“Of course, temptations existed in the past, exist now, and will continue to exist in the future — what matters is how our institutions respond,” said Mikheil Kavelashvili to journalists, commenting on the arrest of the former Deputy Minister of Defense and two other individuals by the State Security Service (SSS).

In his assessment, “when the budget grows three to four times, and signs of corruption are eliminated, salaries and pensions increase, and more wealth is created in Georgia.”

“When we talk about public good and the country’s development, naturally every institution has its duties and responsibilities. We must understand that each institution — whether it’s the Ministry of Defense, the security services, or the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is directly fighting drug dealers — all have obligations.

Just recently, the Prime Minister stated that our ambition is to rank among the top three countries in the world in the fight against corruption. Of course, temptations existed before, they exist now, and they will in the future. What matters is how our institutions react,” Kavelashvili said.

He added that everyone must be equal before the law.

“It is welcome that an institution is doing its job well, has identified a source of corruption, and this process will likely continue. Alongside maintaining a calm and stable environment — despite the wars happening around us — this should be reflected in the lives of every citizen.

Naturally, when the budget increases three to four times and we eliminate signs of corruption, society and each citizen will have more opportunities, salaries and pensions will increase, and more wealth will be generated in Georgia. It is the role of the state to ensure these important issues are addressed. It’s commendable that the State Security Service and the Anti-Corruption Agency have started working so effectively,” Kavelashvili stated.

For reference, the State Security Service has arrested former Deputy Minister of Defense Giorgi Khaindrava and two other individuals. According to the SSS, following investigative and operational actions conducted by its Anti-Corruption Agency and based on a court order, the former Deputy Minister of Defense G.Kh., the former Head of the Ministry’s Procurement Department V.Gh., and V.M., a close relative of the then Minister of Defense, have been arrested.

The investigation has so far revealed that the criminal group developed and implemented a scheme through which 1,333,728 GEL was embezzled from the state budget of Georgia.