PM Kobakhidze: new platforms introduced to ensure full transparency in public procurement

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said new platforms have been introduced to make public procurement fully transparent, adding that the results are already visible.

“New platforms were introduced to make public procurement fully transparent. The results are already evident — interest from private companies in participating in state procurement has increased substantially. This is particularly noticeable in infrastructure projects,” Kobakhidze said during a debate on Rustavi 2.

He added opening the system to wider participation will also help reduce project costs.

“When the system is open, it directly affects the costs of the relevant works,” he said.

Kobakhidze also noted that nepotism had been a serious problem in the past, particularly in state-owned enterprises.

He said that eliminating nepotistic practices in state enterprises alone resulted in annual savings of ₾60 million ($22.06mln).

“There were also specific problems in the energy sector and in the railway sector, and the situation has changed significantly there as well. Through project optimization, ₾700 million ($257.38mln) was saved as a one-time result in state enterprises,” the Prime Minister said.

Kobakhidze added that organised crime and drug trafficking are directly linked to corruption, stressing that the government has taken a strict approach in this area.

“Over the past few months, 2,500 drug dealers have been arrested. This also shows how principled the Government’s approach is toward corruption,” he said.