Georgia's Anti-Corruption Bureau to Investigate Declarations of Ethnic Armenian MPs

The Anti-Corruption Bureau of Georgia plans to investigate the declarations of ethnic Armenian parliament members Samvel Manukyan and Sumbat Kyureghyan, selected from Akhalkalaki-Ninotsminda, due to significant public interest and high corruption risks. This was reported by aliq.ge.

According to information published on the Bureau's website, it has decided to check the asset declarations of 300 officials this year, including the Prime Minister of Georgia and his cabinet members. Notably, the visit of a senior U.S. official, Richard Nephew, the U.S. Department of State’s Coordinator for Global Anti-Corruption, has once again sparked discussions on the need to investigate high-level corruption cases in the country and take measures against it.

According to Georgian legislation, senior officials are required to submit declarations that disclose their assets and financial situation. The Anti-Corruption Bureau has the right to verify these documents.

On November 30, 2022, the parliament adopted amendments to the law on “Conflict of Interest and Corruption in Public Institutions.” The amendments led to the creation of a legal entity of public law, the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Government officials noted that the establishment of this agency was one of the requirements for meeting European recommendations.

The Venice Commission has prepared a conclusion regarding the Anti-Corruption Bureau, stating that the appointment and dismissal of the Bureau's head is largely within the purview of the Prime Minister, which is problematic. The Transparency International Georgia (TI) organization expressed concerns about the appointment method of the Bureau’s leadership, arguing that such appointments by the Prime Minister cannot ensure the actual independence of this institution, which is a necessary precondition for its effective operation.