The Statute of International Relations Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia
(approved by #936 Order of 28 November 2014 of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia)

Chapter I. General Provisions

Article 1. Status and Accountability of International Relations Department

1. International Relations Department (hereinafter - the Department) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (hereinafter - the Ministry) represents a structural sub-unit of the Ministry, which performs the functions conferred on it by the Statute of the Ministry and this Statute.

2. The Department is accountable before the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia (hereinafter - the Minister) or the supervising deputy minister.

Article 2. Legal and Organizational Grounds of the Activities of the Department

The Department conducts its activities in conformity with the Constitution of Georgia, international treaties and agreements of Georgia, laws of Georgia, decrees and regulations of the President of Georgia, decrees and regulations of the Government of Georgia, the Statute of the Ministry, this Statute, other orders of the Minister, as well as other legal acts.

Chapter II. Functions of the Department

Article 3. Functions of the Department

The functions of the Department are the following:

a) To coordinate and support the activities of the structural sub-units, territorial units of the Ministry, Border Police of Georgia - state subordinate agency operating under the governance of the Ministry and legal entities of public law operating under the governance of the Ministry in developing and strengthening international relations;

b) To prepare legal basis for bilateral and multilateral cooperation on issues falling under the competence of the Ministry and its systematization;

c) To conduct relevant actions for conclusion, suspension/termination or extension, and/or modification of international treaties and agreements falling under the competence of the Ministry;

d) To prepare reports on the implementation of multilateral international treaties falling under the competence of the Ministry;

e) To prepare relevant recommendations needed for harmonization of national legislation regulating law enforcement field with international treaties and standards;

f) To make analysis on reports prepared by national and international organizations, to prepare reports on the implementation of their recommendations and obligations;

g) To participate in elaboration of strategies and respective action plans within interagency councils on issues falling under its competence and to prepare progress reports thereto;

h) To ensure the representation of the Ministry, within its competence, with international organizations and respective agencies of donor states;

i) To cooperate with donor countries and international/non-governmental organizations, to initiate projects, to coordinate, to support their implementation, as well as to assess the needs of the Ministry for their further inclusion into projects and programs;

j) To coordinate the implementation of the issues deriving from Euro-Atlantic and Euro integration instruments, which fall under the competence of the Ministry, and to prepare reports thereto;

k) To prepare recommendations on the implementation of international obligations for the structural sub-units, territorial units of the Ministry, Border Police of Georgia - state subordinate agency operating under the governance of the Ministry and legal entities of public law operating under the governance of the Ministry and to exercise monitoring over them;

l) To implement bilateral and multilateral international treaties and agreements in the field of law enforcement and to assess their application;

m) To establish contacts with respective agencies of foreign countries in the field of law enforcement, to strengthen cooperation, to conduct bilateral and multilateral international cooperation, except for the operative cooperation;

n) To explore the best international practice on issues falling under the competence of the Ministry, to process it and conduct its further analysis;

o) To facilitate the work of the Minister and of his/her deputies on issues falling under its competence.

Chapter III. Leadership of the Department

Article 4. Director of the Department

1. The Department is led by the Director, who is appointed and dismissed by the Minister.

2. Director of the Department:

a) Leads and directs the activities of the Department and manages issues falling under the competence of the Department;

b) Presents proposals to the Minister on the Department's structure, staff list and on the organization of its activities;

c) Is responsible for the observation of the Constitution and legislation of Georgia in the fields falling under the competence of the Department;

c¹) Issues Individual administrative acts under the competence of the Department;

d) In compliance with the rule established by legislation, appoints and dismisses the employees of the Department;

e) In compliance with the rule established by legislation, presents proposals to the Minister or the supervising deputy minister on giving bonuses (incentives) to or imposing disciplinary punishment on the employees;

f) Signs or endorses the documents prepared by the Department;

g) Distributes tasks and functional obligations among the units of the Department and certain employees, gives them instructions and tasks;

h) Addresses to the leadership of the Ministry with the motion on allocating financial and material resources needed for the fulfillment of the Department's functions;

i) Concludes contracts with high-qualified experts in case of having such power granted by the Minister;

j) Submits to the leadership of the Ministry proposals on the issues falling under the competence of the Department;

k) Prepares annual report on the Department's accomplished activities for its subsequent submission to the Minister or the supervising deputy minister;

l) Discharges other powers in compliance with the legislation of Georgia and in accordance with the tasks assigned by the Minister or the supervising deputy minister.

Article 5. Deputy Directors of the Department

1. Director of the Department has deputy or deputies. Deputy Director of the Department is appointed and dismissed by the Minister upon submission of the Director of the Department.

2. In case of absence of the Director, on behalf of the Director, the Deputy Director acts as a director of the Department.

3. Deputy Director is responsible for carrying out the tasks entrusted to her/him.

Chapter IV. Structural Units of the Department and Their Functions

Article 6. Structural Units of the Department

Structural units of the Department are:

a) International Legal Cooperation Division:

a.a) International Treaties Unit;

a.b) Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation Unit;

b) Project Management Division;

c) Euro-Atlantic Integration Division:

c.a) Euro Integration Unit;

c.b) North-Atlantic Integration Unit.

Article 7. Functions of the Structural Units of the Department

1. The functions of International Treaties Unit of International Legal Cooperation Division are the following:

a) To prepare legal basis for bilateral and multilateral cooperation on issues falling under the competence of the Ministry and its systematization;

b) To prepare drafts of international agreements and treaties falling under the competence of the Ministry and their initiation;

c) To conduct negotiations and/or consultations with respective agencies of foreign countries for preparing international treaties and agreements falling under the competence of the Ministry;

d) To make proposals for suspension/termination or extension, and/or modification of international treaties and agreements falling under the competence of the Ministry;

e) To prepare reports on the implementation of international treaties falling under the competence of the Ministry;

f) To prepare relevant recommendations needed for harmonization of national legislation regulating law enforcement field with international treaties and standards;

g) To prepare conclusions on drafts of international treaties and agreements, as well as on drafts of relevant national normative acts introduced to the Ministry;

g¹) Within its competence, to make analysis on reports prepared by national and international organizations, to prepare reports on the implementation of their recommendations and obligations;

g²) To participate in elaboration of strategies and respective action plans within interagency councils on issues falling under its competence and to prepare progress reports thereto;

h) To prepare periodic reports on the implementation of issues falling under the competence of the Unit.

2. The functions of Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation Unit of International Legal Cooperation Division are the following:

a) To implement bilateral and multilateral international treaties and agreements;

b) To assess the application of existing bilateral and multilateral international treaties and agreements;

c) To respond to the requests received under bilateral and multilateral international treaties and agreements or on the basis of the principle of reciprocity;

d) To forward requests received from the structural sub-units, territorial units of the Ministry, Border Police of Georgia - state subordinate agency operating under the governance of the Ministry and legal entities of public law operating under the governance of the Ministry to the respective agencies of foreign countries;

e) To participate in working groups established under bilateral international treaties and agreements, to organize their meetings and to implement minutes of meetings signed within their frames;

f) To establish mutual contacts and to strengthen cooperation in the field of law enforcement with respective agencies of foreign countries;

g) To cooperate with the United Nations and regional international organizations, except for the operative cooperation;

h) To assess international legal basis and its further development within the bilateral and multilateral cooperation;

h¹) To explore the best international practice on issues falling under its competence and pertaining to the scope of the Ministry, to process it and conduct its further analysis;

j) To prepare periodic reports on the implementation of issues falling under the competence of the Unit.

3. The functions of Project Management Division are the following:

a) To establish working relations with respective agencies of foreign countries, to carry out an official correspondence with them;

b) To establish relations with diplomatic corps accredited to Georgia and representatives of respective agencies of foreign countries;

c) To cooperate with donor countries and international organizations within its competence;

c¹) To ensure the representation of the Ministry with international organizations and respective agencies of donor states;

d) To coordinate and assess the ongoing international projects in various structural sub-units, territorial units of the Ministry, Border Police of Georgia - state subordinate agency operating under the governance of the Ministry and legal entities of public law operating under the governance of the Ministry, to analyze suggested projects in terms of their expediency, to ensure their planning in the interests of the Ministry and to facilitate their implementation;

e) To assess the needs of the Ministry for their further inclusion into projects and programs;

f) To initiate projects in compliance with the needs of the Ministry and obligations undertaken under international instruments and to prepare project proposals;

f¹) Within its competence, to make analysis on reports prepared by national and international organizations, to prepare reports on the implementation of their recommendations and obligations;

f²) To participate in elaboration of strategies and respective action plans within interagency councils on issues falling under its competence and to prepare progress reports thereto;

g) To prepare periodic reports on the implementation of issues falling under the competence of the Division.

4. The functions of Euro Integration Unit of Euro-Atlantic Integration Division are the following:

a) To ensure legislative harmonization with European structures within the competence of the Ministry;

b) To participate in the process of preparation of international treaties, under the competence of the Ministry, with the aim of Euro integration and to organize their implementation;

c) To coordinate the implementation of the issues deriving from Euro integration instruments, which fall under the competence of the Ministry, and to prepare reports;

d) To facilitate the conduction of activities and measures planned jointly by European structures and the Ministry;

d¹) Within its competence, to make analysis on reports prepared by national and international organizations, to prepare reports on the implementation of their recommendations and obligations;

d²) To participate in elaboration of strategies and respective action plans within interagency councils on issues falling under its competence and to prepare progress reports thereto;

d³) To prepare recommendations on the implementation of international obligations for the structural sub-units, territorial units of the Ministry, Border Police of Georgia - state subordinate agency operating under the governance of the Ministry and legal entities of public law operating under the governance of the Ministry and to exercise monitoring over them;

e) To prepare periodic reports on the implementation of issues falling under the competence of the Unit.

5. The functions of North-Atlantic Integration Unit of Euro-Atlantic Integration Division are the following:

a) To ensure legislative harmonization with NATO within the competence of the Ministry;

b) To participate in the process of preparation of international treaties, under the competence of the Ministry, with the aim of NATO integration and to organize their implementation;

c) To perform NATO classified information sub-registry functions;

d) To coordinate the implementation of the issues deriving from NATO integration instruments, which fall under the competence of the Ministry, and to prepare reports;

e) To facilitate the conduction of activities and measures planned jointly by NATO and the Ministry;

e¹) Within its competence, to make analysis on reports prepared by national and international organizations, to prepare reports on the implementation of their recommendations and obligations;

e²) To participate in elaboration of strategies and respective action plans within interagency councils on issues falling under its competence and to prepare progress reports thereto;

e³) To prepare recommendations on the implementation of international obligations for the structural sub-units, territorial units of the Ministry, Border Police of Georgia - state subordinate agency operating under the governance of the Ministry and legal entities of public law operating under the governance of the Ministry and to exercise monitoring over them;

f) To prepare periodic reports on the implementation of issues falling under the competence of the Unit.

Chapter V. Amendments to the Statute

Article 8. Amendments to the Statute

Amendments to this Statute are made by the order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.