Continuity and Change: Corruption in Georgia

Abstract

Georgia has become one of the least corrupt countries in Eastern Europe. The Georgian Dream government has continued to maintain and upgrade public service standards to ensure low levels of bribery in the sectors where state and citizenry interact. However, as in the era of Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement (UNM), concerns remain about the particularistic distribution of public resources and various forms of 'legalised corruption'. This article analyses the changes as well as the continuity of practices since the defeat of the UNM government in October 2012.