Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs is seeking to overhaul how railway infrastructure is protected, proposing legal amendments that would end Georgian Railway’s reliance on private security firms. Under the draft changes to the Railway Code, all security duties would shift to the Ministry’s Security Police, replacing the current system in which private companies provide protection services worth 10.9 million GEL.
The proposal argues that using private firms undermines the ‘unity of railway security,’ though it does not specify the risks involved. If the changes move forward, Georgian Railway would instead contract 635 Security Police officers responsible for guarding cargo, stations and rolling stock.
The transition would come with financial consequences: private security companies stand to lose their existing contracts while Georgian Railway may face higher costs once the Security Police assume full responsibility.
The reform would, however, create hundreds of new positions within the Security Police to ensure coverage across the entire railway network. If adopted, the amendments would centralize railway security under a single state entity, effectively removing private sector involvement in Georgia’s transport infrastructure.
