The State Security Service reported to the Parliament on activity for 2021; the report was introduced by the Chief of SSS, Grigol Liluashvili, speaking about the security processes upturning in 2021 and the responsive measures to the threats and challenges that the Service has undertaken.

He touched upon the processes in the occupied regions and dwelt on the illicit activities of the de-facto regimes of Russian occupation forces. As he noted, the illegally deployed Russian military personnel has been remaining on the occupied territories of Georgia in 2021 holding intensive military exercises and militarization process; as well as keeping the annexation of the occupied regions.

According to the reporter, the occupation forces have been keeping the illicit detentions and illicit so-called bordering processes aiming to stir the feeling of vulnerability in the local population, discredit the state institutions and trigger nihilism in the society. “I would like to, first of all, assure the families of the illegally detained persons and of course MPs that all Georgian citizens will be released. The Georgian state is capable and equipped with practice to ensure the release. In evidence of these words, let me name numerous illegal detentions that ended with release; however, we face failed cases, unfortunately”.

In his speech, the reporter noted that the Service keeps effective and productive cooperation with the EUMM, UN, OSCE, CoE and ICRC offices. According to him, against the background in the region and providing the increased threats, SSS has been held uninterrupted control of the operative situation countrywide; within the counter-intelligence activity, the Service revealed the spheres of interest and aspirations of the special services of the foreign countries, their modus operandi and held respective remedies to neutralize and prevent the threats. The reporter emphasized the “hybrid threats” and noted that the disinformation campaigns held by certain countries and their special services against Georgia constituted a significant threat to our national security in 2021, targeted to the foreign political course and EU integration of Georgia.

“Within the accounting year, our Service has been held uninterrupted monitoring of the processes within the so-called information war, and identification of the persons and organizations engaged in these processes, as well as detection of their financing sources. Our respective units have been identifying certain actors and their interconnection and their methods; as well as assessment of possible risks”.

The number of possible supporters of terrorism in Georgia has been drastically reduced. The reporter informed MPs about the counter-terrorist activity noting that it has been positively assessed in the annual report of the US Department of State.

He as well informed MPs about the national counter-terrorism strategy and action plans for 2022-2026 and introduced the main objectives, tasks and priorities of the strategy providing new datum and realities.

The reporter summed up the anti-corruption activity and stated that under the increased threats in the region and the new security challenges in the world, the Service has taken effective steps to enhance bilateral and multilateral partnership relations.

According to him, the support of the American partners was imperative in the professional development and technical equipment of certain units of SSS.

As the reporter stated, one of the priorities of the activity of the Service was the coordination and cooperation with the state agencies of Georgia, strategic partners and international organizations, as well as communication with civil society.

Resuming his speech, the reporter thanked the Parliament for the support and expressed his respect to every officer of the Security Service.

After the report, the parties resumed in camera.