Georgia uncovered 4 cases of radioactive offenses in 9 months, says security expert

The efforts of Georgian authorities to detect and seize radioactive materials in several cases over the past year has generated high praise from the country’s American and European partners.

Since August 2015 Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS) seized radioactive materials in four different cases, said the agency’s head Vakhtang Gomelauri at today’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (NBRN) Science and Consequence Management World Congress.

The event was being held for the second time in Georgia and brought together high officials from 30 countries and international organisations, CBRN experts and scientists.

When addressing the audience Gomelauri spoke about the current CBRN threats in the region and the challenges facing Georgia.

The Congress brought together top officials from 30 countries and international organisations, CBRN experts and scientists. Photo by Georgia’s State Security Service. 

Gomelauri said the Government had assessed the current situation and had developed a strategic, systematic plan to apply strict security measures to effectively combat radioactive challenges. 

Every object or place that may contain a risk or threat is under the Government’s control and monitoring. The Government of Georgia fully realises that because of its transit function and neighborhood with conflict zones, the country faces the risk of illegal smuggling of radioactive material, as well as the risk of Georgia becoming a transit country for these materials,” Gomelauri said. 

Already the Georgian Government has taken strong steps in the CBRN field and achieved important success. In particular:

• The Government has developed a unique approach where an interagency coordination board has been established under the chairmanship of the State Security Service of Georgia;
• A strategy and action plan has been created with the support of Georgia’s US and European partners.

The Minister highlighted the importance of international cooperation to effectively combat radioactive threats. 

US Ambassador to Georgia, Ian Kelly, thanked the conference organisers and the Government of Georgia for its hard work and dedication to host the event for the second time in three years.

The Ambassador stressed it was "very important Georgia was a leader in detecting CBRN threats and strategy development.” 

The Congress, which opened today, was scheduled to end on June 2. Meetings are being held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi. 

Georgia hosted the Congress on June 1-5, 2014 for the first time.