Mayors, deputy mayors, high-ranking officials of municipal assemblies (Sakrebulo) and heads of state-owned legal entities under public law (LEPLs) are managing private companies alongside their public service roles - a practice strictly prohibited by law due to the risk of corruption.

Transparency International Georgia has identified 24 incumbent officials who, in violation of clear legal requirements, simultaneously hold director positions in 30 companies. Among them are Giorgi Nachkebia, Mayor of Martvili Municipality; Temur Gasviani, Deputy Minister of Justice and Civil Integration of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia; Merab Bekaia, Deputy Head of the Isani District Administration; and Valentina Naveriani, Deputy Mayor of Bolnisi Municipality.

Under current anti-corruption legislation, holding a position in the public service and serving as a director of a business entity are considered incompatible activities.

The purpose of this restriction is to prevent corruption-related offenses, as it is precisely the unhealthy relationship between the public and private sectors that gives rise to risks of corruption-specifically, "elite" corruption.

The law grants a new public official a 10-day period to relinquish their position as a director of a business entity; failure to do so requires them to leave the public service.

The 24 incumbent public officials listed below have, to date, failed to comply with this clear legal requirement.

 Why is this a violation?

Article 13 of the Law of Georgia "On Combating Corruption" establishes prohibitions-collectively known as "incompatibility of office"-that apply to all public servants, including high-ranking officials, regarding their involvement in the management of business enterprises in any form:

Paragraph 5 – "A public servant is not permitted to hold any position within any business enterprise."

Paragraph 7 – "A public servant is not permitted to serve as a permanent head of a business entity, nor to be a member of its control, supervisory, or audit bodies."

Paragraph 8 – "A public servant is not permitted to engage in entrepreneurial activity. They are only permitted to own shares or stakes in an enterprise."

The law also sets a specific timeframe: within 10 days of assuming office, an individual is required to vacate any incompatible position and cease any incompatible activity. Furthermore, the law explicitly states that a violation of these incompatibility requirements constitutes grounds for dismissal from office.

Under the law, the state is tasked with identifying such violations. More specifically, until March 2, 2026, the collection and monitoring of declarations from public officials, political parties, and non-governmental organizations fell under the mandate of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Following the Bureau's abolition, these functions were transferred in their entirety to the State Audit Office. Consequently, the verification of entrepreneurial activities engaged in by public officials should constitute an integral part of the State Audit Office’s monitoring mandate.