Georgian parliament adopts amendments on expanding investigative authorities of special investigation service
The legislative package has been prepared by the parliament’s legal affairs committee as per the 12-point conditions set by the European Union to grant the country its membership candidate status. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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The Georgian parliament on Wednesday adopted the amendments to the law on the special investigative service, increasing its investigative authorities, in the third reading with 80 votes in favour and one against.
According to the changes, the service will pursue investigations instead of the Georgian prosecutor’s office on the violations of rights set by the European Convention on Human Rights, and its investigative scope will also be expanded in several articles, including the abuse of authority, the press office of the parliament said.
Amendments were also made to the law on personal data protection, increasing the guarantees of social protection of its employees and creating the possibility to award the employees with special titles.
The legislative package has been prepared by the parliament’s legal affairs committee as per the 12-point conditions set by the European Union to grant the country its membership candidate status.
The special investigative service of Georgia, a recently established agency probing abuse of power at institutions, is “actively involved” in the fulfilment of the European Union’s conditions for granting Georgia the membership candidate status, agency head Koka Katsitadze said on Monday.
The Parliament of Georgia appointed Karlo Katsitadze and Lela Janashvili to lead the Special Investigation Service and Personal Data Protection Services respectively on Tuesday, with the two newly created agencies replacing the outgoing State Inspector Service.
Georgia’s Special Investigation Service, a recently established agency probing abuse of power at institutions, on Wednesday asked the country’s Parliament to extend its mandate and allow the body to look into all cases involving alleged violations of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Georgian majoritarian MPs have put forward a new bill which proposes replacing the State Inspector's Service with Special Investigation and Personal Data Protection services.