At the sitting of the Defence and Security Committee, Members of Parliament heard the 2024 activity report of the State Security Service of Georgia, presented by the First Deputy Head of the Service, Irakli Beraia.

"The greatest threat to Georgia’s security remains the occupation of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region by the Russian Federation and the accompanying processes. Throughout 2024, illegal military exercises were conducted in the occupied regions, and cases of unlawful detentions and so-called borderisation persisted. Specifically, 37 cases of illegal detention were recorded in the direction of occupied Abkhazia and 36 in the Tskhinvali region. Due to Russia’s destructive stance, the Government of Georgia was regrettably unable to conduct an objective investigation into the cases of Tamaz Ginturi, Archil Tatunashvili, Giga Otkhozoria, Vitali Karbaia, Irakli Kvaratskhelia, and Davit Basharuli, nor to impose appropriate penalties on those responsible", – I. Beraia stated.

He provided an overview of the efforts taken to release Georgian citizens held in unlawful captivity, noting that during the reporting period, 38 citizens were released from occupied Abkhazia and 30 from the Tskhinvali region.

I. Beraia also addressed the attempts by certain groups within the country to destabilise the political environment and violently overthrow the government.

According to him, the organisers of the protests aimed to instigate so-called "Maidanisation" of events and paralyse Tbilisi’s transport nodes.

"Through the operational and preventive measures undertaken by the Security Service, it was possible to avert these destructive developments and maintain a stable environment", – he added.

Presenting the agency’s report, I. Beraya spoke on counterintelligence operations, as well as the Service’s operational, investigative, and analytical activities, cyberattacks, cyber intelligence operations, and counterterrorism efforts.

"One of the State Security Service’s key priorities is the fight against corruption. In 2024, the Anti-Corruption Agency launched investigations into 23 criminal cases, and 39 individuals were prosecuted. As a result of the Service’s work in this direction, Georgia continues to rank highly in international indices and assessments. It is also worth noting that the Security Service actively cooperated with relevant parliamentary committees, the Trust Group, the Public Defender’s Office, and the Personal Data Protection Service during the reporting period", – I. Beraia stated.

He emphasised that the work of the State Security Service rests on the dedication and efforts of its officers.

The Defence and Security Committee gave a positive assessment of the report.

"The First Deputy Head of the State Security Service provided us with comprehensive information about the agency’s work. We received updates on ongoing threats and challenges, including the situation in the occupied territories and the broader regional context. The question-and-answer session was also particularly valuable and was held in a closed format. I would like to thank both the State Security Service and the members of the Committee for their engagement", – Committee Chair A. Tabatadze stated.