Preface
DDr. Philipp H. Fluri
Strengthening parliamentary competence and ownership in the emerging democracies of South East and
Eastern Europe, including cooperation with parliaments and parliamentary staffers, is one of the most
important tasks the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) undertakes.
Cooperation with the Parliament of Georgia has been fruitful, though the full scope of DCAF’s cooperation
possibilities may not have been understood yet..
During 2003 and 2004, the DCAF-IPU Handbook on Parliamentary Oversight of the Security Sector was
translated into Georgian and a press conference (chaired by Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burzhanadze) and
seminar to launch the handbook were held in 2004, with copies distributed to the media, MPs and
parliamentary staffers (available at: http://www.dcaf.ch/partners/DCAF-IPU_Handbook).
This comprehensive collection of Georgian legislation on the Security Sector will serve two purposes: it
will give Georgian and Western experts an overview in Georgian and English of what legal documents
already exist in Georgia; and it will serve as a tool for identifying possibilities for adaptations to the law. In
terms of the latter, Georgian experts and members of the DCAF Legal-Political Assistance Group will be
invited to annotate and comment on the laws in the light of good practices elsewhere.
The Geneva Centre will stay committed to close cooperation with Georgian parliamentarians on the
legislative process. In 2005 activities will concentrate on PAP-DIB relevant issues.
Geneva
December 2004
Philipp H. Fluri, DDr.
DCAF Deputy Director