The Ministry of Justice has finalized agreements with the winners of its 2025 grant program. A total of eight projects will receive funding to support innovative initiatives and promote civic engagement.

Deputy Ministers of Justice—Beka Dzamashvili, Erekle Ghvinianidze, and Niko Tatulashvili—along with the Ministry's Administration Head, Manana Begiashvili, met with the grant recipients to mark this significant milestone.

During the meeting, the diversity and importance of the selected projects were highlighted, reflecting the Ministry’s commitment to advancing key areas of its mission.

The grant competition aims to strengthen the Ministry's priority areas, foster civil society participation, and encourage civic initiatives. The 2025 program, announced in November 2024, focused on three primary objectives: enhancing human rights protection, introducing innovative services, and bolstering legal security.

Out of 30 applications received, the top eight were selected for funding. The list of winning projects can be accessed [here].

Since 2021, the Ministry of Justice has held annual grant competitions, funding 48 projects with a combined budget of 1,080,619 GEL. The Ministry continues to monitor and support these projects to ensure their successful implementation and impact.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has delivered its judgment in the case of Taganova and Others v. Georgia and Russia, holding Russia fully accountable for violations of property rights in the occupied territory of Abkhazia.

The case was brought forward by individuals whose claims concerned property disputes in Abkhazia, a region internationally recognized as part of Georgia but under Russian occupation.

The Court’s ruling reaffirms that Russia bears full responsibility for human rights violations in the occupied territories, citing its continued effective control over Abkhazia.

The ECHR emphasized that under international law, Abkhazia remains an integral part of Georgia. However, since the 1990s, Georgian authorities have been unable to exercise effective control over the region due to Russia's military, economic, and political interference.

Despite these challenges, the Court acknowledged that the Georgian government has taken all possible and reasonable measures to safeguard the property rights of individuals in Abkhazia.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued its decision in the case of Davit Kezerashvili v. Georgia. At a briefing, Justice Minister Anri Okhanashvili discussed the ruling, which upheld the verdict against Kezerashvili.

“The Court concluded that, while serving as Defense Minister shortly before the August 2008 war, Davit Kezerashvili embezzled €5,060,000 (approximately 15 million GEL at today's exchange rate) intended for the Georgian army. It also determined there was no political persecution involved in his prosecution. The Supreme Court of Georgia's verdict finding Kezerashvili guilty was deemed well-founded, and no violation of the presumption of innocence was found,” Okhanashvili stated.

Okhanashvili outlined the fraudulent activities carried out by Kezerashvili:

"During his tenure as Defense Minister, Kezerashvili unlawfully signed a fictitious agreement with an offshore company in a single day to provide combat training for the Georgian army. This agreement bypassed the General Staff of the Defense Forces. In reality, no training occurred, and the €5,060,000 allocated for the Georgian army was deliberately misappropriated."

Anri Okhanashvili emphasized that the Court also dismissed Kezerashvili’s demand for €15,000 in moral damages. Kezerashvili, who enriched himself by defrauding the Georgian army, sought additional compensation for moral damage. The Strasbourg Court firmly rejected this claim. It confirmed the seriousness of Kezerashvili’s crime and upheld the Supreme Court of Georgia's ruling as lawful.

The Justice Minister congratulated the Georgian state and armed forces on their success in the European Court and acknowledged those who defended Georgia’s interests:


“I congratulate the Georgian state, army, and people on this significant victory. I extend my gratitude to the Ministry of Justice staff and the Prosecutor’s Office for their dedicated work. We now look forward to seeing how our European partners, particularly those who previously characterized Kezerashvili as a media advocate, respond to this decision affirming his guilt,” Okhanashvili remarked.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has confirmed that Davit Kezerashvili misappropriated state funds allocated for the Georgian military during his tenure as Minister of Defense. Furthermore, the court ruled that his case does not constitute political persecution.

The Ministry of Justice will hold a briefing on this matter today at 15:00.

The positions of Deputy Minister of Justice were held by Beka Dzamashvili, Niko Tatulashvili and Erekle Gvinianidze.

Beka Dzamashvili, a Doctor of Law, brings extensive experience in both the Ministry of Justice and academia. He has been serving as Deputy Minister since 2021.

Niko Tatulashvili, also a Doctor of Law, has a distinguished career in public service. Since 2021, he has served as an advisor to the Prime Minister on human rights issues.

Erekle Gvinianidze, a lawyer by profession, has held several key positions within the Ministry of Justice over the years. He has been a Deputy Minister of Justice since 2022.

Anri Okhanashvili officially began his duties as Minister of Justice by visiting various departments to familiarize himself with the working environment. During his visit, he personally engaged with employees, showing interest in their individual needs and professional concerns.

The Minister highlighted the significance of employees' initiatives in achieving the Ministry's strategic goals and ensuring the effective execution of its responsibilities.

The previous day, Okhanashvili held a working meeting with senior officials of the Ministry and representatives of the Legal Entities of Public Law (LEPLs) under its jurisdiction. He was formally introduced to the Ministry’s team by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

"Anri Okhanashvili needs no introduction. He is among the finest and most accomplished lawyers in Georgia. He obtained a robust legal education, graduating from Tbilisi State University before earning a master’s degree at the University of Jena, Germany, and completing a doctoral dissertation at Humboldt University in Germany. Since 2017, he has served as a member of the Georgian Parliament, excelling in his role as Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee. His contributions have been exceptional across all areas of his work. Anri Okhanashvili is also an Associate Professor at Tbilisi State University and the author of numerous scholarly publications. I am confident he will excel as Minister of Justice. I wish him great success in this important role.” said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to outgoing Minister Rati Bregadze for his service.

The newly proposed government lineup will be presented to Parliament today for approval.

The inaugural session of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Coordination Council took place under the leadership of Tamar Tkeshelashvili, First Deputy Minister of Justice and Chairperson of the Council. The meeting brought together heads of member ministries and representatives of various state agencies.

Along with the Strategy and Action Plan, the Council reviewed and adopted nine sectoral specifications and technical regulations. These drafts were prepared by the coordinating agency of the NSDI - the National Agency of Public Registry under the Ministry of Justice, and refined based on feedback and recommendations from the Council's member agencies.

The legal and technical regulations, developed with reference to international best practices, aim to establish unified standards for the creation and exchange of spatial data nationwide. These standards will ensure that data from different agencies are interoperable and compatible, both domestically and with the European Union’s Spatial Data Infrastructure (INSPIRE).

The Coordination Council was established by government resolution in accordance with Georgia's Law on the National Spatial Data Infrastructure. Its mission is to support the development, operation, and expansion of the NSDI, thereby advancing e-governance and public administration.

A fully operational NSDI will enhance governance at the national, sectoral, and municipal levels, promote the growth of location-based services, and facilitate data-driven decision-making in the private sector.

Notably, the National Agency of Public Registry is also tasked with creating the NSDI National Geoportal. This platform will provide public access to spatial data produced in Georgia, aligning with the standards and requirements of the EU’s INSPIRE framework.

Following the Council's discussions, the strategic, sectoral, and technical documentation of the NSDI will be submitted to the Government of Georgia for final approval.