Georgian State Security Service cites international practice on non-public asset declarations for security chiefs

The Georgian state security service on Tuesday said it was “unserious” for asset declarations and personal data of senior security officials to be publicly accessible.

According to the service, international practice shows that in a number of countries claiming to address security challenges, senior leadership of special services is not required to make asset declarations public, and in many cases is not even obligated to submit them.

“In our case, a legislative amendment is being prepared, under which senior officials of the state security service will be required to submit declarations; only one aspect is changing - their public disclosure. It is unreasonable for the declarations and personal data of senior officials of the state security service to be publicly accessible”, the service said.

Nino Lomjaria, the founder of the NGO Georgian European Orbit, wrote on social media that the head of the state security service Mamuka Mdinaradze is refusing to make his asset declaration public.