A new procedure for assigning police guards to political persons and state officers will be coming into effect this month, the justice ministry said on Tuesday.

To appoint guards, the police will be carrying out risk assessments and setting out necessary protection measures every six months or sooner if necessary.

The new procedure follows a Law Office opinion, requested to clarify the legislative framework and the duties of the guards themselves.

According to the justice ministry, since the 1970s the established practice was to provide guards to political persons and state officers, approved by the cabinet, without clear legislative provisions.

The Law Office said the risk assessment and measures were within the institutional and operational authority of the police, which would then forward the results to the justice ministry without involving the cabinet.

The justice ministry said that now “all current guards and protection measures are being reassessed and will be adapted to the estimated level of risk.”

“Where the need for guarding is not documented, it will be terminated or changed accordingly,” the ministry said, adding that police guarding was a security measure provided where necessary.