The US Department of State has released its 2023 State of Terrorism Report, which evaluates global efforts to combat terrorism, including those undertaken by Georgia. The State Security Service of Georgia [SSSG] issued a statement highlighting key findings related to the country. According to the agency, the report underscores Georgia’s steadfast commitment to counterterrorism and its role as a reliable security partner of the United States.

The report of the US Department of State:

“Georgia continued its robust counterterrorism efforts in 2023 and remained a strong U.S. security partner. The terrorism situation in Georgia remained quiet and stable. In 2023, Georgia arrested nine Georgian citizens and three foreign nationals for their affiliation with ISIS. The country bolstered its land border and maritime security by developing new systems and participating in international exercises and U.S.-conducted trainings. The country also adopted its four-year strategy on money laundering, terrorism financing, and WMD proliferation.

2023 Terrorist Incidents:  No terrorist incidents occurred in Georgia during 2023.

Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: The Georgian Criminal Code criminalizes terrorism and acts that support terrorism, including terrorist financing, cyberterrorism, training, incitement, and recruitment into terrorist organizations, as well as FTFs. In 2023, Georgia continued implementation of its second National Counterterrorism Strategy and Action Plan for 2022-26.

Georgia is generally capable of detecting, deterring, and responding to terrorism incidents.  The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) has the mandate to handle terrorism-related incidents and investigations and works closely through its Counterterrorism Center with the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Justice, and Defense and the Prosecution Service of Georgia, among others, as well as with international partners.  SSSG is generally well equipped and well trained, and its Counterterrorism Unit continues to receive regular training and equipment from international partners and conducts internal training.  In November the European Commission’s enlargement report noted that Georgia’s antiterrorism legislation is largely aligned with the EU acquis and relevant international law, including UN Security Council resolutions.

Because Russia occupies the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgia does not control a portion of its internationally recognized land border with Russia and therefore must enforce security along administrative boundary lines with its territories that Russia occupies. Georgia’s Border Police and Coast Guard, both competent and organized, provide the initial response capability along Georgia’s land and maritime borders, respectively, except along the occupied territories.

In 2023, Georgia worked to improve its land border, aviation, and maritime security.  It finalized the 2023-27 Integrated Border Management Strategy and accompanying Action Plan in December.  Georgia’s border police launched a special electronic face recognition program in October.  The border police also continue to regularly participate in INTERPOL document and traveler information sharing, including stolen and lost travel documents.  Georgia joined the UN Countering Terrorist Travel program to prevent, detect, and investigate terrorist offenses and related travel by using Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record system data in line with UNSC resolutions 2178, 2396 and 2482.  With U.S. and EU support, the border police developed a new mobile surveillance system and enhanced green border surveillance and detection capabilities.  Substantial segments of the state border of Georgia were equipped with a 24/7 video surveillance system in 2023.  In May, Georgia’s Border Police Coast Guard Boarding Team once again took part as an operational partner of the NATO-led maritime antiterrorist operation “Sea Guardian.”

No Georgian nationals were identified as traveling to Syria or Iraq in 2023 for terrorist activities. There are approximately 30 displaced and 10 detained Georgian nationals in northeast Syria. To date, Georgia has not repatriated any detained or displaced nationals from Syria or Iraq. In April, SSSG detained one citizen on charges of joining ISIS and assisting terrorist activities. In May, July, and November, the service conducted special operations to detain a total of eight citizens and three foreign nationals on charges of joining ISIS, assisting terrorist activities, and possessing explosive substances and ammunition.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has requested U.S. government support to address resource constraints that inhibit efforts to secure the borders, such as procuring iris readers for airports, replacement engines for patrol boats, and equipment for rapid-response teams. The border police maintains control of Georgia’s green borders by patrolling from 65 border outposts, about 10 of which are primitive or in poor condition – inadequate for housing personnel year-round. High-altitude sections along the northern border with Russia cannot be manned during winter months because of austere conditions, and the border police personnel withdraw to accessible locations at lower elevations to conduct patrols, relying on surveillance and border intelligence capabilities to monitor these sections. Planned construction of new outposts will vastly improve the border police’s ability to sustain year-round operations in high-altitude locations and patrol otherwise minimally trafficked sections of the border.

In July 2023, Tbilisi Pride organizers said they were forced to cancel the planned, closed Pride event because an uncontrolled crowd of up to 2,000 pro-Russia far-right counterdemonstrators threatening violence denied attendees their constitutionally protected right to peacefully assemble. According to a joint NGO statement, MOIA allowed the counterdemonstrators to move freely to the site of the Pride event without encountering any serious obstacles from law enforcement officials. In response, MOIA claimed the event was difficult to police because of its location in an open area near a lake. No organizers of the counterdemonstration were held legally responsible for their actions.

Countering the Financing of Terrorism: Georgia is a member of MONEYVAL (the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering [AML] Measures and the Financing of Terrorism), and its Financial Intelligence Unit, the Financial Monitoring Service of Georgia, is a member of the Egmont Group. In April, Georgia adopted its 2023-26 National Strategy for Facilitating the Prevention, Detection and Suppression of Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing, and WMD Proliferation and the accompanying action plan. Parliament adopted amendments to the AML/Countering the Financing of Terrorism law to enhance the legal framework on the targeted financial sanctions related to terrorism, terrorism financing, and proliferation. In March, Georgia participated for the 1st time in EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation’s (or Europol’s) Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, having joined in late 2022.

Countering Violent Extremism: In 2023, Georgia continued efforts, including CVE, focused on minority integration, education, media access, youth, and cultural diversity.

International and Regional Cooperation:  Georgia is actively engaged on CT issues at international, regional, and bilateral levels.  In June, the country participated in UN, EU, U.S., and NATO training and conferences, including UN Counterterrorism Week.  Georgia cooperates closely with NATO.  The country is a member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and participates in the following Coalition Working Group meetings: the FTF Working Group; the Communications Working Group; and the Counter-ISIS Finance Group. In December the EU granted candidate status to Georgia”, - reads the report.