Georgian police searched the homes of three former officials – former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, former head of the State Security Service Grigol Liluashvili and former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze.
The country’s Prosecutor General Giorgi Gvarakidze said at a briefing that “various electronic devices, documentation and a large sum of money were seized”. Searches were conducted simultaneously in 22 places.
“Due to the special public interest and significance of the criminal cases, I would like to provide the following information. As part of the investigation of various criminal cases, today from 10:00 a.m. a large-scale event was conducted simultaneously at 22 locations across the country… Investigative, processes are actively conducted on the mentioned cases,” Gvarakidze said.
He did not answer journalists’ questions and did not specify under what articles the investigation was launched.
Rumours about possible detention of former Prime Minister and ex-leader of the ruling party Irakli Garibashvili and ex-head of the SDB Grigola Liluashvili in corruption cases have regularly appeared in the media. A number of former Mriya associates and officials have already been detained, including former Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze and his son-in-law, as well as former Deputy Economy Minister Romeo Mikautadze. Bichiko Paikidze, whose son’s godfather is the former head of the department Grigol Liluashvili, has been declared wanted.
Grigol Liluashvili’s name appeared in the media in connection with the events of 4 October. According to a source of Formula TV channel, he was a double agent – liaising with the opposition and informing the authorities at the same time.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said earlier that the former Georgian Dream member had indeed co-operated with the opposition, but he did not name him: “there was a specific entity, a former member of the team, who co-operated with these people and the radical opposition.”
Otar Partskhaladze served as the Prosecutor General of Georgia in November-December 2013. In 2023, the US imposed sanctions against him on the grounds of “increasing Russian influence in Georgia.” According to media reports, while living in Moscow and maintaining ties with the Russian political elite, he continues to maintain close contacts with the Georgian Dream government. After sanctions were imposed, President Salome Zurabishvili stripped him of his Georgian citizenship, after which he changed his surname to Partskhaladze – Romanov. On 9 May 2025, he was spotted among the guests of the Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow. UK and Lithuanian sanctions were also imposed against him.