diff --git a/.ci/azure/linux_debian.yml b/.ci/azure/linux_debian.yml
index 8bbd31c9533..3760bf98e58 100644
--- a/.ci/azure/linux_debian.yml
+++ b/.ci/azure/linux_debian.yml
@@ -424,8 +424,7 @@ jobs:
       export IE_APP_PYTHON_PATH=$(PYTHON_SAMPLES_INSTALL_DIR)/
       export SHARE=$(INSTALL_TEST_DIR)/smoke_tests/samples_smoke_tests_data/
       export WORKSPACE=$(INSTALL_DIR)
-      # GNA isn't a part of Debian package, so filter out that tests
-      python3 -m pytest $(INSTALL_TEST_DIR)/smoke_tests/ -k "not GNA" --env_conf $(INSTALL_TEST_DIR)/smoke_tests/env_config.yml -s --junitxml=$(INSTALL_TEST_DIR)/TEST-SamplesSmokeTests.xml
+      python3 -m pytest $(INSTALL_TEST_DIR)/smoke_tests/  --env_conf $(INSTALL_TEST_DIR)/smoke_tests/env_config.yml -s --junitxml=$(INSTALL_TEST_DIR)/TEST-SamplesSmokeTests.xml
     displayName: 'Samples Smoke Tests'
     continueOnError: false
 
diff --git a/src/common/util/CMakeLists.txt b/src/common/util/CMakeLists.txt
index 0a683d583e1..9cad18ce17a 100644
--- a/src/common/util/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/common/util/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@ add_library(${TARGET_NAME} STATIC ${LIBRARY_SRC} ${PUBLIC_HEADERS})
 add_library(openvino::util ALIAS ${TARGET_NAME})
 
 target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} PRIVATE ${CMAKE_DL_LIBS})
-if (WIN32)
-    target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} PRIVATE Shlwapi)
-endif()
 target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PUBLIC
     $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${UTIL_INCLUDE_DIR}>)
 
diff --git a/src/common/util/include/openvino/util/shared_object.hpp b/src/common/util/include/openvino/util/shared_object.hpp
index f6732ff444b..3f2b307782b 100644
--- a/src/common/util/include/openvino/util/shared_object.hpp
+++ b/src/common/util/include/openvino/util/shared_object.hpp
@@ -23,15 +23,6 @@ namespace util {
  */
 std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object(const char* path);
 
-/**
- * @brief Loads a library with absolute path specified.
- * Prevents library search in working directory, environment
- * variables etc.
- * @param path Full path to the plugin library
- * @return Reference to shared object
- */
-std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object_safely(const char* path);
-
 #ifdef OPENVINO_ENABLE_UNICODE_PATH_SUPPORT
 /**
  * @brief Loads a library with the wide char name specified.
@@ -39,15 +30,6 @@ std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object_safely(const char* path);
  * @return Reference to shared object
  */
 std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object(const wchar_t* path);
-
-/**
- * @brief Loads a library with wide char absolute path specified.
- * Prevents library search in working directory, environment
- * variables etc.
- * @param path Full path to the plugin library
- * @return Reference to shared object
- */
-std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object_safely(const wchar_t* path);
 #endif  // OPENVINO_ENABLE_UNICODE_PATH_SUPPORT
 /**
  * @brief Searches for a function symbol in the loaded module
diff --git a/src/common/util/src/os/lin/lin_shared_object_loader.cpp b/src/common/util/src/os/lin/lin_shared_object_loader.cpp
index b7622466f4e..80f64d36e38 100644
--- a/src/common/util/src/os/lin/lin_shared_object_loader.cpp
+++ b/src/common/util/src/os/lin/lin_shared_object_loader.cpp
@@ -12,14 +12,6 @@
 
 namespace ov {
 namespace util {
-std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object_safely(const char* path) {
-    if (path == nullptr)
-        throw std::runtime_error("Cannot load library: path isn't specified.");
-    if (path[0] == '/')
-        return load_shared_object(path);
-    throw std::runtime_error("Cannot load library: path '" + static_cast<std::string>(path) + "' is not absolute.");
-}
-
 std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object(const char* path) {
     auto shared_object = std::shared_ptr<void>{dlopen(path, RTLD_NOW), [](void* shared_object) {
                                                    if (shared_object != nullptr) {
@@ -44,10 +36,6 @@ std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object(const char* path) {
 }
 
 #ifdef OPENVINO_ENABLE_UNICODE_PATH_SUPPORT
-std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object_safely(const wchar_t* path) {
-    return load_shared_object_safely(ov::util::wstring_to_string(path).c_str());
-}
-
 std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object(const wchar_t* path) {
     return load_shared_object(ov::util::wstring_to_string(path).c_str());
 }
diff --git a/src/common/util/src/os/win/win_shared_object_loader.cpp b/src/common/util/src/os/win/win_shared_object_loader.cpp
index 16dcaa342fe..76da4eed9b6 100644
--- a/src/common/util/src/os/win/win_shared_object_loader.cpp
+++ b/src/common/util/src/os/win/win_shared_object_loader.cpp
@@ -70,18 +70,9 @@
 #endif
 
 #include <windows.h>
-#include <Shlwapi.h>
 
 namespace ov {
 namespace util {
-std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object_safely(const char* path) {
-    if (path == nullptr)
-        throw std::runtime_error("Cannot load library: path isn't specified.");
-    if (!PathIsRelativeA(path))
-        return load_shared_object(path);
-    throw std::runtime_error("Cannot load library: path '" + static_cast<std::string>(path) + "' is not absolute.");
-}
-
 std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object(const char* path) {
     void* shared_object = nullptr;
     using GetDllDirectoryA_Fnc = DWORD (*)(DWORD, LPSTR);
@@ -133,14 +124,6 @@ std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object(const char* path) {
 }
 
 #ifdef OPENVINO_ENABLE_UNICODE_PATH_SUPPORT
-std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object_safely(const wchar_t* path) {
-    if (path == nullptr)
-        throw std::runtime_error("Cannot load library: path isn't specified.");
-    if (!PathIsRelativeW(path))
-        return load_shared_object(path);
-    throw std::runtime_error("Cannot load library: path '" + ov::util::wstring_to_string(std::wstring(path)) + "' is not absolute.");
-}
-
 std::shared_ptr<void> load_shared_object(const wchar_t* path) {
     void* shared_object = nullptr;
     using GetDllDirectoryW_Fnc = DWORD (*)(DWORD, LPWSTR);
diff --git a/src/inference/include/openvino/runtime/core.hpp b/src/inference/include/openvino/runtime/core.hpp
index 49ec714b33e..b0bef7f4a1d 100644
--- a/src/inference/include/openvino/runtime/core.hpp
+++ b/src/inference/include/openvino/runtime/core.hpp
@@ -603,10 +603,10 @@ public:
      * @param plugin_name Name of a plugin. Depending on platform, `plugin_name` is wrapped with shared library suffix
      * and prefix to identify library full name.
      * For example, on Linux platform, plugin name specified as `plugin_name` will be wrapped as `libplugin_name.so`.
-     * Note that plugin should be located in one of next places:
-     * - the same directory as OpenVINO runtime library as is
-     * - the same directory as OpenVINO runtime library inside openvino-<version> subdirectory
-     * (environment variables like PATH/LD_LIBRARY_PATH/DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH are ignored)
+     * Plugin search algorithm:
+     * - If plugin is located in the same directory as OpenVINO runtime library, it will be used.
+     * - If no, plugin is tried to be loaded from paths pointed by PATH/LD_LIBRARY_PATH/DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH
+     *   environment variables depending on the platform.
      *
      * @param device_name Device name to register a plugin for.
      */
diff --git a/src/inference/src/ie_core.cpp b/src/inference/src/ie_core.cpp
index 37d1543fd6d..76fd36349ea 100644
--- a/src/inference/src/ie_core.cpp
+++ b/src/inference/src/ie_core.cpp
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ ov::util::FilePath getPluginPath(const std::string& pluginName, bool needAddSuff
 
 #ifndef _WIN32
     try {
+        // dlopen works with absolute paths; otherwise searches from LD_LIBRARY_PATH
         pluginPath = ov::util::to_file_path(ov::util::get_absolute_file_path(pluginName));
     } catch (const std::runtime_error&) {
         // failed to resolve absolute path; not critical
@@ -133,7 +134,11 @@ ov::util::FilePath getPluginPath(const std::string& pluginName, bool needAddSuff
 
     // 2. in the openvino.so location
     absFilePath = FileUtils::makePath(ieLibraryPath, pluginPath);
-    return absFilePath;
+    if (FileUtils::fileExist(absFilePath))
+        return absFilePath;
+
+    // 3. in LD_LIBRARY_PATH on Linux / PATH on Windows
+    return pluginPath;
 }
 
 template <typename T = ie::Parameter>
@@ -1156,7 +1161,7 @@ public:
                 desc.pluginCreateFunc(plugin_impl);
                 plugin = InferencePlugin{plugin_impl, {}};
             } else {
-                so = ov::util::load_shared_object_safely(desc.libraryLocation.c_str());
+                so = ov::util::load_shared_object(desc.libraryLocation.c_str());
                 std::shared_ptr<ie::IInferencePlugin> plugin_impl;
                 reinterpret_cast<InferenceEngine::CreatePluginEngineFunc*>(
                     ov::util::get_symbol(so, InferenceEngine::create_plugin_function))(plugin_impl);
diff --git a/src/inference/tests/functional/ov_shared_object_test.cpp b/src/inference/tests/functional/ov_shared_object_test.cpp
index 444bc61e08f..bfd82d9747a 100644
--- a/src/inference/tests/functional/ov_shared_object_test.cpp
+++ b/src/inference/tests/functional/ov_shared_object_test.cpp
@@ -60,9 +60,3 @@ TEST_F(SharedObjectOVTests, canCallExistedMethod) {
     std::shared_ptr<InferenceEngine::IInferencePlugin> ptr;
     EXPECT_NO_THROW(factory(ptr));
 }
-
-TEST_F(SharedObjectOVTests, loadSOSafelyThrowIfOnlyLibName) {
-    std::string libraryName = FileUtils::makePluginLibraryName<char>({}, std::string("mock_engine") + IE_BUILD_POSTFIX);
-
-    EXPECT_THROW(ov::util::load_shared_object_safely(libraryName.c_str()), std::runtime_error);
-}
\ No newline at end of file