State Inspector Toloraia to appeal against replacement of State Inspector's Service to ECHR
Toloraia maintained that the reform was carried out in a 'rushed manner.' Video grab via RFE/RL
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Georgian State Inspector Londa Toloraia has said that she will appeal against a recently approved bill to replace the State Inspector's Service with two new agencies to the Constitutional Court of Georgia and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
Per the legislative changes, the State Inspector's Service and position will be abolished in March 2022, while two new state agencies - a Special Investigation Service and Personal Data Protection Service will be established to investigate offences committed by authorities and to monitor personal data processing, respectively.
Toloraia maintained that the reform was carried out in a 'rushed manner,' and she will appeal against it both to local and international courts.
The internal state mechanism will be to appeal to the constitutional court, while the external mechanism - [will be] to fight in the ECHR, she explained.
Toloraia further reacted to Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili's decision to approve the amendments, saying that she expected the president to veto the bill.
The president's decision [to approve the bill] was probably influenced by the very obviously and clearly expressed view of the parliament that they would overcome the veto, and it [the veto] would have no point, Toloraia added.
Ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party MP Mamuka Mdinaradze explained earlier that the GD proposed splitting the State Inspector’s Service into two agencies because the investigative and personal data protection functions are ‘not compatible with each other.’
The Georgian parliament adopted the law on the State Inspector’s Service on July 21, 2018, while the Service began operating on November 1, 2019.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has approved a bill adopted by the parliament on December 30 which replaces the State Inspector’s Service with two new agencies despite calls for a veto.
The United States Embassy to Georgia has denounced hasty legislative amendments proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, stating that the replacement of the State Inspector’s Service with two new agencies ‘undermined government accountability.’
The Georgian parliament has approved a bill to replace the State Inspector's Service with a Special Investigation Service and Personal Data Protection Service in March 2022.
Eighty-one MPs supported the amendments proposed by ruling Georgian Dream party MPs in its third and final reading in the 150-member legislative body.
Foreign dignitaries have expressed their concern over a bill proposed by ruling Georgian Dream party MPs to replace the State Inspector's Service with a Special Investigation Service and Personal Data Protection Service.
The United Nations Country Team in Georgia has expressed its concern over the government's abolition of the State Inspector’s Service, following the signing of the controversial bill by president Salome Zurabishvili on Thursday.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has said that she shares Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili's concerns about a bill to replace the State Inspector's Service with two new agencies, noting that Georgia needs the experience of 'impartial professionals' like the State Inspector.
Georgian State Inspector Londa Toloraia has appealed the law abolishing the State Inspector’s Service and replacing it with two new agencies in Georgia’s Constitutional Court. Toloraia said her appeal requested an “immediate suspension” of the law before the court delivers its final decision on the case.