Arrests Shake Georgian Dream’s Inner Circle

Arrests Shake Georgian Dream’s Inner Circle

Executive Summary:

• Over the past few months, the Georgian Dream government has stepped up its crackdown on former officials, filing corruption charges against a growing number of them.
• The ruling party frames the move as a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, insisting that past loyalty or affiliation offers no immunity.
• Many in Georgia, however, see the campaign either as a power struggle between rival “clans” or as part of a broader regime transformation, in which political and financial resources are increasingly concentrated in a single center of control.

On January 12, former Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison (Radio Tavisupleba, January 12). Just weeks earlier, on December 23, Grigol Liluashvili, the former head of the Georgian State Security Service, was taken into custody on corruption charges (Radio Tavisupleba, December 23,  2025). These detentions mark the latest in a growing wave of arrests, as the ruling Georgian Dream party increasingly moves against former officials from its own inner circle. The Prosecutor’s Office has brought charges against a former defense minister, a former deputy minister of economy and sustainable development, and many others, accusing them of various corruption-related offenses. The ruling party insists it maintains a zero-tolerance approach to corruption. The timing and scope of these actions, however, have sparked widespread skepticism. This crackdown may reflect either an intensifying struggle between rival “clans” or a broader transformation within the regime itself.

One of the first high-profile figures that the Georgian Dream government targeted was Gharibashvili. Once the closest and most loyal ally of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the party’s founder and honorary chairman, Gharibashvili is now behind bars in Rustavi prison (Radio Tavisupleba, January 12). On January 12, Gharibashvili reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. Under the deal, he received a reduced sentence of five years in prison, a 1 million lari (approximately $370,000) fine, and was ordered to forfeit cash seized from his home, which authorities said had been obtained through criminal activity. His lawyer added that the state would also confiscate two of his vehicles (Radio Tavisupleba, January 12).

Gharibashvili faced charges under Article 194, Part 3, Subparagraph “g” of the Criminal Code of Georgia, relating to the legalization of illegal income (money laundering) involving an especially large sum. While the charge carries a potential sentence of nine to twelve years, his plea agreement led to the reduced five-year term (Radio Tavisupleba, October 24, 2025).

The investigation has not been limited to Gharibashvili himself. It has also targeted members of his close personal and political circle. Among them is his longtime associate, former classmate, and best man, former Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze, who was arrested on charges of abuse of official authority and money laundering (Radio Tavisupleba, September 11, 2025). Another figure linked to Gharibashvili, former Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Romeo Mikautadze, has also come under investigation. Mikautadze is accused of abuse of office by a public official, legalization of illegal income (money laundering), exceeding official authority, and illegal participation in entrepreneurial activity (Civil Georgia, June 21, 2025).

Georgian Dream portrays the arrests as part of a zero-tolerance campaign against corruption, emphasizing that prior affiliation with the ruling party offers no immunity (Tabula, October 22, 2025). Senior government figures have reiterated that the anti-corruption drive will continue and that no one will be spared.

These assurances have been met with widespread skepticism. Many Georgians question whether the former officials are being targeted for corruption at all. This skepticism is shared by Transparency International–Georgia, which has systematically tracked alleged cases of high-level corruption. Dozens of charges against former officials appear on Transparency International–Georgia’s list. Drawing on investigative reporting by reputable media outlets and detailed analyses by civil society organizations, the organization has compiled 271 cases over the last five to six years and identified 221 high-ranking current and former Georgian officials who may have been involved in corrupt activities. The Georgian government, however, has consistently dismissed the organization’s findings (Transparency International–Georgia, November 21, 2025).

Sandro Kevkhishvili, head of the Anti-Corruption Team at Transparency International–Georgia, believes this represents only the tip of the iceberg, as their research is limited to publicly available data. He said:

For many years, the Georgian Dream claimed that corruption did not exist in Georgia. Whenever we spoke about it, these claims were denied. Now, investigations have begun, and many of the cases concern exactly what investigative journalists have been reporting on for years (Author’s interview, January 6).

Kevkhishvili added, “Several investigative pieces have focused on Romeo Mikautadze. For example, Studio Monitor in Georgia reported on his activities, including the purchase of a house in Spain. The Prosecutor’s Office later confirmed many of the details uncovered in those investigations” (Author’s interview, January 6).

Beyond Gharibashvili and his inner circle, Georgian Dream’s new leadership has turned its attention to another group. On December 23, 2025, Liluashvili was arrested and is accused of accepting bribes in several criminal cases currently under investigation (Radio Tavisupleba, December 23, 2025).

Transparency International–Georgia compiled a list of members of the Georgian Dream inner circle who were arrested. It found that the detained former officials are linked either to Liluashvili or to Gharibashvili. This connection reinforces the perception that the latest developments reflect a power struggle between different “clans” within the party, rather than a genuine fight against corruption (Transparency International–Georgia, December 15, 2025).

Kevkhishvili observed:

Our findings underscore the focus of the investigations. If the aim were truly to combat corruption, many more individuals should have been investigated, as the same allegations apply broadly. This suggests a selective approach. The question then arises: why target only these two figures and their networks, and not others? (Author’s interview, January 6).

Dimitri Tskitishvili, a former member of the Parliament of Georgia, also views Georgian Dream’s claims of fighting corruption with skepticism. He believes the party is moving from a loose and chaotic corruption scheme to a more consolidated one. He said:

It is a process of regime transformation. Until now, the system was horizontal: after Ivanishvili, many influential figures emerged, each running their own scheme. Now, a strict vertical hierarchy is being established. Both political and financial resources are being concentrated in a single hand, making them more controllable. If this succeeds, it will make authoritarianism more “efficient” (Author’s interview, January 6).

Tskitishvili suggests several possible reasons behind the current crackdown. One explanation, he says, is financial. The regime requires a stable flow of resources, particularly in the absence of a unifying idea or ideology. The flow of black money is important because their power rests on it, allowing them to maintain support through these funds. He also points to the sensitive political moment. He noted, “Amid Western sanctions, neither Gharibashvili nor Liluashvili was directly affected, and they were the last to maintain contact with the West. This may have seemed suspicious to Ivanishvili, as these individuals were involved in high-level communication with the United States” (Author’s interview, January 6).

Finally, he highlights Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s ambitions. “He may be seeking to consolidate power without alternatives that could challenge his position inside Ivanishvili’s circle,” Tskitishvili added (Author’s interview, January 6).

Elite corruption remains one of the most pressing issues in Georgia, according to non-governmental organizations and independent experts. Their studies show that, for years, investigative bodies, prosecutors, judges, and employees of the State Security Service and the Anti-Corruption Bureau have been involved in covering it up. They argue that the Georgian Dream government has never taken meaningful steps to dismantle these networks. Instead, it now seeks to portray the recent wave of arrests as a decisive fight against corruption.