undertaking not to return to politics after his release.

In a subsequent letter published on 18 August, Garibashvili identified Regional Development Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mamuka Mdinaradze as the person who had sent him the letter. He further noted he had already told Mdinaradze that he had no intention of returning to politics but was nevertheless told that authorities considered there to be a "1% risk" that he could do so. Garibashvili said the demand that he accept another corruption charge and admit guilt was a red line that forced him to begin fighting back.

Mdinaradze has declined to directly attack Garibashvili, saying he would not discuss the motives of a person who is in prison. He has also said government officials fighting corruption must be prepared for accusations against them.