"Transparency International-Georgia" explains, in their view, what reforms should be carried out to strengthen parliamentary control in order to move to the stage of negotiations on EU membership. The non-governmental organization believes that in response to the demands of the European Commission, the full staffing of the trust group provided for by the government's action plan cannot solve the challenges of parliamentary control.
According to their assessment, the controlling structure of the Parliament does not have the appropriate mandate and authority for effective supervision of the security sector.
"Strengthening of parliamentary supervision, especially on the security services, is one of the 9 conditions, the fulfillment of which was determined by the European Commission in exchange for granting Georgia the status of a candidate country. In order to strengthen the parliamentary control over the security sector, the Government of Georgia in its plan only reflected the composition of the confidence group of the Parliament, which is insufficient to fulfill the requirements of the European Commission.
The full fulfillment of these requirements is of the utmost importance for our country in order not to be hindered in the process of European integration and to move to the opening stage of negotiations on joining the European Union.
According to the European Commission's assessment, the oversight of the security service is limited, and according to its recommendation, Georgia should ensure effective parliamentary oversight, especially of the security system, the independence and impartiality of its main institutions.
In response to the demands of the European Commission, the full staffing of the trust group envisaged by the government's action plan will not solve the challenges of parliamentary control. For the effective supervision of the security sector, the controlling structure of the Parliament does not have the appropriate mandate and authority. The role of the opposition in the control process is of a formal nature.
For effective parliamentary supervision of the security sector, it is advisable to take the following steps:
For full-fledged supervision of the State Security Service, a specialized structure (a separate committee, sub-committee or trust group with an extended mandate) should be created in the Parliament, and the composition should be determined proportionally to the representation of factions and the number of members of the non-factional Parliament;
This structure should be headed by a representative of the opposition and its members should have full access to state secrets;
The controlling mandate of the specialized structure should cover all areas of the security service's activity;
Along with the specialized structure, a permanent supervisory board of experts should be created, which will permanently control the State Security Service and be responsible to the Parliament", explains "Transparency International-Georgia".
On December 15, 2023, Georgia received the status of a candidate country for EU membership with the reservation that the country will comply with the recommendations issued by the European Commission on November 8, 2023.
The conditions defined by the European Commission include measures to be carried out in nine different directions. One of the necessary conditions on the way to join the European Union is the strengthening of parliamentary supervision, especially on the security services. (Of the nine reservations, the fifth reservation covers parliamentary control).
