Procedural Issues Committee supports amendments affecting Heraldry Council, National Library, and Research Center

The Procedural Issues and Rules Committee of the Georgian Parliament has reviewed and approved amendments to the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure, affecting the Heraldry Council, National Library, and Research Center. The proposal was presented by Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.

The draft legislation calls for the removal of Chapter XVIII from the Rules of Procedure, which currently regulates institutions operating under the Parliament, including the National Library of Georgia, the State Heraldry Council, and the Research Center.

Under the proposed changes, the National Library will receive a new legal status as a Legal Entity of Public Law (LEPL) and will be renamed the Ilia Chavchavadze National Library, operating under the Ministry of Culture. Despite this transition, all employees will retain their status as public servants.

The State Heraldry Council will be replaced by the State Symbols Department, which will function as a Legal Entity of Public Law under the Georgian government. The department will inherit the council’s existing structure and budget, and employees will be transferred without undergoing a competitive selection process.

As for the Research Center, it will be dissolved, and its resources will be transferred to Parliament. Research activities will continue under the Parliamentary Office, while dismissed employees will receive severance pay equal to three months’ salary.

Speaker Shalva Papuashvili emphasized that the decision follows years of discussion on the legal structure of these institutions and was developed based on international best practices. The amendment package is being considered under an expedited procedure, and the committee has approved it in the first reading.