Law of Georgia on Defence Planning

Law of Georgia

On Defence Planning 

Article 1 - General provisions

1. This Law determines the organisation of the defence of Georgia, the essence and role of its planning in the implementation of defence policy. Defence planning, as part of the defence policy, includes a number of measures to ensure national interests and security, and also contributes to the proper implementation of the process of integration of Georgia into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (‘NATO’).

2. Defence planning covers the planning of forces, armaments, resources, logistics, management, and control, as well as the planning of defence for short-, medium- and long-term periods during a crisis situation, a state of emergency and/or martial law, and other contingency situations.

3. Defence planning and accordingly, documents on defence planning, may be reviewed if Georgia joins NATO, the national security environment changes, or the signs of the change of the national security environment appear.  

Article 2 - Legal basis of the Law

This Law is based on the Constitution of Georgia, international treaties and agreements of Georgia, and other normative acts.

Article 3 - Definition of terms used in the Law

The terms used in this Law shall have the following meanings:

a) strategic-level legal acts of defence planning - acts laid down in Article 6 of this Law that are approved by the Parliament of Georgia, the Government of Georgia, or the President of Georgia under the legislation of Georgia;

b) agency-level legal acts of defence planning - acts laid down in Article 7 of this Law and issued by the Defence Minister of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 1386 of 27 September 2013 – website, 9.10.2013

Article 4 - Organisation of defence planning

1. State-level defence planning shall be organised by the National Security Concept of Georgia.  

2. Defence planning shall be conducted based on strategic-level legal acts and agency-level legal acts of defence planning.

Article 5 - Planning of actions during a crisis situation, a state of emergency and/or martial law, and other contingency situations

Preliminary planning of actions during a crisis situation, a state of emergency and/or martial law, and other contingency situations shall imply the ability to plan and implement appropriate actions against a sudden development of the situation during military events or natural (man-made) disasters. The principles of action planning shall remain the same during a crisis situation, a state of emergency and/or martial law, and other contingency situations.

Article 6 - Strategic-level legal acts of defence planning

Strategic-level legal acts of defence planning shall be as follows:

a) National Security Concept of Georgia

b) Threat Assessment Document of Georgia

c) National Military Strategy of Georgia.

Article 7 - Agency-level legal acts of defence planning

Agency-level legal acts of defence planning shall be as follows:

a) Defence Planning Manual

b) major military development programmes

c) annual programmes

d) operational plans, concepts, doctrines, regulations, and directives of the Minister for Defence of Georgia

e) defence planning regulations.

Article 8 - Role of state institutions in the defence planning process

1. The Ministry for Defence of Georgia shall take the leading role in the process of defence planning.

2. State institutions shall provide assistance to the Ministry for Defence of Georgia in the formation and implementation of the defence planning process within their competence.

Article 9 - Strategic-level defence planning

1. Taking into account the threats and challenges facing the country, protection of national interests and values, sustainable development, the necessity of ensuring the security and the rights of society and individuals, the National Security Concept of Georgia shall be developed as provided for by the legislation of Georgia. The Concept shall represent the vision for the safe development of the country. It shall clearly define the requirements in different policy areas, goals, and ways of achieving them. The Parliament of Georgia shall approve the National Security Concept of Georgia by a resolution.

2. The Threat Assessment Document of Georgia shall overview the current strategic environment for a multi-year period and shall specifically determine the threats and challenges facing the country. Operational plans shall be developed within the Armed Forces, and other associated fields of planning (logistical, informational, and inter-agency coordination) shall be organised on the basis of the Threat Assessment Document of Georgia. The President of Georgia shall approve the Threat Assessment Document of Georgia at the suggestion of the Government of Georgia. Considering the importance of the Document, it shall be analysed annually.  

3. In order to achieve the objectives laid down in the National Security Concept of Georgia in the defence sector, the relevant structural unit of the Ministry for Defence of Georgia shall develop the National Military Strategy of Georgia to determine national military objectives and requirements of the Armed Forces for a multi-year period, general ways of their implementation, structure, and future vision. The Strategy shall also define the abilities that are necessary for the Armed Forces to fulfil their missions effectively. Every year, the Strategy shall be compared to the existing and/or potential situation and appropriate changes and/or addenda shall be made to it in the manner laid down in the legislation of Georgia. The Government of Georgia shall approve the National Military Strategy of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 4130 of 17 December 2010 – LHG I, No 75, 27.12.2010, Art. 479

Law of Georgia No 1386 of 27 September 2013 - website, 9.10.2013

Article 10 - Agency-level defence planning

1. The Minister for Defence of Georgia shall issue the Defence Planning Regulations determining the details and the procedures of agency-level defence planning (terms of reference and deadlines).

2. The Ministry for Defence of Georgia shall draw up the Defence Planning Manual laying out the priority directions and planned activities established by the Ministry for Defence of Georgia for the state defence in the Armed Forces for a multi-year period. The Manual shall be based on the National Military Strategy of Georgia and shall take into consideration the conclusions on the Threat Assessment Document of Georgia. The Minister for Defence of Georgia shall issue the Defence Planning Manual.

3. The appropriate structural unit of the Ministry for Defence of Georgia shall develop the Major Military Development Programmes for a multi-year period. The Programmes shall be based on the Defence Planning Manual and shall include all planned activities aimed to modernize, equip, and train the Armed Forces, to maintain their subunits, to provide logistical support, to maintain and improve the reserve infrastructure, as well as to ensure the implementation of Georgia-NATO cooperation plans. The Minister for Defence of Georgia shall issue Major Military Development Programmes.

4. Drawing up of Annual Programmes shall be the final stage of defence planning and annual steps of Major Military Development Programmes. As a result of their review and summation, a defence budget shall be drawn up, which shall be reflected in the State Budget. The priorities of existing programmes and their funding shall be determined after the inter-agency review of the Annual Programmes. The defence budget shall cover the threats and challenges facing the country, the priority directions established in the military field, and the requirements to ensure defence with maximum efficiency. The allocations from the State Budget for the Ministry for Defence of Georgia shall be spent in accordance with the annual budget programmes.

5. Operational plans, concepts, doctrines, regulations, and directives of the Minister for Defence of Georgia shall be developed in consideration of the documents referred to in this Article.

Article 11 - Parliamentary oversight of defence planning

The Defence and Security Committee of the Parliament of Georgia shall provide parliamentary oversight of the defence planning.

Article 12 - Enactment of the Law

This Law shall be enacted upon promulgation.

President of Georgia

M. Saakashvili

Tbilisi,

28 April 2006

No 2956-IS