Ruling party's new bill to target economic crimes, will apply to jailed businessman Bachiashvili - MP

Archil Gorduladze, Chairman of the Georgian Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee and a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, confirmed that a new legislative proposal tightening accountability for economic and financial crimes will apply to former Ivanishvili associate Giorgi Bachiashvili.

The draft law would allow authorities to restrict travel rights of individuals accused or convicted of financial crimes and to confiscate material assets not only from those individuals, but also from their family members. Gorduladze emphasized the bill’s focus on restoring justice and compensating damages caused by such offenses.

“The name and surname don’t matter — whether it’s Giorgi Bachiashvili or anyone else,” Gorduladze said during an interview on TV Imedi. “What matters is whether a person committed a crime and caused harm to others. And yes, we can confidently say these changes will apply to Giorgi Bachiashvili.”

Gorduladze stated that the reforms are aimed at ensuring stolen or embezzled assets are returned and not used to benefit perpetrators after serving prison sentences.

“These changes target people who inflicted massive harm, and now simply want to serve their sentence and walk out to enjoy the wealth they illegally acquired. That won’t be allowed,” Gorduladze added.

Giorgi Bachiashvili, a former close associate of Georgian Dream founder and billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, was sentenced in absentia to 11 years in prison on charges of embezzlement, negligence, and money laundering related to a controversial hydropower project. He had fled Georgia in early March 2025 but was apprehended on May 27 while attempting to cross the so-called "green border" between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Bachiashvili claimed during a previous court appearance that he had been abducted abroad, blindfolded, and held for two days before being forcibly placed on a Georgian Airways flight and “illegally” returned to Georgia — an allegation Georgian authorities have not confirmed.