Term of Military Service Increased

On February 23 the Georgian Parliament approved, with a 131 to 13 vote, a governmental proposal to increase the term of compulsory military service from the current 12 to 18 months, less than four months after the parliamentarians supported a reduction of the term of service.

In October, 2004 the Georgian Parliament approved amendments to the law on Compulsory Military Service, envisaging a reduction of the 18-month military service to 12 months. In 1999 the compulsory military service was reduced from 24 to 18 months.

Officials say the 18-month term will be in force until 2008; afterwards, Georgia intends to switch to a contract system.

The parliamentary opposition blamed authorities of implementing an ?inconsistent policy? regarding the terms of military service. However, as the Vice-Speaker of the Parliament Mikheil Machavariani said, the authorities? decisions regarding military issues are in the line with that of Georgia?s Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO.

The IPAP, which sets defense and political reform goals to be implemented by the government within the next two years, was approved by NATO last October. But details of Georgia?s IPAP still remain unknown as, according to the Defense Ministry, the Georgian government has classified the document.