Mamuka Mdinaradze, the outgoing chief of the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG), said wiretapping has increased, contributing to what he described as an “at least thirtyfold” rise in the flow of information to the agency. He assured, however, that wiretapping is conducted legally under court warrants.
“If about a year ago the flow of information was some figure X, today this figure […] has increased at least thirtyfold. If, say, 100 pieces of information were coming in for implementation, now more than 3,000 are coming in,” Mdinaradze, who has headed the agency since last September, and is set to assume a yet-to-be-created role of “State Minister for Coordination of Law Enforcement Bodies,” said in a late-night April 22 interview with pro-government Imedi TV.
Asked whether the increase was linked to more wiretapping, he said, “Including that…Yes, wiretapping has also increased, but it is carried out on the basis of a court order.”
“But if the number of court warrants has increased two- to two-and-a-half times, […] on the other hand, the information flow has increased 30 times or more,” he added, arguing that the increase in information flow is not solely due to more wiretaps.
“I may not be able to say much, but there are contact persons who provide this information, and there are many legitimate means, from material and technical resources to human resources, which have increased and ensure the inflow of information into the SSSG,” he said, adding that “this dynamic will continue to increase” under outgoing Interior Minister Geka Geladze, who is set to succeed him as the SSSG chief.
During a lengthy Imedi TV interview marking Mdinaradze’s return to public life, and in the context of increased wiretapping, he also mentioned Igor Blaževič, the senior adviser at the Prague Civil Society Centre, who Imedi TV previously claimed is linked to “revolutionary scenarios” in Georgia and has conducted “more than 10 trainings” for the Georgian opposition.
Mdinaradze said that “an investigation is underway at the SSSG in a criminal case that includes multiple wiretaps regarding Blaževič and involving him,” adding that there are legally obtained recordings made based on a court warrant in which “incriminating words, phrases and specific individuals” are mentioned.
During the interview, Mdinaradze also said that his recent visit to the Czech Republic was not related to Igor Blaževič.
On April 21, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced major changes in the country’s law enforcement and security leadership. Under the changes, Mamuka Mdinaradze is set to assume a new role of “State Minister for Coordination of Law Enforcement Bodies,” which is yet to be created, and will also become vice prime minister, alongside GD Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili. Interior Minister Geka Geladze is set to succeed Mdinaradze as the SSSG chief, and Adjara Government Chair Sulkhan Tamazashvili is set to replace Geladze as interior minister.
The disputed parliament is expected to fast-track their approvals at next week’s plenary session.
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