New Defence Code drafted in cooperation with allies, will increase NATO compliance - Deputy Minister
Grigol Giorgadze, the Georgian Deputy Defence Minister, on Tuesday addressed the Parliament over the country’s new Defence Code. Photo: Defence Ministry press office
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Grigol Giorgadze, the Georgian Deputy Defence Minister, on Tuesday told the Parliament the country’s new Defence Code had been developed with an “active engagement” of foreign partners, and said the document was expected to increase Georgia’s interoperability with NATO.
Answering lawmakers’ questions ahead of the second reading of the bill, the official noted his body had also drafted and approved a 10-year-plan for the development of the Georgian Defence Forces with the support of the alliance and the United States, adding the new Code would create a legal basis for the implementation of the reforms outlined in the plan.
While expressing his gratitude to the public for their support to the new legislation, Giorgadze alleged several domestic opposition groups were “trying to discredit it to benefit their own, narrow, political interests” while the US, NATO and other international partners of the country were “positively” assessing the document.
Rejecting the opposition’s claims that the mandatory military service part of the bill was “discriminatory” to some religious denominations in the country, Giorgadze said it also offered an alternative labour service to members of “all confessions” in Georgia.
He added all religious representatives, including Orthodox Christian clerics, would be allowed to postpone their military service, before pointing to the Ministry’s work with domestic religious denominations while drafting the bill.
The official also highlighted while the Code aimed to strengthen the professional military service, a “well-trained” reserve outlined in it was also important considering security challenges facing the country.
Georgia’s total defence strategy and deterrence policy are aimed at “maximum strengthening” of the country’s self-defence capabilities based on “existing needs and absence of international security umbrellas”, Deputy Defence Minister Grigol Giorgadze told the Georgian Public Broadcaster on Tuesday.
Grigol Giorgadze, the Georgian Deputy Defence Minister, on Thursday told representatives of religious organisations in the country the new Defence Code was addressing a legal loophole that had allowed individuals to “evade” compulsory military service with the use of a “clergyman's certificate”, the Defence Ministry said.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday announced “major changes” to the country’s defence system as part of the new defence code, which includes full transition of the compulsory military service to the Ministry of Defence mandate, requirement for the state to provide accommodation for servicemembers and their families, a “more flexible” military reserve system for students and moves to prevent evasion of service.
Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday discussed the country’s new defence code with defence minister Juansher Burchuladze and other officials of the body, with the document involving a modernising of the conscript and reserve systems and further steps to ensure better social conditions for servicemembers.
Irakli Beraia, the Chair of the Defence and Security Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said at the ongoing NATO Summit in Vilnius, Georgia was supposed to “get closer” to its “main foreign policy goal” - full integration into the Alliance.
NATO Vilnius Summit Communiqué, issued by the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council, on Tuesday reiterated their support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders and “highly appreciated” Georgia’s substantial contributions to NATO operations.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Saturday said Georgia, the country’s armed forces and institutions were “fully compatible” with NATO standards, noting “the only thing that remains is the political decision of Alliance member countries”.
Juansher Burchuladze, the Georgian Defence Minister, on Monday said his body was working to increase remuneration for reservists called up for annual training and use the pay increases to ensure voluntary annual service would effectively replace mandatory call-ups by 2025.
The Georgian Defence Forces have new recruits now, who pledged their allegiance in Akhalkalaki, a town in Georgia's southern region, the Defence Ministry said on Saturday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday hailed the country’s recently adopted defence code as being of “national importance” and said the Defence Ministry would be “fully authorised” to ensue compulsory military conscription starting from 2025.