The Committee discussed for the I reading the Draft Law on Special Investigation Service, and the Draft Law on Personal Data Protection. Per the elucidation of the reporter, the Chair of the Committee, Anri Okhanashvili, the amendments are conditioned under the 9-point plan, namely, one of its paragraphs.

Pursuant to the amendments, the Special Investigation Service, and the Personal Data Protection Service shall acquire the capacity to publish the special report on the issues related to their activities, and the Chiefs of the hereof Offices shall be elected by an increased quorum – with the majority of the full composition instead of the majority of the attended members.

Besides, the terms for the competition for the candidacies to the Chiefs of both Services shall be extended from 11 to 14 weeks. The initiation of the criminal proceedings against the Chiefs of the said Services requires the approval of the Parliament – the majority of the full composition – 76 votes instead of 50. The Draft extends the investigative subordination of the SIS, namely, the SIS shall investigate the crimes envisaged under certain Articles of the Criminal Code also in cases when committed by the prosecutor.

“We have held meetings within a working format with the Majority and Opposition MPs, as well as civil society, organized and led by the Speaker. We entered into details and made a decision to consider a number of aspects provided in the Venice Commission recommendations that maximally facilitate the capacity building of the hereof institutions”, - said Okhanashvili.