Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze have once again lost a legal battle over the Anaklia Port project—this time at the Washington-based International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), an arbitration institution affiliated with the World Bank.

The tribunal fully upheld the Georgian government’s position and ruled that the failure to realize the Anaklia Deep Sea Port project was entirely the responsibility of Khazaradze, Japaridze, and their partners. The ruling stated there was no evidence of interference by the Georgian government.

The ICSID tribunal accepted the legal arguments presented by the Ministry of Justice of Georgia and found that:

• The responsibility for financing the project rested solely with the investor, who failed to secure the necessary funds for reasons of their own.
• All commercial risks related to the project were borne exclusively by the investor.
• The Georgian government acted lawfully in terminating the contract, as the investor repeatedly failed to meet extended deadlines for raising capital. It was proven that the state provided consistent support for the Anaklia project throughout the contract period.
• The criminal proceedings against Khazaradze and Japaridze for alleged money laundering were not challenged in the arbitration process.
• The state did not obstruct any efforts to attract foreign investment, including from a U.S.-based fund, for the Anaklia Development Consortium.

In this arbitration, Bob Meyer—a Dutch partner of Khazaradze and Japaridze—had demanded $64 million in damages. The tribunal not only rejected his claim but also ordered him to pay $6.5 million to the Georgian government.

This decision follows a similar outcome one year ago, when the Anaklia Development Consortium lost its case in Paris arbitration. In that instance, the consortium had sought $1.5 billion in damages from the Georgian state. The Paris tribunal fully dismissed their claims and instead ordered them to pay $650,000 to the government. The claimants did not appeal and subsequently paid the awarded sum—effectively acknowledging their failure in executing the Anaklia Port project.

Minister of Justice Paata Salia presented certificates of appreciation to 29 employees of the LEPL National Agency for Crime Prevention, Execution of Non-Custodial Sentences, and Probation, recognizing their conscientious and dedicated performance of official duties.

The awards ceremony was held as part of the agency’s Professional Day celebration. In his address, the Minister congratulated the employees and highlighted the agency’s vital role in crime prevention, rehabilitation, and strengthening public safety.

Nika Tskharashvili, Head of the Agency, also addressed attendees, expressing gratitude to the staff for their commitment and wishing them continued success.

The event was attended by Deputy Ministers, agency staff, and invited guests.

Minister of Justice Paata Salia officially presented the first multifunctional geoportal of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) - NSDI.GOV.GE.

This innovative platform marks a major step forward in modernizing the country’s approach to spatial data management and sharing. It is a key component of ongoing reforms aimed at aligning Georgia with international best practices and EU standards.

The NSDI geoportal serves as a unified information system that consolidates spatial data from both public institutions and private sector entities. It offers access to a wide range of geospatial information, including maps, orthophotos, land parcel boundaries, cultural heritage sites, transportation infrastructure, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions.

Private companies will also have the ability to upload information about their infrastructure, service coverage, and access points.

Designed to enhance planning, investment, and emergency response, the geoportal enables users to make more informed decisions in real time.

All data formats on the platform comply with relevant EU regulations, ensuring seamless integration into the broader European spatial data infrastructure.

The geoportal is operated under the coordination of the National Agency of Public Registry, a legal entity under the Ministry of Justice.

The launch event was attended by Deputy Ministers of Justice, the Minister of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs Mikheil Sarjveladze, and other distinguished guests.

Minister of Justice Paata Salia and Chairman of the National Bureau of Enforcement Lasha Modzgvrishvili awarded certificates of appreciation and symbolic gifts to 20 bailiffs in recognition of their conscientious and dedicated performance of official duties.

The award ceremony was held as part of the events marking the International Day of Bailiffs. The Minister of Justice, accompanied by his deputies and the heads of Legal Entities of Public Law (LEPLs) within the justice system, also received a report from the territorial offices of the National Bureau of Enforcement.

In his remarks, Paata Salia highlighted recent advancements in the enforcement system and emphasized the crucial role of effective enforcement of judicial decisions.

As a member of the International Union of Bailiffs, the National Bureau of Enforcement annually participates in the celebration of International Bailiffs’ Day.

Minister of Justice Paata Salia held an introductory meeting with the Head of the Personal Data Protection Service, Lela Janashvili.

The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between the two institutions. The participants emphasized the crucial role of the Ministry of Justice in safeguarding personal data—particularly in ensuring data security, lawful processing, and adherence to legislative standards.

Also attending the meeting were Deputy Ministers of Justice Merab Turava, Giorgi Dgebuadze, Beka Dzamashvili, and Aleksandre Maisuradze, along with the First Deputy Head of the Personal Data Protection Service, Otar Chakhunashvili.

Minister of Justice Paata Salia, along with Deputy Minister Beka Dzamashvili, held a meeting with Anna Montavon, Head of the Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Georgia.

Minister Salia expressed his gratitude to Ms. Montavon for her longstanding cooperation in the field of international humanitarian law and for the ICRC’s continued support of communities residing near the occupation line.

During the meeting, the sides discussed opportunities to further strengthen their partnership and agreed on key areas for future collaboration.

Minister of Justice Paata Salia held a working meeting at the State Services Development Agency.

The discussion focused on the agency’s performance outcomes, along with current and upcoming innovative projects. These include the redesign of identity documents, the development of a digital identification wallet, and other modernization initiatives.

The meeting was attended by First Deputy Minister Lasha Maghradze, Deputy Ministers Giorgi Dgebuadze, Merab Turava, Beka Dzamashvili, and Aleksandre Maisuradze, as well as the Chair of the State Services Development Agency, Rusudan Kokhodze, and other senior agency officials.

Minister of Justice Paata Salia Holds Working Meeting at Tbilisi Central Public Service Hall

Minister of Justice Paata Salia held a working meeting at the Tbilisi Central Public Service Hall to review current initiatives and discuss future development plans.

The meeting focused on enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of services provided to citizens, as well as exploring innovative approaches to service delivery.

The session was attended by First Deputy Minister Lasha Maghradze, Deputy Ministers Giorgi Dgebuadze, Merab Turava, Beka Dzamashvili, and Aleksandre Maisuradze, as well as the Chair of the Public Service Hall, Vakhtang Zhvania, and other senior officials.

The Ministry of Justice hosted a session of the State Commission on the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

During the meeting, representatives from various government agencies discussed mechanisms for combating the financing of terrorism and the effective enforcement of related sanctions.

The issues reviewed and the new initiatives presented fully align with international and European standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and support the effective implementation of the recommendations of the Council of Europe’s MONEYVAL—Thematic Expert Group on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing.

The session was chaired by Deputy Minister of Justice, Beka Dzamashvili.

Participants included representatives from the State Security Service, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Defense, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Economy and Sustainable Development, Environment Protection and Agriculture, Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Protection, as well as the Georgian Border Police, Patrol Police, Counter-Terrorism Center of the State Security Service, and several Legal Entities of Public Law (LEPLs), including the Revenue Service, Financial Monitoring Service, Nuclear and Radiation Safety Agency, Maritime Transport Agency, and the National Bank of Georgia.