PM in London: “Georgia has taken groundbreaking steps against corruption”

Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili says steps undertaken by Georgia to eliminate corruption may be considered less than revolutionary but the outcomes are "truly groundbreaking”.

 Kvirikashvili spoke about his country’s efforts during his speech at the Anti-Corruption Summit: London 2016 yesterday. The event brought together world leaders, business and civil society to find solutions to corrupt practices and combat the culture of corruption in all facets of political activity.

 We have developed a one-stop-shop nationwide network of Public Service Halls in up to 20 cities and community centres in more than 30 large villages across the country that provides all types of public services to our citizens,” Kvirikashvili said.

 Today … we are expanding this model to meet all possible needs of the legal persons,” he added, noting this would ensure all types of services people may require from the Governmental agency were available in one building.

 This limits the corruption-related risks that are already low in Georgia,” Georgia’s PM told the summit.

Steps in terms of corruption elimination may not be revolutionary,but results are groundbreaking #anticorruptionpic.twitter.com/0MValMyI2H

— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) May 12, 2016

Speaking about the major anti-corruption reforms in Georgia, Kvirikashvili said the introduction of a comprehensive online state procurement system, development of an E-Treasury and E-Budget programs and passing laws helped pave the way for efficient prosecution of corruption-related crimes.

 I have to note that we have our political party funding law, which is crucial prior to the Parliamentary Elections that are scheduled this autumn,” Kvirikashvili said.

 Speaking about practical partnerships, Kvirikashvili emphasised the UK government's efforts within the Good Governance Fund to establish strategic cooperation between the Office of Budget Responsibility of the UK and the Parliamentary Budget Office of Georgia.

Thanks to @David_Cameron for orginizing summit.Transparency, enforcement&cultural changes-ways to tackle corruption pic.twitter.com/ecNysaozP1

— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) May 12, 2016

 Georgia’s Prime Minister also noted the continual monitoring of the Asset Declaration System for Public Officials as one of the important novelties in Georgia.

 This groundbreaking amendment will substantially affect our anti-corruption efforts. Employees of the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) became authorised to undertake the permanent verification of asset declarations.”

 If as a result of the checkup the CSB finds that an asset declaration consists of any incomplete or inaccurate information or document, or legal provisions have been violated on any other account, there will be an administrative or criminal follow-up as the case may be,” the PM said.

 The PM also voiced Georgia’s international recognitions against corruption in his speech.

Specifically, he mentioned:

•  According to the Open Government Index 2015 published by the World Justice Project, Georgia ranked 1st out of 13 East European and Central Asian countries in the Open Governance category;
• Georgia ranked 11th out of 197 countries according to the Business Bribery Risk Index 2014 published by Trace International; and
• According to the Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer Survey, only 4 percent of people polled in Georgia said they had paid bribes.

 These are truly remarkable outcomes. Of course, no countries can achieve tangible results separately. These results may be attained only through consolidation of our international efforts,” the PM said.

Later yesterday the PM spoke about Georgia’s anti-corruption efforts in an interview with UK’s Sky News with Ian King Live.

 See the interview below.

Kvirikashvili, who arrived in London on May 11, was scheduled to conclude his official meetings later today.