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Ex-Prime Minister Admits to Receiving Illicit Income, Says Security Service
Former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has admitted to receiving illicit income over several years, according to the country's State Security Service (SSSG).
Emzar Gagnidze, head of the SSSG's Anti-Corruption Service, announced the development during a briefing on Tuesday. "Mr. Garibashvili admitted to the fact of receiving illicit income throughout the years," Gagnidze said, adding that the former prime minister "fully cooperated with the investigation."
Gagnidze stated that investigators are now reviewing the evidence to determine the next steps. "In the coming days, based on the existing and newly obtained evidence, the investigation will decide both on the legal qualification of his actions and on the issue of selecting a preventive measure against him. This will also be communicated to the public," he noted.
Garibashvili, once a close ally of billionaire and Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, served as prime minister from 2013 to 2015 and again from 2021 until 2024. He was succeeded by Irakli Kobakhidze, who currently leads the government.
In April 2025, Garibashvili announced his resignation from both the Georgian Dream party and political life, saying he intended to step away from public affairs. The State Security Service has not yet clarified whether charges will be filed.
Jailed Georgian Journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli Wins EU's Top Human Rights Award
Mzia Amaghlobeli, a jailed Georgian journalist and founder of the independent media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, has been awarded the European Union's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. She shares the 2025 prize with Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut.
The Sakharov Prize, the EU's highest human rights honor, has been presented annually since 1988 to individuals and groups who defend freedom of expression and human rights. The award, which includes a Euro 50,000 grant, will be formally handed out at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg later this year.
"By awarding this year's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaghlobeli from Georgia, we honor two journalists whose courage shines as a beacon for all who refuse to be silenced," European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said while announcing the laureates on October 22.
"Both have paid a heavy price for speaking truth to power, becoming symbols of the struggle for freedom and democracy. The Parliament stands with them, and with all those who continue to demand freedom," she added.
Amaghlobeli was arrested in January after slapping police chief Irakli Dgebuadze during a protest in the western city of Batumi. She was sentenced in August to two years in prison, a verdict widely condemned by local and international rights groups as politically motivated.
EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos praised the Parliament's decision as an "excellent choice" for the 2025 Sakharov Prize. Writing on X, she said, "Strong leaders do not fear independent journalists. When journalists are silenced, repression and corruption thrive. We need more independent voices like Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaghlobeli." She added, "They must be set free. Immediately."
Georgia's 5th President Salome Zourabichvili also congratulated Amaghlobeli, saying in an X post, "This recognition honors not only her voice, but the spirit of a free and dignified Georgia - a nation determined to carry on its fight for a European future."
