Since taking office, Georgian President Salome Zourabishvili has used her veto for the first time and blocked a controversial surveillance bill.

"Because in these days no law can be adopted in Georgia that would further restrict human rights, when we are asked to give more guarantees in this direction, to be more democratic and more European," said Zourabichvili, reports Georgia Online.

She acknowledged that the Georgian parliament could override the veto but stressed that she "will veto every bill which will be adopted in the wrong direction in the coming six months."

The bill provided amendments to the country's criminal proceedings code, extending the number of crimes for which investigations can use covert surveillance techniques and how long they can be used.

In addition, the document also increased the range of crimes for which covert investigative actions can be carried out.

Earlier, the bill met harsh criticism by EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell, who said the proposed changes "significantly reduce Georgian citizens' right to privacy, without providing sufficient safeguards against unjustified intrusion into their private lives and the protection of their personal data."

This is not the first conflict between the Georgian president and the government. In early June, the government filed a lawsuit against Zourabishvili in the country's Constitutional Court, demanding clarification of her and their rights and powers.