PM pledges five-time increase in monthly supplement for retired servicemembers on Veterans Day

Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday praised the “crucial role” of the country’s military retirees in comments marking the Veterans Day, and pledged a five-time increase in their monthly supplements in pledging “continued support” from authorities.

Addressing the audience on the day - marked since 2014 - the PM expressed his gratitude towards veterans for their service “protecting not only the motherland, but also international peace and security”. 

The head of the government listed conflicts within the country that saw service by troops over the past three decades.

Georgian PM stressed the merit of military veterans should be appreciated. Photo: government of Georgia press office.  

We have also been represented in several international peacekeeping missions - in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Central Africa among them. We have lost many devoted compatriots in the conflicts and peacekeeping missions. It is our duty to appreciate their role and devotion”, he said. 

The PM also reminded the public Georgia was the largest non-NATO contributor to the alliance’s peacekeeping missions and mentioned the casualties of over 30 servicemembers, “with hundreds of others wounded”, in their deployments.

A measure of our society’s progress is how we value our veterans for their contributions. Our government, within the limits of our abilities, is doing and will do its best to appreciate your efforts even more”, Garibashvili told veterans. 

Koba Kobaladze, the head of the state department of veterans, has praised the country's PM for his recent decision to increase monthly supplements. Photo: government of Georgia press office. 

Koba Kobaladze, the head of the state department of veterans, said he was “proud” to see the PM had “kept his promise given last year” on the upcoming increase in monthly supplements from ₾22 ($8) to ₾100 ($36).

In his comments, defence minister Juansher Burchuladze called veterans “outstanding citizens of our country” who had fought to protect the territorial integrity, “principles and values of our country at the cost of their lives and health".

Defence minister told the military retirees that their experience was needed for the country. Photo: government of Georgia press office. 

Today is a day of great importance for the whole country as we celebrate the merits, heroism and dedication of thousands of our citizens. I bow before your bravery. You have shown the citizens of Georgia and international partners that the Georgian fighting spirit is unbreakable”, Burchuladze said. 

To date, about 70,000 individuals with veteran status have been registered in the unified database of the state service of veterans affairs, which includes troops who served in the Soviet forces during the second world war, the 1992-1993 armed conflicts in Georgia’s currently Russian-occupied regions, the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia and peacekeeping operations around the world.