The head of the SSDC will become a permanent member of the National Security Council of Georgia

The Parliament of Georgia discussed the draft law on the expansion of the National Security Council in the first reading.

According to the new initiative, the head of the Special State Protection Service (SSSS) should become a permanent member of the National Security Council.

The parliamentary secretary of the government, Vakhtang Bachiashvili, presenting the initiative to the deputies, said that the department, based on its activities, is working in the field of security and law and order. And the State Security Service, which deals with issues of internal and information security, is the only agency whose head does not have the status of a permanent member of the National Security Council of Georgia.

“The change will be beneficial for both parties. The head of the CSSD at the strategic level will be involved in decision-making and in the coordination mechanism of the National Security Council. At the same time, for the National Security Council itself, in the process of implementing a specific policy, it is important to receive information owned by the department and its head,” Bachiashvili said.

Independent MP Theon Akubardia, however, believes that the changes are a sham and are made based on the interests of certain individuals.

“When the Council does not meet on principle, despite the war against Ukraine, the deterioration of the situation along the line of occupation and the kidnapping of citizens, despite the vital need to update the national security policy through [оформления] strategic documents, all this is only the interest of specific individuals and nothing more,” Teona Akubardia said during her speech in parliament.