A Foreign Intelligence Service will be set up as a result of the restructuring of the government, Batu Kutelia, who currently is the Deputy Security Minister, told Rustavi 2 television on December 16.

This Service will be a separate structure directly subordinated to the Georgian President. Previously, this body was under the subordination of the Security Ministry.

It is expected that Batu Kutelia will chair this new department. Kutelia, before his appointment as Deputy Security Minister, was chairman of the intelligence service in the Security Ministry.

The current restructuring of the government also envisages the merger of the Security and Interior Ministries. Within the united Ministry of Police and Public Security there will be an autonomous structure – the Counter-Intelligence Service.