Freedom Square movement leader calls for lustration law to remove suspected Russian-linked officials

Levan Tsutskiridze, head of the Freedom Square movement, on Thursday called for the swift adoption of a lustration law aimed at removing from state institutions anyone found to have collaborated with Soviet or successor Russian security services.

Tsutskiridze said the proposed legislation had three main goals - restoring historical justice, excluding such individuals from public service, and preventing similar security risks in the future.

Speaking to reporters, he further argued that Georgia had failed to act on lustration despite repeated attempts by political and civil groups since regaining independence in the 1990s. “If we do not remove agents connected to Russian special services from the state, we will always face such difficult situations,” he warned.

The draft law, he said, would apply not only to senior officials but also to other positions affecting national security, such as those involved in arms procurement for the Georgian military. Tsutskiridze insisted the process should be run by an independent, trustworthy and transparent body, overseen by a specially created council composed of impartial figures.

“This will be a painful but necessary step towards recovery,” he said, adding that confronting the past was vital to safeguarding Georgia’s future.