Why Do We Need Voluntary Military Reserve?

Aleko Tskitishvili

Experts and human rights defenders are concerned about recently introduced amendments to the Law about Military Reserve Service which allows ordinary citizens to voluntarily join military reserve service. Why do we need this service? Journalist of the Human Rights Center’s video-portal www.hridc.tv tried to get answer to this question.

The Defense Ministry of Georgia launched the campaign about voluntary military service late in October of 2011. At the same time, the parliament of Georgia allocated additional 45 Million GEL to the Defense Ministry. In March of 2012 the amendments were introduced to the Law about Military Reserve Service, which allows the Defense Ministry to recruit reservists.

Teona Akubardia from the Civil Council of Defense and Security stated that civil society is concerned about new authorities of the Defense Ministry. Particularly, during the public protest in November of 2007 the head of the General HQ of the Ministry of Defense appeared in the Rustaveli avenue and there was risk that the government would use military forces to disperse demonstrators. Teona Akubardia added that the new authority of the Defense Ministry to recruit reservists will increase this risk.

Executive Director of the Human Rights Center Ucha Nanuashvili paid particular attention to the part of the new provision in the law which widened circle of citizens, who can be recruited to the reserve service. Among them are employees of the Defense and Interior Ministries and judges.

Military expert, member of the Coalition Georgian Dream Irakli Sesiashvili said the current reserve system in Georgia is completely ineffective. Five-day voluntary service cannot improve the situation at all.

Opposition political parties already expressed their concern about ongoing military trainings of citizens recruited in the voluntary reserve service in Samegrelo region, western Georgia.

Irakli Alasania from the Free Democrats said during the meeting with diplomats that the government is preparing for civil controversy.

The representatives of the parliamentary majority got annoyed with Alasania’s statement. They clarified motives and necessity of voluntary reserve. You can see the comment of MP Nugzar Tsiklauri from the parliamentary majority in the video of the hridc.tv.

Video of the hridc.tv