Prime Minister enjoys life-long state protection

Georgia’s Prime Minister and their family members will be guaranteed life-long protection from the country’s protection service, according to a change approved today by the Government.

The current leader and all future Prime Ministers of Georgia, regardless of which political party is in power, will be guaranteed this service.

A change was made to the 2013 decree which defined the regulations for the country’s Special State Protection Service (SSPS).

Under the same amendment, the Department for Prime Minister Protection was added to the Agency.

Before this change, the President of Georgia (and their family) was the only figure guaranteed with life-long state protection.

SSPS is a militarized Government agency tasked to protect several high-ranking state officials, including the President of Georgia, certain national properties, high-ranking foreign visitors and diplomatic offices.

According to the changes, those who are eligible for state protection are:

• President of Georgia (and family members until the end of the President’s life);
• Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia (even after resignation until the end of the term of next gathering Parliament);
• Prime Minister of Georgia (and family members until the end of the Prime Minister’s life);
• Chairperson of the Constitutional Court of Georgia;
• Chairperson of the Supreme Court of Georgia;
• Catholicos-Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church;
• Minister of Justice of Georgia;
• Heads of the supreme legislative and executive authority of Abkhazia and Adjara;
• Head of Administration of the President of Georgia;
• Permanent members of the National Security Council of Georgia;
• Heads of foreign states visiting Georgia; and
• Candidates for Presidency of Georgia during pre-election campaign and elections.

At the discretion of the President of Georgia, personal security may be provided to:

• Deputy Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia;
• Members of Parliament/members of the Government;
• Other high-ranking officials and their family members if there is evidence to suggest a threat to their lives and health;
• Highest-ranking foreign officials and representatives of international organizations;
• Heads of diplomatic missions to Georgia; and
• Family members of former high-ranking officials as mandated by a special law.