First stage of criminal police reform completed in 2022 - Interior Minister

The first stage of the criminal police reform was concluded in 2022, with the operational, investigative and preventive directions completely separated from each other, Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri said on Tuesday.

In his address to the Parliament, Gomelauri said in order to strengthen the investigative mechanism, the Interior Ministry had initiated an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia, and as he noted, the reform was evaluated by the Venice Commission and its recommendations were “largely” reflected in the draft amendments, the Ministry said.

The draft has been already submitted to the Parliament, the Minister said and expressed hope that these amendments would be effectively implemented in the Georgian legislation.

The changes will ensure the activation of an investigator’s role in the investigation process and a balanced distribution of prosecutorial and investigative powers, Gomelauri added.