Top Officials of Tax Department Arrested for Suspected Bribery

Chief of Tbilisi Tax Department Temur Dvali, his deputy and several other officials of the Tax Department were arrested on June 28 for alleged corruption charges.

Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said these officials are accused of taking 150,000 Lari (approximately USD 80,000) as a bribe in exchange to write-off payment of taxes worth of 3 million Lari (approximately USD 1,6 million) from one of the private firms.

?This case is clear indication that this [Tax Department] system is absolutely corrupted and it needs urgent reforms,? Vano Merabishvili said at a news conference.

Vazha Petriashvili, who previously served as the Deputy Finance Minister, was appointed as new Chairman of the Tax Department of Georgia on June 21. 

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