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Georgia Creates Army Reserves
[04:31 pm] 07 April, 2007
The president wants the capacity to call up 100,000 men. Georgia
Creates Army Reserves
The president wants the capacity to call up 100,000 men. Georgia is
moving towards creating a compulsory system of reserve soldiers, which
President Mikheil Saakashvili says will transform its defence
capabilities. However, critics say the new system will only increase
corruption in the armed forces.
The new system being launched this month obliges all men between 27
and 40 to undergo 24 days training in the army every two years, or 18
days if they are students. Employees must cover their salaries during
their leave of absence.
Saakashvili said that within the next two years, Georgia will have a
well-drilled 100,000-strong force of reservists who can guarantee the
`total defence' of the country, alongside the regular units.
The president himself underwent army reserve training last August, and
said on his return, `In a situation where others are baring their
teeth at Georgia - and this is no game - we should have the capacity
to deploy a minimum of 100,000 men within a few months, if the country
needs this.
`In our villages and towns, there should be tens of thousands or even
hundreds of thousands of our citizens who are ready to defend our
motherland.'
The reserve system began as a voluntary scheme three years ago, but
after a relatively low take-up, it was made compulsory under a law
passed by parliament last year.
De facto officials from Georgia's breakaway territories, Abkhazia and
South Ossetia, say the fact that reservist camps have been placed near
their borders is a sign of aggressive intent on the part of the
authorities in Tbilisi.
`This is a demonstration that the authorities of Georgia want as many
of their citizens as possible to have experience of military
operations,' said Gari Kupalba, deputy defence minister of Abkhazia.
Rati Samkurashvili, leader of the majority group in the Georgian
parliament, told IWPR, `We do not plan to militarise the country; our
main aim is to increase its military efficiency.'
Formally, all Georgian males aged between 18 and 27, excepting
students, are required to do 18 months' military service. However,
just 2,000 young men a year are actually called up, and many others
manage to bribe their way out of the army. Georgia has been moving
away from conscription, and 80 per cent of the 28,000-strong army
consists of professional soldiers.
The reserve system is designed not only to boost the number of
potential soldiers, but also to instill a greater sense of
patriotism. In recent weeks all of Georgia's television channels have
been running an advertisement which shows a young man abandoning his
expensive car and enthusiastically joining soldiers in an armoured
troop-carrier heading for a military camp.
Giorgi Barbakadze, a 20-year-old third-year student at Tbilisi State
University, won't have to abandon his car, as he does not own one, but
he will still have to drop his studies to do 18 days of reserve
training.
`I've been told that if I do reserve duty twice while I'm at
university, I will have completed my entire military service. That
will allow me to avoid being called up for a compulsory
year-and-a-half service in the army, and make it easier for me to find
a government job in future,' he said.
Although the scheme has widespread support, it is also being
criticised for being both expensive and unworkable.
Parliamentary opposition deputy Kakha Kukava said he feared the system
would be abused.
`We should be aware that unlike Israel, our state institutions
function properly only in Tbilisi, and [even there] we're only talking
about a few central ministries,' he said. `All other state
establishments in Georgia are a sham. In that light, switching to a
reserve service where every district is responsible for a certain
military unit such as a company or battalion, is a fiction and will do
nothing for military efficiency'.
`Training reserve forces does not just mean a month spent in a tent
and a morning run,' warned military expert Shalva Tadumadze, who
argues that the army should provide specialist training for its
reserve soldiers.
Other analysts warn that the system could increase bribery and
corruption.
Irakli Sesiashvili, director of the non-governmental organisation
Justice and Freedom, said that with around half a million potential
reservists, there will be attempts to buy people off the call-up
lists.
`The lists of potential reservists are being compiled by the interior
and justice ministries, but departments of the drafting agency will be
giving the job of checking them,' said Sesiashvili. `This is where the
`holes could occur, if we assume that efforts will be made to remove
individual reservists from the lists in return for money.'
According to the defence ministry, the heads of six district drafting
commissions were prosecuted for negligence and corruption last
year. Nana Intskirveli, head of the ministry's press office, said that
in one town alone - Zugdidi in the west of the country - the existence
of 1,300 conscription-age men was concealed from the defence
authorities.
By law, people who evade military service could face a prison sentence
of three to six years.
The government is also trying to lure young men into joining the army
full-time by promising them rewards. President Saakashvili has said
new commissioned officers will get free apartments.
The president and other government officials plan to visit the reserve
camps to demonstrate their personal support for the new scheme.
Koba Liklikadze is a military commentator for Radio Liberty in
Tbilisi.Georgia is moving towards creating a compulsory system of
reserve soldiers, which President Mikheil Saakashvili says will
transform its defence capabilities. However, critics say the new
system will only increase corruption in the armed forces.
The new system being launched this month obliges all men between 27
and 40 to undergo 24 days training in the army every two years, or 18
days if they are students. Employees must cover their salaries during
their leave of absence.
Saakashvili said that within the next two years, Georgia will have a
well-drilled 100,000-strong force of reservists who can guarantee the
`total defence' of the country, alongside the regular units.
The president himself underwent army reserve training last August, and
said on his return, `In a situation where others are baring their
teeth at Georgia - and this is no game - we should have the capacity
to deploy a minimum of 100,000 men within a few months, if the country
needs this.
`In our villages and towns, there should be tens of thousands or even
hundreds of thousands of our citizens who are ready to defend our
motherland.'
The reserve system began as a voluntary scheme three years ago, but
after a relatively low take-up, it was made compulsory under a law
passed by parliament last year.
De facto officials from Georgia's breakaway territories, Abkhazia and
South Ossetia, say the fact that reservist camps have been placed near
their borders is a sign of aggressive intent on the part of the
authorities in Tbilisi.
`This is a demonstration that the authorities of Georgia want as many
of their citizens as possible to have experience of military
operations,' said Gari Kupalba, deputy defence minister of Abkhazia.
Rati Samkurashvili, leader of the majority group in the Georgian
parliament, told IWPR, `We do not plan to militarise the country; our
main aim is to increase its military efficiency.'
Formally, all Georgian males aged between 18 and 27, excepting
students, are required to do 18 months' military service. However,
just 2,000 young men a year are actually called up, and many others
manage to bribe their way out of the army. Georgia has been moving
away from conscription, and 80 per cent of the 28,000-strong army
consists of professional soldiers.
The reserve system is designed not only to boost the number of
potential soldiers, but also to instill a greater sense of
patriotism. In recent weeks all of Georgia's television channels have
been running an advertisement which shows a young man abandoning his
expensive car and enthusiastically joining soldiers in an armoured
troop-carrier heading for a military camp.
Giorgi Barbakadze, a 20-year-old third-year student at Tbilisi State
University, won't have to abandon his car, as he does not own one, but
he will still have to drop his studies to do 18 days of reserve
training.
`I've been told that if I do reserve duty twice while I'm at
university, I will have completed my entire military service. That
will allow me to avoid being called up for a compulsory
year-and-a-half service in the army, and make it easier for me to find
a government job in future,' he said.
Although the scheme has widespread support, it is also being
criticised for being both expensive and unworkable.
Parliamentary opposition deputy Kakha Kukava said he feared the system
would be abused.
`We should be aware that unlike Israel, our state institutions
function properly only in Tbilisi, and [even there] we're only talking
about a few central ministries,' he said. `All other state
establishments in Georgia are a sham. In that light, switching to a
reserve service where every district is responsible for a certain
military unit such as a company or battalion, is a fiction and will do
nothing for military efficiency'.
`Training reserve forces does not just mean a month spent in a tent
and a morning run,' warned military expert Shalva Tadumadze, who
argues that the army should provide specialist training for its
reserve soldiers.
Other analysts warn that the system could increase bribery and
corruption.
Irakli Sesiashvili, director of the non-governmental organisation
Justice and Freedom, said that with around half a million potential
reservists, there will be attempts to buy people off the call-up
lists.
`The lists of potential reservists are being compiled by the interior
and justice ministries, but departments of the drafting agency will be
giving the job of checking them,' said Sesiashvili. `This is where the
`holes could occur, if we assume that efforts will be made to remove
individual reservists from the lists in return for money.'
According to the defence ministry, the heads of six district drafting
commissions were prosecuted for negligence and corruption last
year. Nana Intskirveli, head of the ministry's press office, said that
in one town alone - Zugdidi in the west of the country - the existence
of 1,300 conscription-age men was concealed from the defence
authorities.
By law, people who evade military service could face a prison sentence
of three to six years.
The government is also trying to lure young men into joining the army
full-time by promising them rewards. President Saakashvili has said
new commissioned officers will get free apartments.
The president and other government officials plan to visit the reserve
camps to demonstrate their personal support for the new scheme.
By Koba Liklikadze in Tbilisi Koba Liklikadze is a military
commentator for Radio Liberty in Tbilisi.
Georgia Creates Army Reserves
[04:31 pm] 07 April, 2007
The president wants the capacity to call up 100,000 men. Georgia
Creates Army Reserves
The president wants the capacity to call up 100,000 men. Georgia is
moving towards creating a compulsory system of reserve soldiers, which
President Mikheil Saakashvili says will transform its defence
capabilities. However, critics say the new system will only increase
corruption in the armed forces.
The new system being launched this month obliges all men between 27
and 40 to undergo 24 days training in the army every two years, or 18
days if they are students. Employees must cover their salaries during
their leave of absence.
Saakashvili said that within the next two years, Georgia will have a
well-drilled 100,000-strong force of reservists who can guarantee the
`total defence' of the country, alongside the regular units.
The president himself underwent army reserve training last August, and
said on his return, `In a situation where others are baring their
teeth at Georgia - and this is no game - we should have the capacity
to deploy a minimum of 100,000 men within a few months, if the country
needs this.
`In our villages and towns, there should be tens of thousands or even
hundreds of thousands of our citizens who are ready to defend our
motherland.'
The reserve system began as a voluntary scheme three years ago, but
after a relatively low take-up, it was made compulsory under a law
passed by parliament last year.
De facto officials from Georgia's breakaway territories, Abkhazia and
South Ossetia, say the fact that reservist camps have been placed near
their borders is a sign of aggressive intent on the part of the
authorities in Tbilisi.
`This is a demonstration that the authorities of Georgia want as many
of their citizens as possible to have experience of military
operations,' said Gari Kupalba, deputy defence minister of Abkhazia.
Rati Samkurashvili, leader of the majority group in the Georgian
parliament, told IWPR, `We do not plan to militarise the country; our
main aim is to increase its military efficiency.'
Formally, all Georgian males aged between 18 and 27, excepting
students, are required to do 18 months' military service. However,
just 2,000 young men a year are actually called up, and many others
manage to bribe their way out of the army. Georgia has been moving
away from conscription, and 80 per cent of the 28,000-strong army
consists of professional soldiers.
The reserve system is designed not only to boost the number of
potential soldiers, but also to instill a greater sense of
patriotism. In recent weeks all of Georgia's television channels have
been running an advertisement which shows a young man abandoning his
expensive car and enthusiastically joining soldiers in an armoured
troop-carrier heading for a military camp.
Giorgi Barbakadze, a 20-year-old third-year student at Tbilisi State
University, won't have to abandon his car, as he does not own one, but
he will still have to drop his studies to do 18 days of reserve
training.
`I've been told that if I do reserve duty twice while I'm at
university, I will have completed my entire military service. That
will allow me to avoid being called up for a compulsory
year-and-a-half service in the army, and make it easier for me to find
a government job in future,' he said.
Although the scheme has widespread support, it is also being
criticised for being both expensive and unworkable.
Parliamentary opposition deputy Kakha Kukava said he feared the system
would be abused.
`We should be aware that unlike Israel, our state institutions
function properly only in Tbilisi, and [even there] we're only talking
about a few central ministries,' he said. `All other state
establishments in Georgia are a sham. In that light, switching to a
reserve service where every district is responsible for a certain
military unit such as a company or battalion, is a fiction and will do
nothing for military efficiency'.
`Training reserve forces does not just mean a month spent in a tent
and a morning run,' warned military expert Shalva Tadumadze, who
argues that the army should provide specialist training for its
reserve soldiers.
Other analysts warn that the system could increase bribery and
corruption.
Irakli Sesiashvili, director of the non-governmental organisation
Justice and Freedom, said that with around half a million potential
reservists, there will be attempts to buy people off the call-up
lists.
`The lists of potential reservists are being compiled by the interior
and justice ministries, but departments of the drafting agency will be
giving the job of checking them,' said Sesiashvili. `This is where the
`holes could occur, if we assume that efforts will be made to remove
individual reservists from the lists in return for money.'
According to the defence ministry, the heads of six district drafting
commissions were prosecuted for negligence and corruption last
year. Nana Intskirveli, head of the ministry's press office, said that
in one town alone - Zugdidi in the west of the country - the existence
of 1,300 conscription-age men was concealed from the defence
authorities.
By law, people who evade military service could face a prison sentence
of three to six years.
The government is also trying to lure young men into joining the army
full-time by promising them rewards. President Saakashvili has said
new commissioned officers will get free apartments.
The president and other government officials plan to visit the reserve
camps to demonstrate their personal support for the new scheme.
Koba Liklikadze is a military commentator for Radio Liberty in
Tbilisi.Georgia is moving towards creating a compulsory system of
reserve soldiers, which President Mikheil Saakashvili says will
transform its defence capabilities. However, critics say the new
system will only increase corruption in the armed forces.
The new system being launched this month obliges all men between 27
and 40 to undergo 24 days training in the army every two years, or 18
days if they are students. Employees must cover their salaries during
their leave of absence.
Saakashvili said that within the next two years, Georgia will have a
well-drilled 100,000-strong force of reservists who can guarantee the
`total defence' of the country, alongside the regular units.
The president himself underwent army reserve training last August, and
said on his return, `In a situation where others are baring their
teeth at Georgia - and this is no game - we should have the capacity
to deploy a minimum of 100,000 men within a few months, if the country
needs this.
`In our villages and towns, there should be tens of thousands or even
hundreds of thousands of our citizens who are ready to defend our
motherland.'
The reserve system began as a voluntary scheme three years ago, but
after a relatively low take-up, it was made compulsory under a law
passed by parliament last year.
De facto officials from Georgia's breakaway territories, Abkhazia and
South Ossetia, say the fact that reservist camps have been placed near
their borders is a sign of aggressive intent on the part of the
authorities in Tbilisi.
`This is a demonstration that the authorities of Georgia want as many
of their citizens as possible to have experience of military
operations,' said Gari Kupalba, deputy defence minister of Abkhazia.
Rati Samkurashvili, leader of the majority group in the Georgian
parliament, told IWPR, `We do not plan to militarise the country; our
main aim is to increase its military efficiency.'
Formally, all Georgian males aged between 18 and 27, excepting
students, are required to do 18 months' military service. However,
just 2,000 young men a year are actually called up, and many others
manage to bribe their way out of the army. Georgia has been moving
away from conscription, and 80 per cent of the 28,000-strong army
consists of professional soldiers.
The reserve system is designed not only to boost the number of
potential soldiers, but also to instill a greater sense of
patriotism. In recent weeks all of Georgia's television channels have
been running an advertisement which shows a young man abandoning his
expensive car and enthusiastically joining soldiers in an armoured
troop-carrier heading for a military camp.
Giorgi Barbakadze, a 20-year-old third-year student at Tbilisi State
University, won't have to abandon his car, as he does not own one, but
he will still have to drop his studies to do 18 days of reserve
training.
`I've been told that if I do reserve duty twice while I'm at
university, I will have completed my entire military service. That
will allow me to avoid being called up for a compulsory
year-and-a-half service in the army, and make it easier for me to find
a government job in future,' he said.
Although the scheme has widespread support, it is also being
criticised for being both expensive and unworkable.
Parliamentary opposition deputy Kakha Kukava said he feared the system
would be abused.
`We should be aware that unlike Israel, our state institutions
function properly only in Tbilisi, and [even there] we're only talking
about a few central ministries,' he said. `All other state
establishments in Georgia are a sham. In that light, switching to a
reserve service where every district is responsible for a certain
military unit such as a company or battalion, is a fiction and will do
nothing for military efficiency'.
`Training reserve forces does not just mean a month spent in a tent
and a morning run,' warned military expert Shalva Tadumadze, who
argues that the army should provide specialist training for its
reserve soldiers.
Other analysts warn that the system could increase bribery and
corruption.
Irakli Sesiashvili, director of the non-governmental organisation
Justice and Freedom, said that with around half a million potential
reservists, there will be attempts to buy people off the call-up
lists.
`The lists of potential reservists are being compiled by the interior
and justice ministries, but departments of the drafting agency will be
giving the job of checking them,' said Sesiashvili. `This is where the
`holes could occur, if we assume that efforts will be made to remove
individual reservists from the lists in return for money.'
According to the defence ministry, the heads of six district drafting
commissions were prosecuted for negligence and corruption last
year. Nana Intskirveli, head of the ministry's press office, said that
in one town alone - Zugdidi in the west of the country - the existence
of 1,300 conscription-age men was concealed from the defence
authorities.
By law, people who evade military service could face a prison sentence
of three to six years.
The government is also trying to lure young men into joining the army
full-time by promising them rewards. President Saakashvili has said
new commissioned officers will get free apartments.
The president and other government officials plan to visit the reserve
camps to demonstrate their personal support for the new scheme.
By Koba Liklikadze in Tbilisi Koba Liklikadze is a military
commentator for Radio Liberty in Tbilisi.