TBILISI, July 31 – Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS) has arrested a senior opposition figure, Lasha Tsanava, on charges of immigration fraud.
Tsanava, a political council member of the United National Movement (UNM), is accused of receiving money from a foreign citizen in return for promising to help secure a residence permit in Georgia.
According to the SSS, Tsanava demanded USD 5,600 and received part of the amount through bank transfer and cash. The agency says it has audio and video recordings to support the allegations. The charges fall under Georgia’s criminal code and could lead to a prison sentence of four to seven years.
Government officials have linked the case to broader concerns over illegal migration. Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said that “any person involved in facilitating illegal migration undermines Georgia’s overall development.”
Members of the ruling Georgian Dream party dismissed claims of political motivation and emphasized that criminal responsibility applies regardless of party affiliation. MP Tengiz Sharmanashvili warned the opposition not to politicize the case, stating: “If they try to dispute this, the evidence will likely be made public.”
However, UNM leaders allege that the case is a politically motivated provocation by the authorities. Its chair Levan Khabeishvili described Tsanava as a close associate and said the authorities “sent an undercover agent with a hidden camera” to entrap him. He argued that Tsanava’s attempts to assist a foreign citizen with paperwork was similar to what many informal brokers do near the one-stop public service centers known as “houses of justice.”
