Ruling party proposes creation of anti-corruption bureau as part of EU candidacy conditions

The ruling Georgian Dream party on Wednesday initiated a bill proposing the creation of an anti-corruption bureau, as part of efforts to fulfil the European Union’s conditions for granting the country the membership candidate status.

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Anri Okhanashvili, the head of parliament’s legal affairs committee, said the agency would be expected to promote combating corruption, supervise the implementation of the government's general policy and national strategy against it, as well as coordinate activities of relevant bodies, organisations and officials.

Okhanashvili explained the amendments had been drafted by a parliamentary working group set up by the ruling party in recent months to meet the EU conditions, claiming the group’s work was “transparent” and involved representatives of state institutions and the civil society. 

The working group had considered recommendations and views offered by the participants before presenting the final document”, Okhanashvili said. 

The ruling party says that it is working on the fulfilment of EU conditions "proactively". Photo: parliament of Georgia press office

The proposed bureau would be accountable to the parliament and the interagency anti-corruption council, submitting annual reports to the legislative body and midterm reports to the interagency council. 

The head of the bureau would be selected via an open competition, following “transparent procedures” by a competitive commission composed of representatives of state agencies and domestic non-governmental organisations, with the prime minister choosing one candidate from proposed nominees to appoint to the post. 

The parliament’s legal affairs committee is scheduled to start discussing the bill next week. 

Georgia was granted the European perspective by the European Council in June, and given priority conditions related to reforms in the country’s judiciary, electoral and other areas in order to receive the EU membership candidate status next year.