Opposition leader accuses ruling power of turning corruption fight into political vendetta

Levan Sanikidze, a leader of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party, has accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of using anti-corruption efforts as a cover for political score-settling and internal power struggles.

In his comments on Monday, Sanikidze alleged that the government’s recent rhetoric around anti-corruption was not aimed at justice but rather served to reallocate wealth and protect key figures within the ruling elite.

“Georgian Dream is not a political organisation fighting corruption - it’s a vendetta machine,” Sanikidze claimed. “Stolen money is simply being moved from the pocket of [former Defence Minister] Juansher Burchuladze into the pockets of [current leaders] Mamuka Mdinaradze, Irakli Kobakhidze, and [the GD founder and honorary chair] Bidzina Ivanishvili. That’s the real purpose of this process.”

Sanikidze claimed that allegations of corruption within the Ministry of Defence had long been raised by members of his party, but the government had shown little interest until now. He accused Georgian Dream of targeting specific officials only when convenient for internal political redistribution.

He further questioned the sincerity of the ruling party’s leadership in tackling corruption, singling out Georgian Dream chairman and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. “Now he claims to be fighting corruption - what was he doing all these years while endorsing these very same people?”

Sanikidze also referenced the case of Juansher Burchuladze and recent events in Adjara involving Tornike Rizhvadze, the region's former head who has recently allegedly attempted suicide, saying the government had offered no clarity on serious allegations, including whether individuals were harmed or driven to suicide.

“If Georgian Dream is really serious about fighting corruption, let them admit their own top officials were stealing,” he said, adding that Ivanishvili was now “focused on recovering the money he lost - in cash.”