The Anti-Corruption Bureau has released information regarding the monitoring of the asset declaration of Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of Lelo – For a Strong Georgia.

According to the statement, the monitoring focuses on the accuracy of the information provided in the declaration, specifically regarding real estate owned by a member of Mamuka Khazaradze’s family and the contracts related to that property.

They note that particular attention is being paid to the reasons why the declaration did not include an agreement made between a member of Khazaradze’s family and the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany.

“Given the high public interest, we inform you that the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Anti-Corruption Bureau – is conducting monitoring of the asset declaration submitted by former Member of Parliament Mamuka Khazaradze.

The purpose of the monitoring is to determine the accuracy of the information provided in the declaration and its compliance with Georgian legislation.

Under Georgian law, a public official is obligated to fully and accurately disclose, in the declaration, all property and transactions belonging to the official and their family members.

As part of the ongoing monitoring, special attention is being paid to the accuracy of data related to real estate owned by Khazaradze’s family member and the contracts connected to that property.

One of the main points of interest is why an agreement signed between a member of Khazaradze’s family and the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany was not included in the declaration.

It is important to determine whether the omission of the contract was intentional, whether it represents an attempt to conceal income, and whether this behavior complies with the legal obligations in place.

Additionally, the Bureau continues to monitor the financial activities of political parties, which includes assessing the legality of donations.

In this context, the Bureau is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the donations declared by Mamuka Khazaradze, to form a complete picture regarding possible political corruption risks,” the statement reads.

As a reminder, on August 4, the Revenue Service released a statement saying it had launched an investigation based on media reports that the German Ambassador, Peter Fischer, is renting an apartment in Tbilisi owned by Mamuka Khazaradze’s family. According to the agency, an initial analysis of the case revealed a possible tax violation, prompting the Revenue Service to begin an inquiry.

Later, Mamuka Khazaradze issued a statement from prison regarding the rental contract involving the German ambassador and his spouse. According to Khazaradze, the contract was signed and registered in full accordance with the law.

He also noted that the issue of taxation had been identified by them the previous week, due to a misunderstanding about whether the tax should be withheld at the source. Based on their own initiative, the issue was reported to the Revenue Service, the necessary registration was completed, and the full amount was paid to the state budget, thereby resolving the matter entirely.

For its part, the Revenue Service stated that Khazaradze’s family only contacted them to request a tax declaration after the media had reported on the alleged absence of a contract between the parties.

The agency also noted that it had requested the relevant documentation from Khazaradze’s family, the Notary Chamber, and the Public Registry to verify whether a rental agreement actually existed.