EU Integration Committee Chair highlights EU’s support for independent, effective investigative bodies

“It is important for the European Union that investigative functions are conducted as independently and effectively as possible. In this regard, the Prosecutor’s Office is equipped with the necessary tools to ensure both independence and efficiency,” Levan Makhashvili, Chairman of the Parliament’s European Integration Committee, stated regarding the abolition of the Special Investigation Service.

He explained that the Special Investigation Service was established in 2018 and has undergone multiple mergers and divisions, a process unrelated to the European Union’s influence.

“Regarding the Special Investigation Service, there were no arguments either for maintaining the agency in its current form, merging it with another body, or reintegrating it into the Prosecutor General’s Office. Our decision was ultimately based on two key principles: how well each institution aligns with the constitutional order and how effectively it performs its functions. In this case, the focus was on restoring constitutional integrity, as the agency’s functions had diverged from those of the Prosecutor’s Office. Its creation in 2018 and subsequent restructuring have no bearing on the EU’s position. The European Union stresses the importance of investigative functions being carried out as independently and effectively as possible. To support this, the Prosecutor’s Office is being provided with tools to strengthen both its independence and operational efficiency,” Makhashvili explained.

The Special Investigation Service will now be integrated into the Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia.