The Committee heard Grigol Liluashvili, the candidate nominated to the position of the Chief of the State Security Service speaking about the main directions of the SSS activity, the challenges the country encounters and the threats posed to Georgia.

“Unfavorable situation in the world and the region has a negative impact on security of the country. The armed conflicts, civil confrontations and other crisis situations reveal the fragile nature of security around Georgia. The country teems with the complicated and sometimes existential threats. Providing all abovementioned, we need to keep effective operation of the Security Service with maximal outcomes. The primary objective of the Service is to protect the national security of the country, freedom, independence and democracy.

Hence, the Service is mostly focused on early identification, prevention and elimination of the threats Russian occupation is the acutest of which. Illegally deployed Russian Forces in occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region stands as a challenge for our country. The situation along the occupation line and on the occupied territories is quite complicated and fragile, though maintenance of the controllable stability serves as one of the main directions of our activity. Unfortunately, Russian occupation forces on daily-basis commit the illicit actions, including illegal “bordering” process, restriction of movement, illegal detentions etc.

Moreover, these instruments are often applied not only to Georgian state but as one of the leverages of impact on the international community. It is evidenced with the developments in the villages Gugutiantkari and Chorchana this year, as well as the cases of murder of Georgian citizens – David Basharuli, Giga Otkhozoria, Archil Tatunashvili and Irakli Kvaratskhelia. While discussing all abovementioned with the central authority and our partners, Russian Federation and the de facto authorities opted to use the ultimatum and the menace and deliberately damaged the negotiation formats, I mean IPRM and Geneva Talks.

Countering Russian occupation is the challenge for Georgian Government, though the deplorable recent experience revealed that various conflicts controlled by Russia throughout the world constitute the integral part of the foreign policy of official Moscow addressing which is totally impossible without support and adequate response of our international partners.

Occupation of our territories by Russia stands as a key instrument of hybrid war held against Georgia. In total, Russia applies five main instruments of hybrid war in Georgia: occupation forces and de facto regimes; informative war; so-called soft power; economic expansion; covert operations”, - he noted.

Speaking about the foreign priorities, he stressed combating terrorism and corruption and touched upon the cyber security situation. He noted that the Service actively cooperates with the respective partner organizations in Britain and the USA in view of reforming the systems and creation of the normative base.

As to cooperation of Georgian citizens with the international terrorist organizations, the SSS has, at own expenses, and backed by the international partners drastically reduced the number of the possible supporters of terrorism in Georgia.

“Combating corruption is one of the priorities of the Service. In this regard, Georgia takes the high position in the world, and stands behind Estonia in the post-soviet countries. Civic engagement in this process is as well paramount. Following the achieved progress in countering corruption, prevention of corruption and misconduct in public service remain as one of the acute challenges”.

The reporter touched upon recruitment of the qualified personnel and the training center to be restored with the Parliamentary initiative. “I would like to thank you for holding the III reading of the respective bill allowing the Service restoring the training center. At the first stage, the center will not provide the higher education, though we already cherish the plans regarding the center and soon, it will give higher education providing us with highly qualified personnel through the syllabuses and equipped with the respective skills”.

MPs asked about identification of the threats and responses thereto, enhancement of international cooperation, processing methods of information, dynamics of threats from Russia, Afghan Mukhtarli case, “Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili Act”, economic and possible corruption offenses, entry of Russian MP Gavrilov to Georgia and June 20 developments.

The Committee resumed with the sitting in camera, held the secret ballot and approved the candidate with 11 votes.