Georgia’s Government is intending to create an independent investigative agency that is self-controlling and separate from any Government structures.
The Unified General Inspection agency could look into a wide variety of cases, involving crime, alleged abuse of police, matters of fraud and other serious instances and would help remove public doubts and remove suspicion of a biased or bias prejudiced result.
The matter had already become the topic of many heated discussions within the Government, lawmakers said.
Member of Parliament (MP) Tina Khidasheli said the initiative aimed to create a possibility of "maximally unbiased” investigation by an independent agency.
She claimed the Government could easily use the Audit Office as a sample and grant the Unified General Inspection with different functions. She said this body could serve as a controlling instrument and also an investigative institution.
The General Inspector would be appointed by Parliament, she said.
"For example, [now] the General Inspection operates within the Ministry of Education,” Khidasheli stated.
"If there is any complaint, it is always a concern that the authority is appointed by the Education Minister and it does not make any sense to address them with a complaint as they will not start an investigation against the person who appointed them,” the MP said.
Khidasheli added this was exactly why there was a need to create an agency that would be separated from any other Governmental structure.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, called on the Georgian authorities to establish an independent mechanism for unbiased investigations during her visit to Georgia last week.
She suggested the establishment of an independent investigative body to look into allegations of abuse by the police and other law enforcement agencies "to help remove the public’s doubts and suspicions over allegations of abuse”.