Corruption must be treated at the same level as treason against the country — regardless of a person’s surname or origin, this level of betrayal, which involves facilitating or participating in large-scale corruption, will not go unpunished!

This statement was made by the First Vice Speaker of Parliament, Gia Volski, in response to a question about the arrest of former senior officials from the Ministry of Defense.

Volski emphasized in this context that neither surnames nor positions matter when it comes to acting against the interests of the state.

“Of course, arresting or detaining someone is not an end in itself. Corruption, no matter who it comes from, is an issue that destroys a country. It must be treated at the same level as treason against the nation, and every individual, regardless of their origin or political affiliation, should feel a sense of responsibility. The opposition interprets this responsibility as a clash between clans. But this is not about clans — it’s about a conflict between Georgia’s national interests and what we call corruption. That’s all it is.

Regardless of whose name is mentioned — no matter the person’s surname or background — this level of betrayal against the state, which involves supporting or being part of large-scale corruption, will not go unpunished!

Just look at the rankings — in the fight against corruption, Georgia is far ahead of many EU countries,” Volski stated.

When asked by a journalist whether his comments about the responsibility of the circle around former Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze imply that Juansher Burchuladze and Irakli Garibashvili should also be investigated, Volski replied that “no one will be overlooked.”

“I’m not an investigator, but logically everything will be assessed. Of course, no one will be ignored, but raising questions about Irakli Garibashvili and mentioning names obviously serves a certain political agenda. This is not some devious scheme — it’s a typical tactic, and critical media are expected to speak like this. But behind it, there’s a certain logic and a plan to somehow create distrust toward the government.

For us, no surname or position matters if it goes against the interests of the state.

In general, nothing should ever be ruled out! Personally, I rule out the possibility that certain individuals might be involved, but my opinion does not mean the investigation in that direction should stop. My personal belief — that I rule out Irakli Garibashvili being involved in anything bad — does not mean the investigation should break its own rules. If necessary, whether it’s Gia Volski, Irakli Garibashvili, or anyone else who must be questioned, the investigation will not hesitate to move forward,” Volski said.