The ruling Georgian Dream party has unveiled plans for significant government restructuring. The Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Personal Data Protection Service will be abolished, with all their functions transferred to the State Audit Office starting 2 March 2026. Meanwhile, the Business Ombudsman will move under the Ministry of Economy beginning 1 January 2026, according to Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.
“Today, the Anti-Corruption Bureau is primarily responsible for collecting and monitoring declarations from public officials, political parties, and NGOs. Following consultations with the government, it was decided that these functions would be better aligned under the constitutional framework if handled by the State Audit Office, which is a higher-level and more independent body. Accordingly, the Anti-Corruption Bureau will be abolished on March 2, 2026, and its functions fully transferred to the Audit Office,” Papuashvili said.
Earlier, on 11 November, media outlets reported that the bureau’s head, Razhden Kuprashvili, had been dismissed. Reports suggested staff were informed at a meeting, though the agency did not confirm the claims. Kuprashvili told journalists on 12 November:
“Thank you for your concern and interest. As you can see, I am continuing my work. As long as this agency exists, I will remain its head.”
The Personal Data Protection Service will also be abolished on 2 March 2026, with its responsibilities similarly moving to the State Audit Office. Papuashvili emphasized that:
“As an independent body, the Audit Office enjoys a much higher degree of institutional independence, fully aligned with international standards.”
Additionally, the Business Ombudsman will be moved under the Ministry of Economy starting 1 January 2026. According to Papuashvili, the change is intended to “ensure more responsive action to business needs and better coordination at the political level.”
Papuashvili said the broader reforms are aimed at aligning Georgia’s governance system with constitutional frameworks, ‘optimizing state resources by around 20 million lari’, simplifying structural functions, and improving management efficiency.
