Iva Chkonia, a member of the Coalition for Changes, has strongly criticized a proposed legislative package widely referred to as the “Bachiashvili-inspired law,” calling it a sign of systemic collapse and a move toward authoritarianism. Speaking to TV-program Analytics, Chkonia expressed concern that the law allows for an unprecedented expansion of state power and legal overreach.
“We’re not dealing with a normal legal system or a functioning state. A specific group has decided that this country belongs to them, and they will pass any law they please. This is chaos. Such a law probably wouldn’t exist even in Russia,” Chkonia said.
As reported, the draft law includes provisions that allow for the seizure of assets not only from individuals accused of wrongdoing but also from their close relatives, including through simplified enforcement procedures. It also introduces the possibility of a settlement agreement between the accused and the victim, permitting compensation in potentially reduced amounts.
Critics argue that such legislation would create a dangerous precedent for politically motivated prosecutions and asset confiscation, further eroding judicial independence and property rights in Georgia.
Chkonia warned that the scope of the law is so broad that it could eventually be used against anyone with even a distant connection to a targeted individual.
“Tomorrow they may come after someone’s distant relative or neighbor. No one is safe,” he said.
He also voiced skepticism over the effectiveness of seeking justice through international mechanisms.
“Taking the dispute abroad and winning is meaningless if no one enforces it in Georgia,” Chkonia noted.
In her comments, Chkonia stressed that public officials, including judges, are under significant pressure to comply with the ruling party’s demands, even when it goes against their conscience.
“For lower-level public officials under the Georgian Dream regime, what’s happening is painful and terrifying. Even judges, who continue to justify injustice, witness the anguish of so many people, prisoners, grieving parents, and they’re emotionally overwhelmed. But they have no way out.”
He further alleged that compromising material and threats are used by the ruling party to control individuals within the system.
“If someone has ever been involved in corruption, that information is in the hands of the ruling team. They are blackmailed and forced to sabotage any decision, just to protect their financial or personal well-being.”
Concluding her remarks, Chkonia argued that the legislative process has become so detached from democratic principles that it no longer makes sense to speculate on new laws or amendments.
“At this point, it’s not even worth asking what law they’ll adopt next or how much worse it will get. The system itself has become unrecognizable.”
