Levan Vepkhvadze, executive director of the Georgian Business Association (BAG), says no member company has approached the organization to report being asked for a bribe in exchange for a permit. Speaking on TV-program Tsertili, he said he could not confirm that bureaucratic barriers facing businesses were linked to corruption.
BAG represents around 1,500 companies across nearly 170 business groups. Vepkhvadze said the association had received no complaints of officials demanding payment to issue or expedite permits. He added that businesses choosing to obtain permits through bribery might bypass the association rather than seek its assistance.
According to the results of the BAG Index for the third quarter, businesses continue to identify a shortage of qualified specialists and legal and administrative barriers as their main challenges. Vepkhvadze said a key problem is regulatory uncertainty and inconsistent interpretations of legislation, which can create difficulties for companies operating under the same rules.
He said BAG is actively engaging with government agencies and relevant ministries to clarify regulations and establish consistent practices. Vepkhvadze added that the association had not encountered major difficulties in communicating with the government and was working to resolve companies’ concerns on a case-by-case basis.
