EGI Political Digest 41

Corruption Perceptions Index 2021: Georgia Loses A Point

According to Transparency International’s 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published by the Secretariat, Georgia has 55 points. This is one point worse than the previous year. According to Transparency International – Georgia, Georgia holds 45th place among the 180 countries included in the ranking and the first place in the region [Eastern Europe and Central Asia].

As the organization claims, the authors of the Corruption Perceptions Index themselves describe the context of corruption in Georgia as follows: “State capture and concentration of power is also a significant problem in Georgia, which leads the region with 55 points. The influence of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling party, falls on key institutions in the area of ​​state captures, even though Ivanishvili formally left politics… His party, the Georgian Dream, has in recent years finally seized control of the judiciary and law enforcement agencies, effectively halting the political momentum needed to fight corruption.”

According to Transparency International Georgia the Corruption Perceptions Index is the most widely used global ranking of corruption in the world. It measures the level of public sector corruption in each country based on the views of experts and the business sector.

The opposition and the Georgian Dream could not agree on a joint resolution in support of Ukraine

The attempt to pass a multi-party resolution in support of Ukraine between the opposition and the ruling team was unsuccessful, as Russia is not mentioned in the project introduced by the Georgian Dream.

The ruling party and the opposition began consultations after the United National Movement, Lelo and Strategy Agmashenebeli called on Georgian Dream lawmakers to take a united stand in support of Kiev and urging Russia not to invade Ukraine.

After the talks ended on January 26, Khatia Dekanoidze, chairman of the United National Movement parliamentary faction, said they could not co-initiate a resolution that would not mention “military aggression by the Russian Federation.” In response, Mamuka Mdinaradze, chairman of the Georgian Dream faction, explained that the text initiated by the ruling party was “devoid of any populist or provocative rhetoric.”

According to the draft Georgian Dream resolution: “Parliament expresses deep concern over the possible military escalation in Ukraine and condemns any intention that may be directed against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a sovereign state, which poses a new threat not only to Ukraine but also to regional peace and security.”

The text also emphasizes that “membership in the North Atlantic Alliance is a sovereign right of the state and any attempt to restrict this right by military-political means is categorically unacceptable.”

NDI Survey: Confidence in parties is low

On January 27, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) of the United States released a new survey of public opinion. The population suffers most from socio-economic problems.

According to the survey, 43% of respondents believe that Georgia is going in the wrong direction, 21% believe that Georgia is not changing at all, and 27% believe that it is developing in the right direction.

32% of respondents cite poverty as the most important issue, 32% inflation, 29% jobs, 16% territorial integrity, 13% pensions.

The majority of respondents believe that neither the ruling party nor the opposition is acting in the interests of the country and the people. 51% say they do not agree with the opinion that the Georgian Dream acts in the interests of the people and the country, 36% agree, 13% do not know or refuse to answer. Furthermore, the majority of respondents are still politically undecided and the individual support rates of the parties are so low that it is not possible to predict the election results.