Parliament approves military involvement in Tbilisi flood recovery

Members of Georgia’s Parliament have displayed unanimous support for the President’s decree to involve military units in the disaster relief efforts.

At an extraordinary session in Kutaisi Parliament was held last night to discuss this issue following an order by the President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili, which he is entitled to do according to the Constitution of Georgia.

Margvelashvili, as President and the Commander-in-Chief of the country, ordered military forces to get involved in rescue operations. This needed to be approved by Parliament before it could come into effect.

The President’s orders envisaged engagement of the Engineering Brigade of Land Forces, Logistic Support Command of General Staff Army, Air Force and Air Defense Command, General Staff of Armed Forces, and National Guard in the recovery operations.

At the session prior to discussing the issue, Members of Parliament (MPs) observed a minute of silence to honour the victims of the natural disaster.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili addressed the country’s President to award special state orders to rescuer officers, police officers and volunteers who had shown "outstanding heroism” in recent days.