Parliament is Discussing the Draft on “Legal Authorities”
08.11.05.MediaNews.Tbilisi. Recently, Parliament has discussed a draft law on combating organized crime and racket. The Deputy Parliamentary Secretary
of the President Zurab Dekanoidze, presented the draft to the MPs.
The main attention in the draft law is focused upon the fight against criminal groupings. The draft defines the “Criminal World” as a collection of people who live according to special rules and are trying to gain profit through threats and extortion. In the words of the draft, a “Criminal Authority” is a person who has the function of organizer in the “Criminal World” or encourages others to conduct crime.
According to Dekanoidze, if the Court labels a person a “Criminal Authority”, the property gained through racketing will be confiscated by the state.
In the opinion of Iwliane Khaindrava, member of the fraction “Democratic Front”, the draft in fact legalizes the “Criminal World”.
“The “Criminal World” and the so called “Criminal Authorities” have always stood outside the law. Now the government intends to give them a qualification and thereby legalizes them”.
Leader of the “Righters” Zurab Tkemaladze agreed with Khaindrava and added that the draft gives very vague explanations and definitions.