Georgia Slides on 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index

Georgia’s score on Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) fell three points to 53 out of 100 (on a scale where 0 is the worst and 100 is the best result), TI-Georgia reported. “Even though Georgia maintains its leading position in the region, it has not had such a low score since 2015,” – the watchdog notes.

The 2023 CPI is accompanied by an analysis of Georgia’s 2023 CPI score, which speaks about the problems the country faces in terms of corruption. According to the analysis, corruption in Georgia points to “a deeper systemic issue – the concentration of power and the pervasive influence of elites on state institutions and decision-making.” The analysis emphasizes that Georgia is experiencing a democratic backslide, “where deepening state capture and high-level corruption are turning the government into a kleptocracy.”

The Corruption Perceptions Index is traditionally conducted in 180 countries. In the 2023 CPI, Georgia, ranked 49th on the list, sharing its place with Cyprus, Grenada and Rwanda.

Meanwhile, in 2022, Georgia ranked 41st among 180 countries with a score of 56, sharing the spot with the Czech Republic, Italy and  Slovenia.

In 2021, it was ranked 45th with a score of 55, sharing its place with Botswana, Dominica, and Fiji. 

In 2020, Georgia ranked 45th with a score of 56, while in 2019, the country was rated with 56 points and ranked 44th.

From 2012, when TI changed its methodology to provide a more accurate analysis, to the most recent results, Georgia had the highest score (58) in 2018, ranking 41st on the list.

The analysis to the 2023 CPI also mentions the third comeback in politics of the founder of the ruling party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, stressing that Ivanishvili “has been instrumental in the capture of the country’s institutions. It adds that for Georgia, which in the past was perceived as an “anti-corruption champion”, corruption is now one of several major obstacles to EU integration. The analysis also mentions the Anti-Corruption Bureau, an agency created at the request of the EU. But it notes that the Bureau’s independence is questionable and that it lacks the investigative powers to tackle high-level corruption, which goes unpunished. “Without significant reform, Georgia is expected to sink even deeper into a kleptocratic style of rule,” – the report says.

According to TI-Georgia, fulfilling the recommendations and conditions set by the European Commission for Georgia’s further EU integration is the best way “to take real steps against high-level corruption.” It adds that the 2024 parliamentary elections are also an opportunity for the country to take concrete steps to ensure the independence of institutions.

A watchdog says it is necessary to take the following steps:

• Ensure the independence of the Anti-Corruption Bureau: It should be given investigative powers, and its head must be appointed by Parliament, not the Prime Minister, with the participation of the opposition;
• Conduct a real reform of the judiciary that will remove corrupt and sanctioned judges from the court system;
• Change the procedure for the appointment of the Prosecutor General to ensure that the Prosecutor’s Office is free from political influence and able to effectively investigate high-level corruption cases;
• Conduct a real de-oligarchization to ensure that public institutions are freed from oligarchic influence;
• Strengthen the oversight function of the Parliament, so that political parties can use parliamentary mechanisms to keep corruption in check;
• Support the work of civil society and investigative media as an integral part of a strong anti-corruption system.

Also Read:

• 22/01/2024 – Anti-Corruption Bureau to Monitor Asset Declarations of 300 Public Officials
• 17/01/2024 – US State Department Global Anti-Corruption Coordinator Visits Georgia
• 19/12/2023 – Venice Commission: Anti-Corruption Bureau’s Independence Insufficient in Current Design
• 25/03/2023 – “TI Georgia”: Georgian Officials Submit Asset Declarations with Violations
• 10/02/2023 – PM Appoints Head of Anti-Corruption Bureau

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