Zhorzholiani: Georgia’s goal is to ensure full fairness, cost-efficiency across all business, procurement processes

Georgia is working to establish - once and for all - both the perception and the reality that all business operations and public procurement in the country are conducted fairly and with maximum cost-efficiency, Government Administration Head Levan Zhorzholiani said in an interview with the Public Broadcaster’s Business Partner program.

Zhorzholiani noted that when systemic shortcomings exist, businesses often fall under their influence and may themselves seek external benefits or informal arrangements.

“The system must ensure fairness, not dictate behavior”, he said. 

According to Zhorzholiani, past practices included cases where companies coordinated with each other and artificially divided markets - a problem he said was not limited to the state but also existed within the private sector.

“There were companies that negotiated among themselves and split the market artificially. This was not only on the state’s side - the business sector also had serious issues. But the system should not dictate these behaviors; it should prevent them. That is the state’s responsibility, and this is the direction we are moving in,”
Zhorzholiani said.

He added that the government has already introduced significant changes aimed at ensuring transparent and fair competition.

Zhorzholiani highlighted the government’s regular communication with the private sector, noting that Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze holds meetings with business leaders several times a year to discuss challenges and concerns. Most recently, the PM attended a Business Association of Georgia (BAG) conference.

“We had answers to all questions raised, because, first of all, there is political will to solve these issues. Our goal is to establish a lasting sense - and the fact - that every business transaction and procurement in this country is fair. And our priority is to spend the state budget as efficiently as possible,” he said.