PM receives high marks for MIA reform initiative

Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili announced reforms at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) on December 10.

The reform aims at the separation of the police and security services of the ministry. The PM wants to create a special working group, composed of local and foreign specialists, to work on the reform project.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the issue was very sensitive, requiring full openness and transparency.

Prior to the statement, Parliament Speaker Davit Usupashvili asked his colleagues to keep their pre-election promise and undertake reforms in the ministry.

The MIA and the Ministry of Security were combined in 2004. Currently, apart from the police structures, the ministry includes a Border Police Department, State Security Agency, Counter Intelligence Unit, Counter Terrorism Centre and an Operative-Technical Department.

The PM claims that the initiative was positively assessed by the majority.

Vice-Speaker Manana Kobakhidze stated that the reform will require a great deal of discussion and that Georgia should use the experience of other countries in this process.

Member of the Free Democrats Alex Petriashvili also welcomed the initiative and hoped that the PM’s statement would not be just empty words.

“This is a right step. Maybe a bit belated, but better late than never…” Petriashvili said.

Lawyer Lia Mukhashavria claims that the initiative should be carried out in a timely manner.

“It is unacceptable that such a monster institution even exists. There are completely different bodies united within the current MIA,” Mukhashavria said.

Overall, the initiative deserves a positive evaluation. Undertaking this reform would be an improvement of the previous government’s mistakes and one more reason to set it apart from the previous regime.