Prepared by Messenger Staff
Officials Declared GEL 24 Million in Gifts Since September, TI Georgia Finds
Transparency International Georgia has released a study on gifts declared by Georgian Dream government officials between September 2025 and April 2026, finding that 379 officials reported receiving gifts totaling GEL 24 million.
Of more than 4,700 officials who submitted asset declarations during the period, those who declared gifts reported GEL 11 million in cash and GEL 12 million in real estate, along with vehicles, firearms and jewelry. Real estate was the most common gift: 100 people received property worth over GEL 12 million combined, including 48 houses and 69 land plots. Cash gifts went to 233 officials, averaging GEL 47,000 each, with 28 receiving more than GEL 100,000. Officials also declared 28 vehicles and six firearms.
Parents of officials accounted for the largest share of declared gift value, contributing GEL 14.9 million, or 60.78% of the total. They were followed by siblings, other relatives and children.
By institution, the Ministry of Internal Affairs topped the list with GEL 2.3 million in gifts declared among 46 employees, followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at GEL 2 million and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture at GEL 1.6 million.
28 Arrested in Anti-Corruption Sweep Across Nine Regions
The State Security Service says 28 people have been arrested and charged following a large-scale anti-corruption operation spanning nine regions. SSS Anti-Corruption Agency head Emzar Gagnidze announced the results at a briefing, saying the operation uncovered 14 separate criminal cases involving bribery, forged documents, commercial bribery, misappropriation of state funds and land, and abuse of power.
Five of the cases involve fraud in public procurement tied to road repairs, water networks and school rehabilitation in Tsalka, Akhaltsikhe and Tetritskaro. Investigators say three people were arrested and 11 more charged after companies allegedly falsified documents to siphon off public funds. Officials also found that suppliers shorted state contracts for Tbilisi kindergartens and Batumi's free canteens, delivering less food than required and substituting lower-quality disinfectants and off-brand Easter products. The state's losses from these schemes reached 669,497 lari.
Three more cases center on illegal land seizures in Dmanisi, Gurjaani and Tsalka, where local officials allegedly used forged paperwork to transfer 91,564 square meters of state land, costing the state 397,804 lari. Seven people face charges in these cases.
In three bribery cases, three people were arrested for allegedly taking payments in exchange for letting unauthorized commercial kiosks operate on state land, granting beekeeping plots, and promising illegal permits to cut protected oak trees in state forests.
A final set of three cases led to four arrests for producing and selling forged driver's licenses, passports and fake university diplomas.
Gagnidze said investigators used court-approved covert surveillance to gather audio and video evidence, and that the probe continues under multiple articles of the criminal code targeting corruption.
