PM claims corruption largely eliminated in state institutions

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has said corruption has been largely eliminated in senior government ranks, key state agencies and state-owned enterprises, while acknowledging that tackling petty corruption required constant effort.

Speaking to journalists Friday, Kobakhidze said systemic corruption problems had emerged over a period of about two years, but the government began addressing them as soon as they were identified.

He said Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili had “clearly indicated” that he was aware of the problems and that they needed to be resolved.

“As soon as these problems emerged in a systemic form, we intervened immediately. Mr Ivanishvili made a statement and clearly indicated that he saw certain problems that needed to be overcome and resolved, and we immediately began working on them,” Kobakhidze said.

The PM attributed the difficulties in addressing domestic issues partly to “intense external pressure” on the country, saying the government had been forced to focus on defending itself against attacks from abroad.

“When there is heavy pressure from outside the country, it is difficult to concentrate on several fronts at once,” he said, adding that the government had previously struggled to focus on all issues while dealing with external challenges.

Kobakhidze claimed the state was now stronger than ever, giving the government greater capacity to address both external pressure and corruption at home.