NSC Reform Proposed

There is a pressing need to reform the National Security Council to enhance its effectiveness questioned after the August war, lawmakers from the Christian Democratic Party said on December 8.

MP Nika Laliashvili of the Christian-Democratic Party told the audience at the presentation of the party’s view on how the NSC should be reformed, that the body in its current form had no sufficient capacity to act as a meaningful inter-agency coordinating unit.

Laliashvili, who is a member of the parliamentary commission studying the August war, said that “commission of directors” – at the level of heads of departments, as well as working groups – at the level of experts, should be created within NSC. The proposal also involves increased participation of the parliamentary bodies in the work of NSC, wherein chairs of relevant parliamentary committees would take part in the meetings of working groups and head of departments. Such an approach, MP Laliashvili said, would increase coordination among the various relevant state agencies.

The Christian-Democratic Party laid out its reform proposals aimed expected replacement of the current secretary of the National Security Council, Alexandre Lomaia, who is slated to continue his tenure in a diplomatic service. No official statement has been made yet who will replace Lomaia on the post; there are only unconfirmed media speculations on the matter with some sources saying that deputy foreign minister, Giga Bokeria, may take the post, while others suggesting that it will be Eka Tkeshelashvili, a former foreign minister.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)