Opposition politician slams Tbilisi stadium project as ‘corrupt and wasteful’

Opposition figure Roman Gotsiridze on Friday criticised the government’s plan to build a new stadium in Tbilisi, calling it a “corrupt project” and a misuse of public money.

In a social media post, Gotsiridze, who had served as the president of the country’s national bank, claimed the construction, officially budgeted at 876 million lari, would in reality cost over one billion lari once completed. He drew comparisons with past projects, saying the cost of venues built for EuroBasket rose by 30% above initial estimates, while the rehabilitation of Vake Park doubled its original budget.

Gotsiridze alleged the new stadium was a “white elephant” – an expensive project with little benefit – as it will only reach full capacity a handful of times each year. He argued the facility was being built on inaccessible land near Tbilisi Airport, creating logistical difficulties for transporting up to 70,000 spectators and potentially disrupting airport operations.

The opposition politician also raised questions about land ownership, claiming part of the site belonged to the Black Sea International University and private investors. He suggested the project may be linked to plans to relocate the capital’s main airport, which he warned could undermine regional security if the Vaziani military airfield was closed.

Gotsiridze further alleged that both the stadium and the potential redevelopment of the current airport site would generate “hundreds of millions” in profit for private builders, alongside opportunities for illicit kickbacks.

“Which does the country need more today – a billion-lari stadium that will barely be used, or investment in infrastructure, healthcare, and education?” Gotsiridze asked. “The people are not consulted; construction begins without debate. That speaks volumes.”