Draft Law on Classified Documents Sparks Controversy

Government-proposed draft amendments to the Law on State Secret have sparked controversy between a group of parliamentarians, including Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze and the government, Georgian daily Rezonansi reported on May 4.

Amendments, which if passed by the Parliament will authorize the Justice and Finance Ministers with the right to classify documents, has triggered concerns of Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze, who says that ?the majority of the parliamentarians think there is no necessity to create additional classified documents, or barriers, which will make governmental agencies or ministries non-transparent.?

The Rezonansi quoted Nino Burjanadze as saying that the arguments put forwards by the government in favor of these amendments ?are not convincing.?

Government claims that Finance and Justice Ministers should be authorized to classify documents if necessary because two ?partially law enforcement agencies? are subordinated to the Finance and Justice Ministries ? the financial police, dealing with economic crimes and penitentiary system respectively.

According to the Rezonansi Nino Burjanadze tried in vain to convince the executive government to withdraw this initiative from the Parliament, but the latter refused. Two Parliamentary Committees on Human Rights and Legal Issues have already turned the document down. 

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