Irakli Beraia
Irakli Beraia (born on 26 October 1978 ; in Georgian: ირაკლი ბერაია) is a Georgian politician and intelligence officer, who has served as the Head of the Georgian Intelligence Service since 2024. He was previously the director for intelligence gathering in the State Security Service of Georgia and was a member of Parliament from 2016 to 2024. A member of the Georgian Dream, he has been affiliated with the party since its rise to power.
Irakli Beraia | |
|---|---|
ირაკლი ბერაია | |
| Head of the Georgian Intelligence Service | |
| Assumed office 5 April 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Irakli Kobakhidze |
| Preceded by | Shalva Lomidze |
| Chairman of the Defense and Security Committee of the Parliament of Georgia | |
| In office 11 December 2020 – 5 April 2024 | |
| Deputy | Alexandre Tabatadze Teona Akubardia Tengiz Sharmanashvili |
| Preceded by | Irakli Sesiashvili |
| Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Parliament of Georgia | |
| In office 26 November 2019 – 11 December 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Sophie Katsarava |
| Succeeded by | Nikoloz Samkharadze |
| Member of the Parliament of Georgia | |
| In office 18 November 2016 – 5 April 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Guram Misablishvili |
| Succeeded by | Incorporated in the 26th District (MP: Irakli Khakhubia) |
| Constituency | 63rd Parliamentary District |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 October 1978 Senaki |
| Political party | Georgian Dream |
| Education | Diplomatic Academy of Georgia University of Westminster |
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Parliament of Georgia in 2019–2020 and then chair of the Defense and Security Committee since 2020, Beraia has been one of the highest-ranking members of the ruling majority in Georgia and has played a major role in several political developments in recent years. He is known for having made controversial statements about President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, whom he accused of seeking to force Georgia into a war with Russia, for having supported a controversial bill against Western funding of civil society organizations known as the "Foreign Agents bill", for having co-sponsored a bill imposing strict restrictions on public protests, and for having sided with Russia in his vote record as a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
On 31 October 2023, Irakli Beraia was involved in a scandal after using lewd comments against a female member of Parliament during a live session of Parliament.
On 5 April 2024, Beraia was appointed the Head of the Intelligence Service by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze