New Chief of Georgian Defense Forces Appointed

Major General Giorgi Matiashvili, 42, has been appointed as new Chief of the Georgian Defense Forces, replacing Lieutenant General Vladimer Chachibaia. The relevant decree was signed by President Salome Zurabishvili on June 29.

President Zurabishvili and Defense Minister Irakli Garibashvili attended a transfer of authority ceremony held at Vaziani military base, near the capital city of Tbilisi, on July 1.

“I extend full trust to him and I believe that under his command, the Defense Forces will further develop and strengthen,” noted Salome Zurabishvili, Georgian President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Forces.

Vladimer Chachibaia served as chief of the Defense Forces since December 2018.

Since December 2019, Giorgi Matiashvili served as Deputy Head of Defense Forces and Chief of the General Staff. Earlier in 2018-2019, he was Commander of the West Command of Defense Forces, while in 2016-2018, he served as Deputy Commander of the East Command of the Land Forces.

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