The National Security Council (NSC) of Georgia

Georgia (country)

Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...

 is an advisory body for the President of Georgia

President of Georgia

The President of Georgia is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Government of Georgia. Executive power is split between the President and the Prime Minister, who is the head of government...

 dealing with matters of national security

National security

National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...

. The current Secretary of the National Security Council of Georgia is Giga Bokeria

Giga Bokeria

Giorgi Bokeria is a Georgian politician and the current Secretary of the National Security Council of Georgia.During 1989–1995 Bokeria was one of the leaders of student movement, in particular active member of Press Club of Tbilisi State University...

.

Legal authority

Chapter Seven (State Defense), Article 99 of the Georgian Constitution gives authority for the creation of a "Council of National Security" led by the President "with the view of organising the military construction and defense of the country". Article 98 states that the strength of Georgian Armed Forces "shall be approved by the Parliament...upon the submission of the Council of National Security".

The Law of Georgia On the National Security Council, signed by President Eduard Shevardnadze

Eduard Shevardnadze

Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...

 on January 24, 1996, details the NSC's status:

It spells out 23 powers exercised by the NSC, its structure, the role of the Secretary of the NSC, its basic function, NSC interdepartmental commissions, and the NSC apparatus.

Membership

According to the 1996 law, NSC members include the Ministers of State, Foreign Affairs, Defense, State Security, Internal Affairs, and the Secretary of the NSC. The President serves as the Chairman of the Council, and the Chairman of Parliament and Chairmen of the Supreme Representative Bodies of Abkhazia and Ajara Autonomous Republics, though not members, are to participate in NSC activities.

Secretary of the National Security Council

The NSC Secretary is granted a number of powers, including general organizational, coordination, and management duties related to the functioning of the NSC and the NSC Apparatus. The Secretary also serves in the role of Assistant to the President of Georgia "on questions of national security".