High-level corruption in Georgia is increasingly taking the form of kleptocracy, with state officials allegedly using political power to seize national wealth, says Transparency International – Georgia (TI Georgia).
The organization criticizes Georgia’s main anti-corruption bodies—the Prosecutor’s Office and the State Security Service—for failing to investigate cases involving individuals close to the ruling party. Despite legal obligations, TI Georgia says the authorities consistently ignore credible reports of high-level corruption.
To track these developments, TI Georgia is compiling a regularly updated catalog of alleged high-level corruption cases. The aim is to monitor trends and assess the scope of abuse of power.
While Georgia shows low levels of petty corruption, TI Georgia warns of near-total impunity at higher levels. Based on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, the ruling party founder’s influence over key institutions qualifies as state capture.
Effective anti-corruption efforts, the NGO says, require transparent investigations or at least reasoned explanations when cases are dropped—neither of which Georgia’s institutions currently provide.
The organization defines “high-ranking officials” broadly, including not only ministers and parliamentarians, but also prosecutors, state trustees, and local officials such as mayors and council chairs. TI Georgia has published a detailed list of alleged corruption cases involving such individuals.
