Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and Head of the Georgian Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, along with Levan Makhashvili, Chairman of the European Integration Committee and member of the Georgian delegation, participated in the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Combating Organized Crime in the OSCE Region, held at the Italian Parliament.

Nearly 80 parliamentarians from OSCE member states participated in the two-day conference, engaging in in-depth discussions on combating corruption and organized crime.

During the event, members of the Georgian delegation shared insights into Georgia’s experience in countering terrorism and organized crime.

“Despite several difficult geopolitical security zones around Georgia, the country remains a success story in fighting against terrorism,” emphasized Levan Makhashvili in his speech.

He highlighted that, according to “the 2024 Global Terrorism Index, Georgia was assessed as a country with a zero impact of terrorism. Similarly, the 2024 report of the U.S. Department of State identified Georgia as a reliable, stable, and effective partner in the global counterterrorism effort — with no recorded terrorist incidents in 2023–2024.”

Makhashvili outlined three key reasons behind Georgia’s successful fight against terrorism:

“1. The existence of comprehensive and appropriate legal and policy frameworks.
2. Effective and capable law enforcement institutions, including The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG). 3. Social integration and non-punitive measures. In order to prevent radicalization and terrorism, educational support, economic development, critical thinking, and the promoting of social inclusion and community-based programs form the core of our policy,” he said.

Makhashvili stressed that terrorism is a dynamic phenomenon, constantly evolving and adapting to new challenges.

“Terrorism knows no borders, no race, no religion — but it always takes root where vigilance fades and unity is broken,” Makhashvili noted.

The Chairman of the European Integration Committee underscored the importance of international cooperation and expressed Georgia’s readiness to collaborate closely with partner states.

“Georgia is ready to continue its close cooperation with all partner states and to share our good and bad experiences, and to explore yours — to jointly build a secure environment, the one where extremism and radical ideologies find no fertile ground,” he stated.

Nikoloz Samkharadze reflected on the conference, saying, “Over these two days, we engaged in meaningful discussions on combating organized crime, terrorism, and youth radicalization. We learned from the experiences of participating countries and had the opportunity to share Georgia’s own efforts in countering these threats.”