Interior Ministry Launches Investigative System Reform
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, September 19
Georgian Interior Ministry officials invited local and foreign organizations on Tuesday in central Tbilisi to inform them about planned reforms in the police investigation system and to hear all the “painful, but fair” remarks and advice.
Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia admitted that in terms of qualification there is the problem in the ministry. At the initial state, they assessed the qualification of 1,200 investigators and came up with the training courses for them.
Gakharia also announced complicated procedures for the staff-hiring process, as the investigative field of the ministry “must be the intellectual core” of the body.
Gakharia claimed that the ministry will be done its utmost to maintain the qualified staff by promoting them to higher positions.
He stated that no reform has been carried out by the criminal police over the past 15-20 years which made its negative influences on the police activities.
Gakharia told the audience that the legislation will change so that the investigators will become more independent on prosecutors.
“Currently investigators are much dependent on prosecutors which hastens their development and freedom,” Gakharia said.
Gakharia talked about the attraction of new staff and their carrier growth. He said that everybody would have the opportunity to be trained and be qualified in order to build an effective system.
“Our goal is that Ministry of Internal Affairs is the body of the order, struggle against crime and is attractive for qualified youngsters,” Gakharia said.
Gakharia claimed that the Georgian government is caring about the creation of the quality investigation system in the Interior Ministry and is less focused on the crime statistics.
The opposition frequently mentions the crime statistics, which shows the rise in crimes and grills the government for “encouragement of criminal activities” through its loyal attitudes to offenders.
Previous Interior Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili refused to publish crime statistics at all, while Gakharia said that there was nothing to hide.
