Georgia aims to be among Europe’s least corrupt, says PM Kobakhidze

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to fighting corruption, declaring it a national priority and setting the ambitious goal of positioning Georgia among the top three least corrupt countries in Europe.

Kobakhidze made the remarks during a press briefing while commenting on the recent arrest of former Deputy Minister of Economy Romeo Mikaoutadze, who is accused of abuse of office and large-scale illicit enrichment, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

"The fight against corruption remains our top priority," the prime minister stated. "We have already announced our ambitious goal of becoming one of the top three countries in Europe with the lowest levels of corruption. In this regard, significant changes have been made in the government and the system of power as a whole," Kobakhidze emphasised.

He noted that the case involving Mikaoutadze falls squarely under the jurisdiction of law enforcement authorities and will be handled independently.

"Everything possible will be done to effectively combat corruption. It hinders the country's development, and therefore the fight against it must remain a key priority," Kobakhidze added.

The prime minister also took care to clarify that the investigation targets the actions of a single former official and does not implicate other members of the Ministry of Economy, including the current Minister, Levan Davitashvili.

"As for Levan Davitashvili, no one doubts his integrity. I cannot go into details; this is a matter for law enforcement agencies," Kobakhidze said.

The government’s anti-corruption stance has come into sharper focus following the arrest of Mikaoutadze, who held the position of First Deputy Minister of Economy until February 2024 and is now under investigation for allegedly using his official influence for personal financial gain.

By Tamilla Hasanova