Georgia marks 25th anniversary of Georgian Army

Georgia is today celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Georgian Army. 

The official date of the anniversary was April 30 but as it was Easter, events planned to commemorate the significant date were postponed until today. 

The Georgian Armed Forces (GAF) was established in 1991 however plans to create a national military force came alive in 1990.

In December 1990, the National Guard was established according to a Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia. On April 24, 1991, Georgia’s Cabinet Ministers issued a decree to recruit the country’s youth for compulsory military service. Conscription into the GAF officially launched on April 30 of that year.

The PM released a special statement to mark the anniversary of the Georgian Army. Photo by the Ministry of Defence. 

Since then Georgia has experienced several conflicts including the Russia-Georgia war in August 2008. 

Almost 10 years earlier, in 1999 Georgian soldiers began taking an active role in international peacekeeping missions and have since defended international peace and security in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa. 

The GAF has worked in close partnership with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) for many years.  Georgia was granted a NATO Substantial Package at the NATO Summit in 2014 that envisaged deeper cooperation between the alliance and Georgia. 

Georgia’s President addressed Georgian soldiers. Photo by the Ministry of Defence. 

Last year within the package a Joint Evaluation and Training Centre (JETC) was established in Georgia that served to boost Georgia’s military experience and self-defence capabilities. 

Georgia is anticipating the upcoming NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland. The country hoped to achieve more intensive and a higher level of cooperation with NATO.

Addressing the Georgian Amy at Vaziani Military Base near capital Tbilisi earlier today, President Giorgi Margvelahvili praised Georgian soldiers for their professionalism and service to the state, and he paid tribute to the servicemen who sacrificed their lives for their homeland.

You empower our state image, global stability and advance Georgia,” Margvelashvili said. 

Meanwhile Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili stressed Georgia produced soldiers that any country would be very proud of. 

Georgia’s Minister of Defence spoke about the past, present and future of the Georgian Armed Forces. Photo by the Ministry of Defence.   

I promise we will do our best to support the Georgian Army to become more prestigious and the words ‘I serve Georgia’ to be a reason of great pride for Georgian soldiers,” Kvirikashvili said. 

Georgia’s Minister of Defence Tinatin Khidasheli stressed the GAF was the "best part” of the country and she stressed the Army was the foundation of Georgia’s statehood. 

The Minister spoke about the Army’s past and its merit, but also spoke about the current times where Georgian soldiers created new stories of heroism. 

In this context Khidasheli mentioned the devoutness of the August 2008 war hero Giorgi Antsukhelidze, as well as three Georgian soldiers who saved the lives of their American colleagues in Afghanistan several months ago and Sergeant Svetlana Lapachi who served in the GAF with her three sons. 

Khidasheli thanked the soldiers for their efforts and wished them to live in peace in a prosperous Georgia.