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Criticizing Gov’t for maintaining spies in state institutions

By Mariam Chanishvili
Wednesday, August 10
The Free Democrats parliamentary opposition party, which between 2012-2014 was the part of the current ruling Georgian Dream (GD) coalition, has criticized the Government for maintaining spies in various state institutions.

Free Democrats member Nino Goguadze says the so-called ODR institute, which refers to a law enforcement staff in different state bodies sent as spies, was inherited from the previous ruling United National Movement (UNM) Government, and the current state leadership took no steps to ban the Soviet-era practice.

“The ODR institution unambiguously must be abolished,” stated Goguadze.

As for the State Security Service of Georgia, which was separated from the Interior Ministry under the current Government of Georgia which took office in 2012, Goguadze thinks that it should be closed as it may turn into a very-politicized structure.

“Unfortunately, the State Security Service still has a political function. The reform should be carried out. The police should not have a political function. It should be oriented towards the country and the security of the citizens,” added Goguadze.

Members of the current opposition and previous ruling UNM party consider that the State Security Service of Georgia and the ‘ODR’ institution should be abolished.

A representative of the UNM party which ran the country for nine years, Sergi Kapanadze, stated that people should not be embedded in institutions for the purpose of espionage.