Former public service employees and civil servants found guilty of financial crimes or official misconduct will be required to file annual asset declarations for 30 years after conviction under new amendments to Georgia’s Law on Combating Corruption, which the disputed Parliament adopted in its third and final reading on November 11.
The amendments come amid Georgian Dream’s declared anti-corruption drive. Archil Gorduladze, the ruling party MP and chair of the disputed Parliament’s Legal Issues Committee, said on October 10 that PM Irakli Kobakhidze was “personally engaged in the development” of the bill. Gorduladze emphasized the government’s stated goal to make Georgia one of the “top three” countries worldwide in combating corruption and to “prevent corruption from impeding economic activity and undermining the state.”
Former officials convicted of certain financial crimes will be required to submit their asset declarations to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, a state body widely seen as influenced by the ruling party, within two months of their conviction taking effect, and then annually for the next 30 years.
According to the amendments, the requirement applies to former public service employees and civil servants found guilty of committing the following criminal offenses during their official tenure: fraud (Article 180); extortion (Article 181); misappropriation or embezzlement in large quantities (Article 182); purchase or sale of property knowingly obtained by illegal means (Article 186); money laundering (Article 194); use, purchase, possession, or sale of property acquired through money laundering (Article 194¹); abuse of procurement procedures (Article 195¹); concealment of property through fraudulent or sham transactions (Article 205¹); breach of customs procedures (Article 214); tax evasion (Article 218); Illegally taking possession of arms, ammunition, explosives, or equipment (Article 237); unlawful appropriation or extortion of drugs (Article 264); and interference with computer data and/or systems for financial gain (Article 286¹).
It also covers several criminal offenses related to official misconduct, including abuse of official powers (Article 332); exceeding official powers (Article 333); bribe-taking (Article 338); and bribe-giving (Article 339).
In September, the Georgian Dream parliament adopted a legislative package, which obliges those convicted of serious financial crimes to compensate victims and bars them from leaving Georgia even after serving their prison sentences until those damages are repaid.
The moves follow Georgian Dream’s intensified anti-corruption rhetoric, other tightened financial crime laws, and a series of arrests and prosecutions targeting former party officials and associates, often on charges related to corruption and abuse of office.
The latest high-profile case includes several former senior Georgian Dream officials, including ex-Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, former State Security Service head Grigol Liluashvili, former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze, and eight of their associates. Authorities seized millions in cash and valuables. Shortly after, two of Liluashvili’s associates – Andria Liluashvili and Koba Khundadze – were arrested on serious money-laundering charges. Garibashvili himself has been indicted on similar charges and was ordered to post GEL 1 million in bail, surrender his passport, and is prohibited from leaving the country pending another pretrial hearing.
The adoption of the law also follows the high-profile case of jailed Giorgi Bachiashvili, a former associate of Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, who was sentenced in absentia to 11 years for allegedly embezzling a large amount of cryptocurrency from Ivanishvili and was later detained under controversial circumstances abroad.
Also Read:
- 11/09/2025 – Former Defense Minister Burchuladze Arrested on Abuse of Office, Money Laundering Charges
- 14/07/2025 – Georgian Dream’s Ex-Officials and Business Associates in Hot Water
- 21/06/2025 – Ex-Deputy Economy Minister Romeo Mikautadze Arrested on Corruption-Related Charges
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