Faust in Tbilisi – How Georgian judges cleanse their souls with German seals of approval

In his famous drama "Faust," the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe tells the story of a man who, out of lust for power, allies himself with the devil and desperately tries to save his damaged reputation by being close to the virtuous Gretchen. A similar story appears to be playing out in Georgia's judicial system, whose leaders are struggling with serious corruption allegations and international criticism.

Luxury life of Georgian judges: A look behind the scenes

In April 2023, the Georgian investigative media outlet Formula News published a sensational investigation revealing the enormous wealth of leading judges. Among them were Valerian Tsertsvadze, Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, and Irakli Shengelia, whose financial circumstances far exceed their official incomes. According to Formula News, these judges own real estate and company shares whose value far exceeds their official salaries.

For example, Valerian Tsertsvadze, former chairman of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal, built an impressive villa with a pool and its own sports field, financed by a judge's salary that never exceeded 7,000 lari (approximately €2,300) a month. In addition to his lavish estate, his family controls the electronics retailer "iTechnics" and operates several Xiaomi stores ( Formula News, April 8 , 2023 ).

Mikheil Chinchaladze, the acting chairman of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal, owns a property in Saguramo and several apartments in the heart of the capital. It is particularly noteworthy that many of these properties are not officially registered in his name. His colleague, Levan Murusidze, known for his influence within the judiciary, frequently transfers his considerable holdings to his partner, Lela Chania. Chania, a former court employee, was able to acquire numerous properties and valuable luxury items despite her modest salary ( Formula News, April 8, 2023 ).

Irakli Shengelia complements this picture with numerous properties in Tbilisi and an apartment in the tourist town of Batumi. He rents this apartment to tourists at a profit. A large portion of his assets have been officially transferred to family members. For example, real estate in Gurjaani, Georgia, is owned by his student son, while his wife and other family members are firmly integrated into the judiciary ( Formula News, April 8, 2023 ).

The introduction of vetting: A European response to corruption

The massive revelations about the financial affairs of Georgian judges triggered strong international reactions. In April 2024, the US State Department imposed targeted sanctions against these judges for the first time, including their family members. This decision marked a turning point in the international community's approach to Georgian judicial corruption.

In response to these problems, the European Union called for a vetting procedure as part of the EU accession negotiations to ensure the integrity and independence of the Georgian judiciary. This procedure requires judges and key judicial officials to undergo a comprehensive integrity review by international experts to effectively combat corruption and nepotism.

A similar process has already been successfully implemented in Albania, Moldova, and Romania. Between 2016 and 2019, Albania reviewed approximately 800 judges and prosecutors and had to remove over 200 from office due to allegations of corruption and lack of integrity ( Legal Political Studies ).

The resistance to the vetting process

However, Georgia’s Supreme Court took a clear stance against the introduction of a vetting procedure in an official statement on March 11, 2024. In its statement, the Court described the proposed integrity check as a fundamental interference with judicial independence, a threat to the institutional reputation of the courts, and an attempt at political influence over the judiciary. The statement emphasized that such vetting neither meets international standards nor complies with the Georgian Constitution, and aims to establish external control over the judicial system through political pressure (Publika, 11.03.2024).

However, not all judges shared this official position. Judges Nino Bakakuri and Ekaterine Gasitashvili publicly distanced themselves from the statement and made their dissenting position clear (Netgazeti, 13.03.2024).

Among the signatories of the official Supreme Court statement was also Tamar Zambakhidze, who at that time was a judge at the Supreme Court and thus supported the critical stance against the vetting procedure.

In earlier hearings before the High Council of Justice, Tamar Zambakhidze had also expressed skepticism about increased transparency and external oversight. In her hearing, she stated that in Georgia, all judges know each other well enough, making public presentations of candidates unnecessary. When asked by Council member Nazi Janezashvili how it was possible for candidates to receive 260 votes without any public speeches or programs, Zambakhidze replied:

"We know each other very well, we have comprehensive information about the professional skills of the candidates, so additional presentations or programs are not necessary." ([Source: Hearing of the High Council of Justice, interview transcript, document “Tamar Zambakhidze” pp. 10-11])

Furthermore, in this hearing, Zambakhidze downplayed the leading role of the highly controversial Levan Murusidze within the judicial network by describing his position as a result of a "natural social leadership within the judicial system" ([Source: Hearing of the High Council of Justice, document “Tamar Zambakhidze” p. 13]).

Role of German institutions and the crucial question of integrity

Recent developments also raise questions about German institutions that provide financial and academic support to Georgian judges and lawyers. For example, Georgian lawyer Goga K., a member of the controversial High Judicial Council, received a scholarship in 2025. of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for a research stay at the University of Regensburg. Given the corruption allegations and the critical role of the High Judicial Council in Georgia, this decision raises significant questions about the integrity review of German funding institutions.

Against the backdrop of European calls for far-reaching judicial reforms in Georgia, German institutions now face a clear decision: Do they continue to indirectly support a controversial judicial system that resists transparency and oversight, or do they actively advocate for reforms and the rule of law?

The answer to this question could be crucial for the future of democracy and the rule of law in Georgia.

What is the Georgian Judges' Clan? The term "Judges' Clan" describes an influential group of judges in Georgia who are facing corruption allegations and who informally control the judiciary. Their leading figures include Mikheil Chinchaladze and Levan Murusidze.

What are the allegations against the Georgian judges? The judges, particularly Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Valerian Tsertsvadze, and Irakli Shengelia, are suspected of having amassed considerable wealth that far exceeds their official incomes. This includes numerous real estate properties and luxurious lifestyles that cannot be explained by official salaries.

What is the vetting procedure in Georgia? The vetting procedure is a review procedure mandated by the European Union to ensure the integrity and independence of the Georgian judiciary. Judges and senior judicial officials are to be comprehensively investigated for corruption, integrity, and independence.

Why does Georgia's judiciary reject the vetting procedure? The Georgian Supreme Court argues that the vetting procedure is an infringement on the country's sovereignty and could undermine the independence of the judiciary. Critics, however, see it more as an attempt to protect existing corruption and power structures.

What role do German institutions play in the Georgian judicial crisis? German institutions such as the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) are coming under fire for supporting judges and lawyers suspected of being part of the problematic Georgian judicial system. This has led to accusations of indirectly contributing to the legitimization of the "judge clan."

What does the international community demand of Georgia regarding judicial reforms? The international community, particularly the US and the EU, is demanding comprehensive judicial reforms from Georgia. These include, in particular, transparency, the fight against corruption, and the introduction of independent integrity reviews for judges.