Petty corruption is still rare in Georgia. However, addressing more complex forms of corruption, as well as the cases of corruption involving high-level officials, remains a challenge.

These are the results of he public opinion survey which the Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC) conducted upon Transparency International Georgia’s request between 27 February and 18 March 2020. During the poll, 1,763 individuals were interviewed throughout the country. The survey’s average margin of error is 2.2%.

Petty Corruption

According to the survey, only 1% of the respondents recalled a case over the preceding 12 months where they or their family members had been asked to pay a bribe for public services. This is identical to the results of similar surveys conducted in recent years.

Complex Forms of Corruption

At the same time, citizens believe that other manifestations of corruption are common in Georgia. According to the poll, 63% of the respondents think that abuse of power by public officials is common or very common.

As for the goals of the abuse of power, the respondents who think that such action is common believe that its goals include securing employment for family members, relatives, and other individuals with close links to the official in question (92%), protecting one’s own business (90%), embezzlement of public funds (81%), and getting bribes in exchange for “settling” problems (60%).

A majority of the respondents (57%) also believe that it is common for the companies with links to public officials to be favored in the public procurement process.

Government Response to Corruption

According to the survey, 47% of the people believe that instances of corruption are not investigated properly when they involve high-ranking officials or influential individuals with links to the ruling party.

Official statistics also point to a low rate at which corruption-related crimes are solved. According to the State Audit Office, only 12% of the corruption-related cases registered in 2015-2017 were solved.

Source: The State Audit Office, Performance Audit of Developing Anti-Corruption Environment in the Country, 29 May 2020.

Also, the Prosecutor’s Office has the lowest rate of solving corruption-related cases in the country. Only 47 of the 1,273 registered at the Prosecutor’s Office (3.7%) in 2015-2017 were solved.

Source: The State Audit Office, Performance Audit of Developing Anti-Corruption Environment in the Country, 29 May 2020.

While 41% of the respondents agree with the statement that the government generally protects the persons engaged in corruption, 37% believe that the government generally exposes those persons.

Employment in Civil Service

According to the respondents, personal connections are among the main factors affecting employment in civil service.