The Special Investigation Service presented the New Head Office (HQ) Project

The Special Investigation Service presented the New Head Office (HQ) Project

The Special Investigation Service held a public presentation of the new Head Office project. With the support of the Government of Georgia, a 4,440 m2 land plot owned by the state, located on the 12th km of Davit Aghmashenebeli alley in Tbilisi, handed over to the Service and based on an open competition the service selected the company to develop the architectural project. Currently, the project is almost completed and, in a few days, to obtain a construction permit, the service will apply to the architectural department of the Tbilisi City Hall.

After the completion of the project, an open tender/competition for the construction of the new headquarters will be announced.

At the meeting, the Head of the Special Investigation Service, Koka Katsitadze, spoke to the representatives of the Public Defender's Office, international organizations, the diplomatic corps, construction companies and the media about the importance of the new Head Office and noted that this is another step forward in the framework of institutional strengthening in response to the challenges facing the service.

He emphasized that from March 1, 2022, the Special Investigation Service was launched with significantly increased functions. Investigations of 40 new crimes were added to the mandate of the service, which quadrupled the workload of the service. Therefore, institutional and infrastructural strengthening, structural expansion, the addition of investigators and an increased number of employees became inevitable in response to thechallenges faced by the service.

The head of the Special Investigation Service also emphasized the 12-point recommendation of the European Commission, which highlights the institutional, financial, legislative and infrastructural strengthening of the service.

At the meeting, the current situation was also assessed. In particular, The Head Office of the Special Investigation Service is located at M.Asatiani Street in Tbilisi, in the building that the State Inspector’s Service started to rent. Considering the lack of space and the configuration of the building, it is not possible to arrange important and specific spaces in the building, such as juvenile interrogation rooms, temporary detention rooms, enough interrogation and identification rooms, evidence storage, conference, briefing room, etc. Also, the building does not have a suitable space for parking and a proper working environment for employees. It should be mentioned that it’s technically impossible to fully adapt the building to the needs of the Disabled (PwDs).

In addition, along with the increased number of staff, additional office space was leased. The rent of both offices is about 700,000 GEL per year.

Additionally, the Special Investigation Service received from the State Inspector’s Service a dilapidated building owned by the state and used by the Service, located at 2 Kosta Khetagurovi Street / 2 Saint Nikoloz Street in Tbilisi. The SIS was planning to build a Head office there and it had already procured design documentation and rehabilitation works. However, after the launching of construction, on November 29, 2021, part of the roofing between floors and load-bearing walls collapsed and the rehabilitation works were stopped due to the increased risk. An examination was appointed to determine the cause of the collapse and the additional needs assessment to strengthen the building. Accordingly, the dilapidated building was returned to the National State Property Agency and an investigation was launched regarding the reasons for the collapse of the building.

The Head Office (HQ) designed for 150 workers will be fully tailored to specific functions and activities of the Service. In addition, the building will be furnished with all the necessary equipment and technologies for security in compliance with fire and labour safety standards. Common areas and workspaces in the administrative building will be fully accessible for the disabled (PwDs). The construction area will be covered approximately 5,877 square meters and will include 5 floors with conference and briefing areas, rooms for interviewing minors, meeting citizens and conducting line-ups.

The building includes 2 underground floors with modern standard evidence storage, an archive, a server and a parking space.

About 15,000,000 GEL has been allocated for the construction and the completion is planned in 20 months.

Levan Mamulashvili, Head of the Economic Department of the Special Investigation Service, presented detailed information about the project to the meeting participants.

Representatives of Non-governmental organizations, the Public Defender's Office, International organizations, Diplomatic corps, construction companies, Media and the Special InvestigationService were invited to the event.

The Special Investigation Service will provide the public with all necessary information about the progress of the project.