Parliament hears 2024 report from State Security Service of Georgia

Anri Okhanashvili, the Head of the State Security Service of Georgia, on Tuesday presented a comprehensive report on the agency’s key activities and national security priorities for 2024.

In his address, Okhanashvili outlined the growing external threats, domestic destabilisation efforts, and the measures taken by the State Security Service to safeguard Georgia’s sovereignty, stability, and democratic order.

“The regional environment and ongoing armed conflicts in various parts of the world significantly impact the security landscape. The military confrontations that occurred between 2020 and 2024 have been compounded by yet another armed conflict in recent days, posing significant challenges to regional security”, Okhanashvili said.

The official emphasised that Georgia continued to face serious challenges stemming from armed conflicts in the region, foreign interference, and Russia’s occupation of 20 percent of Georgian territory.

“For Georgia, with 20 percent of its territory under occupation, maintaining peace and ensuring a stable and secure environment in the region is a top priority. Effective inter-agency coordination and close international cooperation with neighbouring states in the security sphere are of great importance in this regard. I would also like to emphasise that de-escalation and resolution of conflicts through negotiations have no alternative for the parties involved in armed confrontations”, he noted.

Okhanashvili reported that 2024 saw an increase in hybrid threats and interference from foreign special services, including attempts to destabilise Georgia’s internal political environment.

“As a result of the agency’s operational, investigative, and analytical efforts, in coordination with other state bodies, we managed to neutralise activities inspired by foreign special services that were detrimental to Georgia’s national interests”, he said.

He further stressed that identifying corruption risks and strengthening institutional integrity remained a top priority in the public sector.

“On a daily basis, we witness attacks, assaults, and attempts to influence our country’s democratic order through threats, disinformation, and other hybrid devices. I want to assure our society that the State Security Service, with its dedicated personnel, has always stood guard to protect Georgia’s national interests. Each of us will continue to fulfil our primary mission with dignity and efficiency - to protect Georgia and the safety of its citizens”, Okhanashvili noted.

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili thanked the State Security Service and its personnel for their dedication to maintaining stability amid heightened risks.

“In the challenging geopolitical environment in which Georgia has been living in recent times, it is precisely due to our security system, including the State Security Service, that none of the real risks materialised. Georgia has maintained a secure environment, which is crucial not only for the peaceful life of its citizens but also for our country’s economic development”, Papuashvili said.