TBILISI, October 19 – A senior Georgian Orthodox bishop has publicly criticized the government’s handling of the recent nationwide searches targeting former high-ranking officials, comparing the approach to the methods used by the Bolsheviks in the early 20th century.
In a post published Saturday on social media, Metropolitan Anton of Vani and Baghdati said he supports the fight against corruption but warned against treating all former officials as criminals. “I like the fight against corruption. I like steadfastness and principle,” he wrote, “but something is not right in how those who planned this are acting.”
The bishop accused investigators of trying “to ruin reputations first and make the public get used to the idea of arrests,” adding, “That’s what the Bolsheviks did when they wanted to destroy those with authority.”
Bishop Anton’s remarks came one day after Georgia’s State Security Service (SUS) confirmed it had searched the homes of several former officials, including ex–Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, former State Security Service head Grigol Liluashvili, and former Chief Prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze.
According to the SUS statement, officers confiscated USD 7.2 million in cash, 136,000 Georgian lari, and 198 pieces of jewelry from multiple properties, including homes belonging to the former officials’ relatives. The service did not specify which ongoing case the raids were linked to, and no arrests have been made.
The searches, conducted Friday across 22 locations, have shaken Georgia’s political landscape. The ruling Georgian Dream party insists the operation is part of an anti-corruption campaign, while opposition politicians claim it is politically motivated.
