What could Georgia’s former Prime Minister, Irakli Gharibashvili, possibly have in common with the municipal mayor’s representative in the village of Diliski, in the Akhalkalaki municipality? – Both are suspected of corruption.
Corruption researcher Gocha Mzhavanadze speaks with Batumelebi about what it means for a country when both high-ranking officials and the lowest-level public servants are involved in corruption.
Mr. Gocha, what does it mean when low-level public officials are arrested on corruption charges, for example, an employee of the Khulo municipality, a member of the Khashuri City Council, or a deputy of the Gori City Council?
It means that corruption is fully embedded in the public system. It varies by scale – high-ranking officials are deeply involved in corruption, they are exposed, accused, and convicted.
Lower-ranking officials – specialists, heads of departments, and service managers – are implicated in lower-level corruption cases.
Behind every corrupt deal, whether it involves a head of an institution, a department head, or any other official, there are specialists working in procurement or finance, such as members of tender commissions, who make concrete decisions.
There are also those responsible for setting qualification requirements, requirements regarding work experience, or certain financial turnover that potential suppliers must meet.
Whenever the head of an institution plans to engage in a corrupt deal with a supplier and implements a corruption scheme, the process is carried out in documentation by specialists who are members of the tender commission.
A tender commission must have at least three members. If the head of a particular public institution is found guilty of corruption, the members of the tender commission are also responsible.
They may not have a direct interest in making a certain decision, but they will at least have indirect interests – inaction, indifference, which will certainly become apparent.
Take the Khulo municipality case: the Ministry of Finance’s investigative service arrested a municipal employee on charges of accepting a bribe. According to reports, the arrested person was the head of the procurement service.
What does this mean? – Of course, the kind of procurement to be carried out would not be decided at the employee level. These decisions are made by the municipality’s senior officials: the mayor, vice-mayor, and so on.
The accusation states that this person received fewer goods from a company participating in a state tender but documented it as if he had received the full amount.
What does the law say about who participates in a tender? Tender commission members.
For example, the head of the institution may make decisions or have a personal interest, but all the procedural work, documentation, and justification is done by the specialist directly responsible for that procurement.
Thus, separating responsibilities is somewhat difficult – who bears what share of responsibility must, of course, be investigated by competent authorities… From a citizen’s perspective, this is how I see corruption – in this case, both the head and the specialist, the ordinary employee assisting the head, whether intentionally or unintentionally, are responsible for facilitating and realizing the corrupt deal.
For years, media and NGOs have been talking about corruption. Now, the state investigative services are saying that specific public officials were involved in corruption. We see arrested low-level officials, but no one answers the question – how could these people alone build such large corruption schemes? In your opinion, shouldn’t their superiors at least be questioned?
Absolutely, both the heads and internal audit functions must be questioned. In some cases, incompetence or careless attitude is also a factor.
Every public institution has an internal audit department that should investigate these issues and take appropriate measures.
In municipalities, the controlling function of the council is important. They may not have been aware of a specific corrupt deal at the time, but what does the council do when it is confirmed by their own administration and the team they represent?
At minimum, an official investigation must be conducted, the relevant individuals summoned, questions asked, and exhaustive answers demanded.
I don’t recall such things happening in practice.
It is also important to consider the actions of those responsible for acceptance and transfer. In large purchasing organizations, acceptance-transfer commissions and inspection groups are created, which are an important link.
Every day we hear that former or current officials of “Georgian Dream” are being arrested on corruption charges. In your opinion, what process are we witnessing? Is “Georgian Dream” genuinely fighting corruption within its ranks, or is this politically motivated?
They use the anti-corruption provisions in the Criminal Code for political purposes.
One group, promoted under the oligarchic government, uses corruption laws to undermine rival groups, treating them as potential competitors within the oligarchic system, in order to retain power. At the same time, in the eyes of society, all of this is packaged as a fight against corruption.
I don’t believe that. Fighting corruption is a mask they wear, though I think citizens clearly see the real objectives.
I can give an example from Batumi. You know when I will be convinced that “Georgian Dream” is genuinely fighting corruption? When they investigate all illegal constructions and businesses.
For instance, for more than two years, an autodrome has been illegally established near Batumi’s new boulevard. The business owner had no legal relationship with the municipality, did not pay rent, and, as far as I know, still operates. Meanwhile, the company’s manager donates funds to “Georgian Dream” and their supported candidates before elections.
Another example: regarding the time when Levan Davitadze, Deputy Chairman of Batumi City Council, worked at the Botanical Garden, there are questions. An audit report shows that a very large amount of unaccounted income exists. The media and anti-corruption organizations have reported on this, but no action was taken. This person now represents Irakli Kobakhidze’s team and serves as Deputy Chairman of the City Council, in the main administrative body of the region, Batumi City Council.
When specific cases are not investigated, it clearly shows that the fight against corruption is selective.
In reality, they are not fighting corruption; they are targeting specific individuals under the guise of corruption.
The arrest of the Khulo municipality employee is a clear example. The arrested person is close to the family of Tornike Rizhvadze. After his arrest, reasonable suspicion arose in society that this is a fight against Tornike Rizhvadze and his team – at a lower level. It is a signal that questions may later be raised regarding others.
When someone in charge of a service is arrested or dismissed for corruption, and their duties are carried out by a deputy or another employee, what does this mean? Could a head embezzle money without involving other employees?
Impossible. According to Georgian law on public procurement, there must be at least three members in the tender commission of a budgetary organization. It is impossible for one person – deputy, service head, or specialist – to implement a corruption scheme and generate illegal income without their participation.
You cannot do it, nor make money from the scheme, without the approval of your superior to whom you are accountable. As I noted, without internal audit, controllers, and the council, which is obliged to oversee any project and ask questions, it cannot be done.
It is impossible for one person, independently and without others’ assistance, to organize a corruption scheme and receive illegal revenue.
But in most cases, state investigative bodies claim that the accused acted alone in corruption…
Unthinkable. That is why I say, they are not fighting corruption; they are using corruption to punish specific individuals or groups.
By arresting one person, they send a signal to others – next will be you.
If a director is found guilty of corrupt deals, it is impossible that questions will not arise regarding their deputies or department heads.
As a citizen, how do you perceive the level of corruption in the country now?
I’m not old enough to remember the Shevardnadze era well, but I remember some things. For example, I clearly remember traveling with a family member when traffic inspectors were on the roads and you couldn’t pass without giving a bribe of 1-2 GEL.
We haven’t reached that point yet, but if you look at the chronicle of recent days – which organizations’ and municipalities’ employees have been arrested – you will see that corruption exists at all levels, even among ordinary specialists issuing reports or processing project documentation.
We have clear examples of elite corruption – the Defense Minister, Deputy Minister of Economy are in jail, the former Prime Minister is out on bail.
I remember one case – not long ago, the representative of the Akhalkalaki municipality mayor was arrested for issuing a certificate falsely claiming that certain potatoes grown by a farmer were the ones he had actually produced.
So corruption exists at the village level, at the level of mayoral representatives.
A mayoral representative is the lowest-ranking public official in the municipality, representing the authorities, and even at that level, corruption exists.
What do you think the “Georgian Dream” government should do now to eliminate corruption?
The government will do nothing – they created and developed these corruption schemes. Therefore, we, the citizens, must do everything to change the government and establish a system in which the means and conditions for corrupt deals no longer exist.
I have no expectations that this ruling group will change anything positively. It is essential to change the government, which is a clear expression of corruption and many other illegalities.
What does corruption of such scale and depth do to the country?
Poverty, lack of basic necessities. The country will head toward destitution. A few people or groups will be wealthy, provided for, their children and family members will benefit… while another category will have only enough for daily survival. The middle class, which barely exists today, will disappear.
National and public wealth, which should be created and distributed equally, cannot be distributed because revenue taken outside the budget, outside the public domain, will not appear in the budget. Therefore, each family loses this income.
The rich will become richer, generating more wealth for their families, while the poor will receive less and face more social problems.
The rich will have greater ability to buy off the poor and strengthen their power and position.
This will be the situation.