'Safe Citizen, Safe Policeman' project launched

The presentation of a new legislative package “Safe Citizen, Safe Policeman” was launched in Tbilisi on January 27. Introducing the project, Irakli Alasania, the leader of Our Georgia - Free Democrats stressed the necessity of independence of police and security services from the ruling United National Movement (UNM). Condemning the pressure on the services, Alasania said his initiative was aimed at “protecting police from the political dictate.”

Suggetsing creation of separate police departments isolated from the Ministry of International Affairs (MIA), Alasania hoped such changes would ensure democracy and transparent elections in our country. The author of the initiative, Levan Izoria, suggested the division of MIA in several individual departments and sub-departments so that MIA would have no influence on its divisions. Team members of Irakli Alasania think that MIA should be the law enforcing body which would ensure order and safety in the country. The Chief of the Police Department, who would be selected by the Parliament, should definitely be a professional policeman, responsible for the Minister of Interior Affairs and Parliament.

Members of Our Georgia –Free democrats will continue working on the issue and meet Government bodies and experts as well as hold consultations in the regions. Political analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze approved of the initiative but doubted whether cooperation with the Government would be beneficial for Alasania’s team. “Each political group definitely needs their own action plan with relevant projects but if they share their ideas with their opponents they could endanger their author rights. Moreover, if our Government didn’t like the current legislation they would change it themselves,” Sakvarelidze told us stressing that by sharing their initiatives with the people, politicians make it easier for the society to familiarize with their plans and consider their suggestions and promises in the future.