Georgian military police becomes NATO multinational battalion partner

The Military Police of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia has become a partner of the NATO Multinational Military Police Battalion, in a move that brings it closer to full membership in the alliance structure.

Held on Monday through a videolink due to pandemic restrictions, the ceremony for partnership confirmation featured heads of military police structures of the MNMPBAT, a joint organisation involving Croatian, Czech, Polish and Slovakian units.

A defence ministry release said the partnership would aid in developing Georgian military police battalions as NATO-affiliated units, which it called "one of the principal aims" for the country's MP in the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package, a framework of support for developing Georgia's defence capability and interoperability of its forces with the alliance.

In practical terms, the partner status will enable Georgian MP units to take part in MNMPBAT operations, exercises and trainings, developing its capability in preparation for joining the force by the end of 2022 as a full participant.

The deal also serves a political aim of representing "more Georgia in NATO", reflecting the country's aspirations for deepening its ties and interoperability with the alliance, in service of the ultimate aim of membership.

The MNMPBAT was launched in Warsaw in 2007, with company- and platoon-sized units of the participant nations starting their training the following year. Its intended capacity includes force protection for a NATO deployed headquarters, traffic control operations, law enforcement, riot control, and supervision of local security forces.