TI Georgia: 62 of 150 Georgian MPs connected with business

Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) says that the undeclared business assets of Georgian MPs and the activities incompatible to their status remain a problem in the 10th convocation of the state legislature. 

In its recent report, the organization says that 62 out of 150 MPs in the Georgian parliament are connected with various business activities, noting that 10 MPs, both from the ruling party and the opposition, incompletely indicated the information on their shares in an asset declaration, while 13 other MPs incompletely indicated their indirect entrepreneurial activities (for instance, links with subsidiary companies).

TI Georgia says that the Civil Service Bureau of Georgia  should look into the cases and the Parliamentary Committee of Procedural Issues and Rules should examine whether there is a conflict of interests. 

Image: TI Georgia.

TI Georgia says that the  following MPs hold business assets in the largest number of companies (10 and more):

• Badri Japaridze (Lelo - Partnership for Georgia faction) - 32 companies.
• Mamuka Khazaradze (Lelo - Partnership for Georgia faction) - 30 companies.
• Vasil Chigogidze (Georgian Dream) – 22 companies.
• Avtandil Enukidze (European Socialists political group) – 20 companies.
•  Fridon Injia (European Socialists political group) – 20 companies.
• Kakhaber Okriashvili (United National Movement faction) – 12 companies;
•  Dilar Khabuliani (United National Movement faction) – 10 companies.

TI Georgia says that only 22 of the 62 MPs indicated their income from entrepreneurial activities, while others said they have received zero income while in parliament. 

According to submitted declarations, the following MPs indicated the highest annual income from entrepreneurial activities:

• Kakhaber Okriashvili – 11,268,533.54 Gel. 
• Fridon Injia  –  1,528,556 Gel.
• Anton Obolashvili (Georgian Dream faction) –  1,418,917.5 Gel. 
• Elguja Gotsiridze (Georgian Dream) – GEL 1,263,590.42 Gel. 

TI Georgia says that the report is based on information collected from official sources, which include asset declarations of officials and the website of the National Agency of Public Registry and information requested from parliament.