The Prosecutor`s Office of Georgia [PoG] has filed charges against the former Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, for accepting an especially large bribe by a group with prior agreement. Amiran Guluashvili, the Deputy Prosecutor General of Georgia, announced at today’s briefing.

As he noted, on August 12, 2026, convicted Vasil Mkheidze, a relative of the former Minister of Defense of Georgia, approached the PoG wishing to cooperate with the investigation. Juansher Burchuladze was also interrogated and cooperated with the investigation.

"As a result of the counter-investigative and procedural actions conducted by the State Security Service, it was established that during the years 2021-2024, while holding the position of Prime Minister, I. Garibashvili was a person holding a state-political office. In accordance with the legislation, along with other functions, he determined the main directions of the government’s activities, organized the work of the government, coordinated and controlled activities of the ministers.

During the same period, J. Burchuladze held the position of Minister of Defense and also represented a person holding a state-political office. In accordance with the legislation, he was accountable to the Prime Minister and, among other rights and duties, coordinated the activities of the structural units of the Ministry, and exercised official supervision over the decisions and activities of the relevant officials of the ministry.

From the end of 2022, the Ministry of Defense of Georgia faced the need to purchase various pieces of expensive medical equipment and inventory, which was to be carried out through a classified procurement process. In order to participate in these procedures and obtain an unlawful financial benefit, in agreement with J. Burchuladze, his relative – V. Mkheidze, contacted a familiar businessman with relevant experience. He offered to arrange the announcement of the procurement in a format that would guarantee the victory of the company associated with the latter at a desired price; in exchange, he demanded 10% of the total contract value to be handed over to him in cash.

After the individual connected to V. Mkheidze initially refrained from entering into the criminal agreement and demanded higher guarantees from top officials, J. Burchuladze, as an accountable person, reached an agreement with I. Garibashvili. They agreed that the Ministry of Defense would carry out procurement for its needs in a manner that would guarantee the victory of the companies associated with the aforementioned entrepreneur at a desired price, in exchange for receiving a solid, unlawful financial benefit.

Having received full official patronage from I. Garibashvili - who, for his part, demanded that the corresponding material benefit be handed over to him as well, and confirmed the selected businessman`s reliability in such matters - under the instruction of J. Burchuladze, the then Deputy Minister of Defense of Georgia, Giorgi Khaindrava, and the then Head of the Procurement Department, Vladimer Ghudushauri, deliberately created an anti-competitive environment during the Ministry’s procurement process of various medical equipment and inventory for the LEPL Giorgi Abramishvili Military Hospital of the Ministry of Defense.

As a result, through entering into unrealistic deals, the value of the goods and services to be purchased under the classified procurement contracts was artificially inflated. Consequently, during 3 classified procurements, the companies associated with the aforementioned individuals supplied medical equipment and other inventory with a real value of 11,499,705 GEL to the Ministry of Defense of Georgia for 18,484,960 GEL.

In parallel with the aforementioned procurements, in exchange for the relevant guarantees and patronage, the businessman participating in the procurement handed over approximately 10% of the total contract values - 1,900,000 GEL - in cash to V. Mkheidze in several stages.

Out of this amount, the latter kept 400,000 GEL as personal benefit and handed over the remaining amount in full to J. Burchuladze. Out of the 1,500,000 GEL received as a bribe, the latter kept 750,000 GEL for himself, and handed over the second half of the amount - 750,000 GEL - directly to I. Garibashvili in cash as a bribe in several stages.

As a result of the aforementioned action, the state suffered a large amount of property damage totaling 6,985,255 GEL, and the public interest was substantially violated.

The PoG filed charges against I. Garibashvili under Article 338, Part 2, Sub-paragraphs "a" and "g", and Part 3, Sub-paragraph "e" of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

This implies the acceptance of an especially large bribe by a person holding a state-political office as part of a group, and carries a penalty of 11 to 15 years of imprisonment. Regarding other officials involved in the case, we remind the public that they have already been convicted by the court in connection with the aforementioned facts and have been sentenced accordingly, including J. Burchuladze, who was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. The PoG will appeal to the court in the case of I. Garibashvili`s charges only with a motion to schedule a pre-trial hearing, as the latter is already serving a sentence based on a conviction in another criminal case", - said Amiran Guluashvili.