“In the form of an interpellation, the current Minister of Infrastructure did not dare to admit that he inherited a corrupt ministry,” stated MP Giorgi Sharashidze, a member of the Gakharia for Georgia party.

Sharashidze pointed out that Irakli Kobakhidze was the leader of the parliamentary team at the time and bore responsibility for overseeing the government.

“The Minister himself acknowledged that out of 214 ongoing projects of the Municipal Development Fund, 161 were problematic, with the total cost exceeding one billion GEL. If the Minister confirms this, then I believe there are no more questions to ask. We must not forget that about a year ago, in this very hall, these 89 MPs were applauding, welcoming, and supporting Irakli Karseladze. This clearly indicates that political responsibility does not only lie with the Deputy Minister and the Minister, but also with the Georgian Dream. It signifies the collapse of parliamentary oversight, the failure of controls, and supervision.

The parliamentary majority bears a special responsibility. Irakli Kobakhidze claims to be fighting corruption, yet at that time, he was the leader of the parliamentary team, with a duty to ensure proper oversight of the government.

If I am not mistaken, Shalva Papuashvili was also the Speaker of Parliament at that time. Let’s put that aside; how can Kobakhidze convincingly claim he is fighting corruption when the very symbol of corruption is Kakha Kaladze? ” Sharashidze questioned.

For Georgia’s MP further stated that the fight against corruption should begin with the Tbilisi City Hall, as most questions pertain to this institution.

“Do you honestly believe corruption existed only in the Ministry of Infrastructure and not within Tbilisi City Hall? No one thoroughly investigated or scrutinised the City Hall, because this is all an internal clan conflict. Do you think we are genuinely combating corruption? No, one clan is simply replacing another. The Garibashvili-Liluashvili clan is giving way to the Kobakhidze-Kaladze clan.

If Kobakhidze truly wants people to believe he’s fighting corruption, then it must start with Kaladze and Tbilisi City Hall, where the most questions remain,” he asserted.

For context, according to the statement from the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance, former Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Koba Gabunia has been detained, and a search was conducted at the residence of former Minister Irakli Karseladze.