Кодекс об обороне

 

 

LAW OF GEORGIA

DEFENCE CODE

Chapter I – General Provisions

 

Article 1 – Purpose of the Code

The purpose of this Code shall be to determine legal grounds for the organisation of defence to protect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, and to ensure the fulfilment of other tasks related to defence and security in the cases provided for by the Constitution of Georgia.

 

Article 2 – Scope of the Code

The scope of this Code shall include: the organisation of the defence based on the Total Defence approach, the strengthening of national resilience, the organisation of national resistance and mission command, and the methods and principles of the implementation thereof shall be specified in the conceptual documents/legal acts at national and agency levels; State Defence Policy planning; the determination of the powers and structure of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia; military registration; the completion of military service; the management of the reserve of the Georgian Defence Forces; military education; international exercises; peacekeeping operations; incentives and disciplinary liability; the regulation of martial law; and volunteering in the field of defence.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 3 – Definition of terms

For the purposes of this Code, the terms used herein shall have the following meanings:

a) Mission Command – the implementation of decisions made at the strategic level through the principle of centralised planning and decentralised execution, by encouraging disciplined initiative in the process of assigning targeted tasks and the completion of a mission to ensure constant adaptation to rapidly changing environments and the effective achievement of set goals;

b) branch – a combination of tactics, equipment, weapons, functions, capabilities, and career development of the personnel characteristic of a unit performing the missions of combat, combat support and/or combat sustainment of a branch of service of the Georgian Defence Forces (the Defence Forces);

c) subordinate – a person subordinate in position and/or military rank who is obliged to execute the legal order of a superior;

d) disciplinary misconduct – an unlawful and culpable (intentional or negligent) disciplinary action committed by a military service person. Concepts of intentional and negligent actions shall be interpreted by a normative act of the Minister;

e) doctrine – a combination of basic principles and guidelines which contribute to the achievement of the goal of the Defence Forces;

f) National Defence System – a part of the national security system that includes the state authorities engaged in state defence, the enterprises established or managed by the State, as well as military property and other critical infrastructure created for the purposes of state defence;

g) national resilience – the ability of the State and society to withstand external military and non-military impacts, cope with the consequences of such impacts, and be able to maintain/return to normal functioning;

h) national resistance – maintaining constant pressure on the enemy via military and non-military means thereby preventing it from establishing full control over the territory of the country or a part thereof;

i) organisation of defence – the practical implementation of the State Defence Policy via appropriate planning mechanisms, support systems and infrastructure, inter-agency coordination and international cooperation, taking into consideration the current situation and trends in the country in terms of security;

j) branch of service of the Defence Forces – the main component of the defence forces aiming at carrying out military operations in diverse combat environments and/or performing qualitatively diverse combat functions;

k) junker – a student of a military academy having obtained the status of a student of the Bachelor’s programme in accordance with the procedure established by the Law of Georgia on Higher Education;

l) cadet – a student of a general educational institution operating within the system of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia;

m) command – an activity carried out by a commander/chief/staff/cell and other management bodies aimed at maintaining the combat readiness of the troops (forces), the training thereof for combat operations and performing the combat missions assigned thereto;

n) commander – a military official who commands a unit subordinated thereto and is authorised to make decisions, issue official binding directions and orders to the subordinates and ensure the verification of their execution within the scope of his/her competence;

o) Minister – the Minister of Defence of Georgia;

p) attendee – a person enrolled in an educational unit of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia or a military academy on a programme beyond the Bachelor’s programme;

q) supporting document – a written agreement (regardless of its name and form) concluded between the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and the relevant agency of a foreign country or an international organisation concerning a peacekeeping operation or an international exercise other than the international treaty provided for by the Law of Georgia on International Treaties of Georgia. If, along with the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and/or a Legal Entity under Public Law operating within the system of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, another administrative body participates in a peacekeeping operation or an international exercise, that administrative body may also be a party to the supporting document;

r) reservist – a person enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces;

s) disciplinary points – 100 disciplinary points granted under the procedure established by this Code to a junker or an attendee with the status of military service person who has been enrolled in a military academy, which, when a disciplinary misconduct is committed, shall be cut down by the amount set by the legislation of Georgia;

t) international exercise – a joint exercise conducted in Georgia or abroad by the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and/or a Legal Entity under Public Law operating within the system of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and one or more relevant institutions of a foreign country and/or an international organisation aiming at maintaining and restoring international peace and security, carrying out other peacekeeping activities, combat training, and increasing individual and collective defence capacities, and opportunities and capabilities for ensuring compatibility with the partner countries of Georgia;

u) Ministry – Ministry of Defence of Georgia;

v) employee of the Ministry – a military service person, a civilian employed in the Civil Office of the Ministry and/or the Defence Forces, and/or a person with a special state rank;

w) peacekeeping operation – an operation aimed at keeping and restoring international peace and security and other types of peacekeeping activities carried out within the framework of the international obligations assumed by Georgia;

x) military discipline – the order established by the legislation of Georgia, the observance of which is an obligation of a military service person;

y) military service person – a person holding the status of a military service person;

z) military occupational speciality – a set of professional qualifications, skills and experience required for the performance of military missions, functions and duties, which serve as a basis for recording the data of relevant personnel, the appointment of military personnel to positions, and their career development;

z1) military academy – a military higher educational institution operating within the system of the Ministry;

z2) good reason – the illness of a military service person or his/her family member, the death of a family member or a close relative, or other special impartial circumstances that provide the military service person with grounds to be released from the duties assigned thereto. A good reason should be confirmed with a relevant document, except where the reason cannot be documented. The circle of family members and close relatives of a military service person shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister;

z3) state defence – a combination of activities aiming at the protection of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country;

z4) State Defence Policy – a component of the National Security Policy that includes activities carried out to ensure the protection of the state interests of Georgia, in particular, the forecasting, detection, and identification of threats, risks and challenges in the area of defence within and outside the country and the assessment, prevention and elimination thereof;

z5) Total Defence – the use of military and civil resources and assets by the State to ensure the defence of the country against an enemy superior thereto, in order to achieve national resilience.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Chapter II – Planning of the State Defence Policy

 

Article 4 – Essence of planning of the State Defence Policy

The planning of the State Defence Policy includes a combination of activities carried out to determine the goals of the State Defence Policy, as well as the ways and resources for the implementation thereof.

 

Article 5 – Principles of planning and coordination of the State Defence Policy

The principles of the planning and coordination of the State Defence Policy shall be:

a) legality;

b) the universal protection of and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;

c) the unified approach of the Government;

d) continuity;

e) planning;

f) publicity and civil engagement.

 

Article 6 – State Defence Policy planning documents

The planning of the State Defence Policy shall be carried out on the basis of the conceptual and organisational documents at national and agency levels.

 

Article 7 – National-level documents for State Defence Policy planning

1. The procedure for drawing up national-level conceptual documents for the State Defence Policy planning and the coordination thereof shall be determined by the Law of Georgia on National Security Policy Planning and Coordination.

2. The National Defence Strategy of Georgia provided for by the Law of Georgia on National Security Policy Planning and Coordination shall:

a) determine the strategic vision, directions, goals, principles, missions and means for the organisation of national defence;

b) review and evaluate the threats, risks and challenges in the field of defence;

c) determine the engagement of the public in the defence of the country.

3. The National Defence Readiness Plan of Georgia is a national-level organisational document of State Defence Policy planning, which shall oblige the agencies responsible for the execution of the relevant activities within the powers thereof to fulfil the goals and objectives determined by the national-level conceptual document of the State Defence Policy planning. The National Defence Readiness Plan of Georgia is a combination of the development plans of the said agencies and includes a timeline and ensures the achievement of the defence goals.

4. The National Defence Strategy of Georgia, and the Georgia National Defence Readiness Plan shall be approved by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia. The National Defence Strategy of Georgia shall be revised and updated as necessary, in the case of substantial changes to the security environment of the country. In any other case, the Strategy shall be revised at least once in 5 years and shall be updated incorporating the results of the review.

5. The confidential part of the National Defence Strategy of Georgia, the National Defence Readiness Plan of Georgia shall be approved as a separate document by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

6. The procedure for the drawing up, submittal and approval of the documents provided for by paragraph 3 of this article shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 8 – Agency-level documents of State Defence Policy planning

1. The agency-level conceptual document of State Defence Policy planning shall be prepared on the basis of the national-level documents. It shall determine the goals and missions of the relevant agency in relation to the field of state defence and/or its separate directions/issues, as well as the vision, values and principles of that agency, the challenges thereof and the ways, means (resources) and time limits for overcoming those challenges within the scope of its powers, as well as the relevant responsible structural units.

2. The agency-level organisational document of State Defence Policy planning shall be prepared on the basis of the national-level documents of State Defence Policy planning and/or the agency-level conceptual documents of State Defence Policy planning and for the execution thereof. It shall determine the missions of the relevant agencies and the ways and means of the achievement thereof within the scope of its power.

3. The agency-level conceptual document of State Defence Policy planning shall be approved by an individual administrative act of the Head of the relevant agency and the agency-level organisational document of State Defence Policy planning shall be approved by an individual administrative act of the Head of the relevant agency or a person authorised by them.

4. The procedure and time limits for the implementation of State Defence Policy planning at the agency level, as well as the types of the agency-level conceptual and organisational documents of State Defence Policy planning and the scope of regulation thereof, shall be determined by the statute for the state defence planning that shall be approved by a normative act of the Head of the relevant agency.

5. The confidential part of the agency-level conceptual document of State Defence Policy planning, the agency-level organisational document of State Defence Policy planning, shall be approved as a separate document.

6. The Ministry shall coordinate State Defence Policy planning at the agency level.

 

Chapter III – The Ministry

 

Article 9 – The Ministry

1. The Ministry is an institution of the executive authority of Georgia responsible for the implementation of the State Defence Policy.

2. The Ministry shall employ military service persons, persons with special state rank, and civilians.

3. The Ministry shall be headed and managed by the Minister, who shall be accountable to the Prime Minister of Georgia.

4. The structural units of the Ministry, taking into consideration their functions, shall be included either in the Civil Office of the Ministry (the Civil Office) or the Defence Forces.

5. The Minister shall ensure the planning and implementation of the State Defence Policy via the Civil Office and shall exercise democratic control over the Defence Forces.

6. The Minister shall be authorised to issue normative and individual administrative acts.

7. The powers of the Minister provided for by this Code and other legal acts may be delegated to an employee of the system of the Ministry on the basis of an individual administrative act of the Minister.

8. The scope and the mission of the Ministry, the organisation of the leadership of the Ministry, the rights and duties of the Minister and the Chief of the Defence Forces, the number of deputies of the Minister and the Chief of the Defence Forces and their rights and duties, the system and structure of the Ministry, the main mission and powers of the structural units, as well as other essential issues for organising the operation of the Ministry, shall be determined by the statute of the Ministry, which shall be approved by the Government of Georgia upon the recommendation of the Minister.

9. The Minister and his/her deputies are not military service persons.

10. The power and structure of the structural units of the Ministry shall be determined by the statute of that unit which shall be approved by a normative act of the Minister.

11. The Ministry shall perform the functions provided for by paragraphs 12-14 of this article and the statute of the Ministry.

12. The functions of the Civil Office shall be:

a) the execution of political decisions made in the field of defence by the development and implementation of the relevant policies;

b) the determination/preparation of financial support plans for the main programmes of the development of the Defence Forces;

c) the preparation of the legislation of Georgia regulating the field of defence;

d) carrying out international cooperation in the field of defence;

e) preparing the defence budget and financial projects;

f) providing the Defence Forces with necessary weapons, equipment, basic load, and other material means/supplies;

g) issuing recommendations, within the scope of their competence, as well as licenses and permits relating to the circulation of civilian weapons, and military and dual-use products, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;

h) exercising internal control of the system of the Ministry.

13. The functions of the Defence Forces shall be:

a) protecting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country;

b) ensuring the combat readiness and mobilisation of the Defence Forces;

c) planning and implementing military operations;

d) planning and performing military exercises;

e) planning and fulfiling obligations provided for under international cooperation in the military field;

f) the implementation of logistics planning in accordance with the established procedure, the provision of logistical supplies, military and other material and technical assets within the Ministry, as well as the provision of services;

g) the management of the reserve military service system;

h) support for government authorities in the cases provided for by the legislation of Georgia;

i) ensuring the observance of military discipline;

j) the protection and defence of military facilities;

k) carrying out intelligence activities within the scope of the powers granted to them by the legislation of Georgia;

l) conducting information operations;

m) the determination/preparation of programmes and plans required for the development of the Defence Forces;

n) the determination/selection of the names and the areas of deployment of the units, as well as the location of military facilities, which shall be approved by an individual administrative act of the Minister;

o) in cases provided for by the legislation of Georgia, participation in search and rescue operations, carrying out the clearance of explosive ordnance and demining operations, organising the inspection of the water bottom and taking appropriate safety measures;

p) the preparation of proposals relating to the modernisation and modification of weapons and equipment, their acceptance into or removal from service by the Defence Forces which shall be approved in accordance with the procedure established by an individual administrative act of the Minister;

q) ensuring the performance of military ceremonies and ritual events in accordance with the procedure established by a normative act of the Minister;

r) coordinating the engagement of other agencies when conducting training in the country;

s) ensuring cyber security in the field of defence during martial law;

t) participation in the development of the defence budget and financial projects;

u) the organisation of military national resistance during martial law.

14. The joint functions of the Civil Office and the Defence Forces shall be:

a) a proper response during martial law and/or a state of emergency, or an emergency situation in the State, in accordance with the established procedure;

b) the preparation/participation in the preparation of the conceptual and organisational documents of State Defence Policy planning at national and agency levels;

c) the determination of military threats and the threat of war within the scope of their powers;

d) the development of the military education system, military research and science;

e) the arrangement and development of military and educational infrastructure and communications;

f) the implementation of healthcare measures in respect of an employee of the system of the Ministry and members of the family thereof provided for by a legal act of the Minister, as well as persons determined by the legislation of Georgia; ensuring their medical, social and psychological support within the limits of budgetary allocations;

g) the management of military property and military products;

h) ensuring the provision of the organisational structure of the Ministry, and the management and development of its human resources;

i) cooperation with international organisations and relevant agencies of foreign countries in the field of defence;

j) the provision of communication and information systems for defence purposes;

k) the protection of security and legal order within the system of the Ministry, the investigation of crimes within the investigative jurisdiction thereof as determined by the legislation of Georgia, conducting operative and investigative activities, performing covert video recording and/or audio recording, photography, or electronic surveillance via technical means that cause no harm to human life, health and the environment;

l) cooperation with state structures, international organisations, and legal and natural persons, within the scope of their power;

m) other functions as determined by the statute of the Ministry.

15. The Ministry, the Defence Forces and their personnel, as well as legal entities under public law operating within the system of the Ministry, shall have corresponding flags, emblems, insignia, and other symbols of state significance which shall be approved by a normative act of the Minister in accordance with the Law of Georgia on Symbols of State Significance. The matter of assignment of symbols of state significance of the Defence Forces to the divisions/structural units of the Defence Forces shall be determined by individual administrative acts of the Chief of the Defence Forces.

16. The procedure for land use and the construction of facilities in and around airfields shall be established by the Air Code of Georgia; the implementation of any other activities (including construction activities) shall be agreed with the Ministry to ensure the unhindered operation of the system of the Ministry if the said activity is carried out in:

a) a populated area, within a 100-metre radius of a facility in the possession of the system of the Ministry;

b) an unsettled area, within 300-metre radius from a facility in the possession of the system of the Ministry.

17. On the recommendation of the Ministry, a legal act of the Government of Georgia shall determine the following for the Ministry and the legal entities under public law operating within the system of the Ministry:

a) a procedure for managing a military-purpose state property (disposal, registration, write-off, use of that property, etc.) in their possession;

b) the matter of providing food, transport, medical services, pharmaceuticals, weapons, ammunition, general supplies and equipment to persons (including foreign representatives) participating in or invited to events (training/exercises, courses, working meetings/visits etc.) planned or implemented with the participation of the Ministry and legal entities under public law operating within the system of the Ministry, as well as the matter of their placement and other sustainment issues.

 

Article 10 – Defence Forces

1. In order to protect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, as well as perform other tasks and international obligations related to the defence and security in the cases provided for by the Constitution of Georgia, Georgia retains the Defence Forces.

2. The Defence Forces is a politically neutral, armed military institution of the national defence system which carries out necessary military and other activities within the scope of the powers granted thereto by the Constitution of Georgia.

3. The President of Georgia is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces.

4. The Defence Forces, except for the cases provided for by paragraph 5 of this article, shall act on the basis of an order of the Minister. For the execution thereof, the Defence Forces shall be commanded by the Chief of the Defence Forces.

5. During martial law and a state of emergency, the Defence Forces shall act on the orders of the Prime Minister of Georgia. For the execution thereof, the Defence Forces shall be commanded by the Chief of the Defence Forces.

6. To celebrate significant dates related to the creation and development of the Defence Forces, noteworthy days shall be established by an individual administrative act of the Minister.

 

Article 11 – Branches of service of the Defence Forces and the composition thereof

1. The branches of service of the Defence Forces shall be Land Forces, Air Forces, Special Operations Forces, and National Guard.

2. The Defence Forces shall comprise the following structural units of the Ministry:

a) the General Staff, the main function of which is to elaborate the military strategic and operational plans of the Defence Forces and to facilitate command and control of the Defence Forces by the Chief of the Defence Forces;

b) East Command, the main function of which is to exercise command and control of the units subordinated thereto in its area of responsibility and to fulfil the missions set;

c) West Command, the main function of which is to exercise command and control of the units subordinated thereto in its area of responsibility and fulfil the missions set;

d) Aviation and Air Defence Command, the main function of which is to fulfil the missions set in the airspace, to provide air support to the units of the Georgian Defence Forces and to protect the airspace of the country;

e) Special Operations Command, the main function of which is to conduct special operations and to support other units of the Defence Forces;

f) National Guard, the main function of which is to manage the territorial reserve and the mobilisation thereof;

g) Military Police Department (‘the Military Police’), the functions and powers of which are defined by Chapter IV of this Code;

h) Military Intelligence Department, the main function of which is to carry out intelligence activities within the scope of the powers granted thereto under the legislation of Georgia;

i) Training and Military Education Command, the main function of which is to provide military education to the personnel of the Defence Forces, to ensure the training and evaluation of units and to provide the Defence Forces with doctrines and various guideline documents within the scope of its powers;

j) Force Logistic Support Command, the main function of which is to provide logistic support to the Defence Forces.

3. During martial law, the Defence Forces shall also incorporate:

a) legal entities under public law operating within the system of the Ministry:

a.a) David Aghmashenebeli National Defence Academy of Georgia;

a.b) Giorgi Abramishvili Military Hospital of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia;

a.c) the Cyber Security Bureau;

a.d) the National Agency for Military Conscription and Recruitment;

b) the following entities within the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia:

b.a) the Border Police of Georgia, a state subordinate agency;

b.b) the Special Tasks Department;

b.c) the Strategic Pipelines Protection Department;

b.d) the Facilities Protection Department;

b.e) the Emergency Management Service, a state subordinate agency within the governance of the Ministry;

c) the following entities within the State Security Service of Georgia:

c.a) structural units performing combat or facilities protection functions;

c.b) a structural unit of the Operative-Technical Agency of Georgia, a Legal Entity under Public Law within the governance of the State Security Service of Georgia, which is responsible for ensuring cyber security;

d) a structural unit of the Digital Governance Agency, a Legal Entity under Public Law within the governance of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, which is responsible for ensuring cyber security.

4. In accordance with paragraph 3 of this article, during martial law, the social protection guarantees provided for the employees of the system of the Ministry by this Code and other legal acts shall extend to the employees of the state bodies incorporated in the Defence Forces.

5. During martial law, the Defence Forces shall operate in accordance with a predetermined, different table of organisation under a decision of the Chief of the Defence Forces.

6. During martial law, the military command of the entities incorporated in the Defence Forces shall be exercised by the Chief of the Defence Forces.

7. To carry out coordinated interaction during martial law and/or a state of emergency, or an emergency situation, the entities referred to in paragraph 3 of this article shall have the right to exchange relevant information, ensure the planning/conduct of joint exercises/training/courses, prepare operation plans, Standing Operating Procedures, and relevant draft legal acts in peacetime, in coordination with the Ministry.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 12 – Levels of military command of the Defence Forces

1. The levels of military command of the Defence Forces shall be:

a) strategic level;

b) operational level;

c) tactical level.

2. The strategic level shall be the setting of strategic military goals, the definition of ways to achieve them and the provision of the appropriate resources, the development of the capabilities of the Defence Forces, the ensurance of their combat readiness, and the transformation of a political decision into a military mission.

3. The operational level shall be the planning of activities and military operations to ensure combat readiness for military strategic missions, the monitoring and control of their fulfillment, and the definition of the requirements necessary to develop the capabilities of the Defence Forces.

4. The tactical level shall be the fulfilment of tactical missions defined at the operational level.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 13 – Chief of the Defence Forces

1. The Chief of the Defence Forces shall perform and take responsibility for the military command of the Defence Forces.

2. The Chief of the Defence Forces shall be accountable to the Minister, the Prime Minister of Georgia and the President of Georgia.

3. The Chief of the Defence Forces shall be appointed and may be dismissed by the President of Georgia on the recommendation of the Government of Georgia.

4. A candidate for the position of the Chief of the Defence Forces and an initiative on the dismissal of the Chief of the Defence Forces from position shall be submitted to the Government of Georgia by the Minister.

5. The Chief of the Defence Forces shall be a member of the National Defence Council.

6. The Chief of the Defence Forces shall:

a) command the Defence forces, including the execution of the orders of the Prime Minister of Georgia and the Minister;

b) be responsible for ensuring the combat and mobilisation readiness of the Defence Forces, their development and the fulfilment of the missions assigned thereto;

c) determine the composition, structure, functions and command procedure of the combined forces (several task forces consisting of the forces of more than one agency under the command of the combined forces) for the performance of combat missions;

d) issue individual administrative acts within the scope of the powers granted thereto by the legislation of Georgia;

e) organise the development of doctrines, military manuals and other guideline documents for the Defence Forces in order to ensure the command of the Defence Forces;

f) exercise other powers provided for by relevant legal acts.

Law of Georgia No 801 of 26 June 2025 – website, 30.6.2025

 

Article 14 – Procedure for ensuring the readiness of the Defence Forces

The procedure for ensuring the readiness of the Defence Forces shall be approved by the Minister with due consideration of the current situation/threats.

 

Article 15 – Quantity of the Defence Forces

1. The maximum number of the Defence Forces shall be approved annually by the Parliament of Georgia based on the request of the Ministry and upon the recommendation of the Government of Georgia.

2. For the purposes of paragraph 1 of this article, the quantity of the Defence Forces shall include the military personnel of the system of the Ministry.

3. The number of the Defence Forces shall be submitted for approval to the Parliament of Georgia together with the draft Law on the State Budget.

4. The limitation on the number of the Defence Forces approved by the Parliament of Georgia shall not apply:

a) during martial law and/or a state of emergency;

b) to the number of persons to be conscripted to the reserve military service;

c) to the temporary positions available in the Ministry.

 

Article 16 – International standards

1. In order to strengthen the state defence capacity and the state security of Georgia, the Ministry shall be focused on introducing and developing a standardisation and national codification system promoting the defence capacity of Georgia, compatible with the standards of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union.

2. The introduction of a standardisation and national codification system promoting the defence capacity of Georgia implies the unimpeded exchange of information stored in a database identifying standards and supplies with the relevant structures of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the European Union, in compliance with all data exchange requirements.

3. The standardisation and national codification system promoting the defence capacity of Georgia shall be introduced and developed through close inter-agency coordination and cooperation.

4. The process of the introduction, operation and monitoring of the standardisation and national codification system promoting the defence capacity of Georgia shall be coordinated by the Ministry.

 

Chapter IV – Military Police

 

Article 17 – Legal status of the Military Police

1. The Military Police is a special structural law enforcement unit of the Defence Forces, which, under the legislation of Georgia, carries out the investigation of the cases within its competence under the criminal procedure legislation of Georgia, performs operative and investigative activities, responds to administrative offences, protects the facilities of the Ministry and the deployment sites of the units of the Defence Forces and, within the scope of its powers, fights against crime and performs other functions provided for by the legislation of Georgia.

2. The Military Police performs the duties assigned thereto in the entire territory of Georgia, as well as in the deployment sites of the Defence Forces in the territories of foreign countries, and operates in a unified, centralised manner.

 

Article 18 – Legal grounds for the operation of the Military Police

The legal grounds for the operation of the Military Police shall be the Constitution of Georgia, the international treaties of Georgia, the criminal legislation of Georgia, this Code, and other legislative and subordinate legal acts.

 

Article 19 – Basic principles of operation of the Military Police

1. The activities of the Military Police shall be based on the principles of legality, the protection of the honour and dignity of a person, humanism, political neutrality, and the principle of publicity as provided for by the legislation of Georgia, as well as the unity and centralised management of the system of the Military Police.

2. An employee of the Military Police shall respect and protect the rights of a person.

3. An employee of the Military Police may not:

a) establish a political association of citizens and participate in its activities;

b) disclose information containing state, official or commercial secrets (except for the cases provided for by Article 50(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia) and the materials of investigation;

c) organise and/or conduct and participate in a strike, assembly or demonstration;

d) have a paid side job except for scientific, pedagogical, or creative activities, or hold any position in any other agency, or perform any paid work and/or hold any position in a body or establishment of a foreign country.

 

Article 20 – Prosedural supervision

, the investigation of crimes assigned to the jurisdiction of the Ministry under the legislation of Georgia shall be supervised by the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 21 – International relations

Based on the international treaties of Georgia, the Military Police shall cooperate with the law enforcement bodies of foreign countries and international organisations in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.

 

Article 22 – Cooperation of the Military Police with other state bodies, public organisations and citizens

In order to fulfil the tasks assigned thereto, the Military Police shall cooperate with the structural units of the Ministry, the law enforcement bodies and other state bodies, public organisations and citizens in accordance with the procedures established by the legislation of Georgia.

 

Article 23 – Goals and objectives of the operation of the Military Police

The goals and objectives of the operation of the Military Police shall be:

a) under the investigative jurisdiction determined by the legislation of Georgia, the prevention, detection and investigation of crimes, and the search for and arrest of offenders on the basis of the powers granted to it by this Code and other normative acts;

b) in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, the control of the observance of discipline by the employees of the system of the Ministry, the prevention and identification of administrative offences and appropriate legal responses thereto at the facilities and in the territories used by the Ministry and within and beyond the deployment sites of the Defence Forces, based on the powers granted to it by the Administrative Offences Code of Georgia and other normative acts;

c) ensuring the security of the system of the Ministry;

d) in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, carrying out measures to protect the facilities and territories used by the Ministry, the deployment sites of the Defence Forces and the perimeters of the military facilities of the Ministry, and ensuring the internal security of units via measures taken by a security officer;

e) obtaining, processing and analysing information within the scope of its powers;

f) other goals and objectives provided for by the legislation of Georgia.

 

Article 24 – Powers of the Military Police

The powers of the Military Police shall be:

a) the prevention, detection and investigation of crimes and the execution of investigative and procedural actions provided for by law within the investigative jurisdiction determined by the legislation of Georgia;

b) within the limits established by the legislation of Georgia, the conduct of operative and investigative activities, the prevention/detection of crimes, and the initiation/carrying out of investigations;

c) the performance of covert video recording and/or audio recording, photography, and electronic surveillance via technical means that cause no harm to human life, health and the environment, in accordance with the legislation of Georgia;

d) within the limits established by the legislation of Georgia, the search for persons evading conscription into the national military service of conscripts, reporting to the mobilisation reserve military service or performing military service and, if necessary, ensuring their reporting to the relevant service;

e) the prevention and detection of administrative offences and appropriate legal responses thereto within the scope of the powers granted by the legislation of Georgia;

f) ensuring the protection of legal order in the Defence Forces;

g) ensuring the implementation of measures for the protection of the facilities of the Ministry and those of legal entities under public law operating within the system of the Ministry;

h) ensuring the implementation of the security measures of the Ministry and its system;

i) ensuring the safety of high-ranking civil and military officials of the defence systems of foreign countries on official visits in the Ministry and in Georgia (if necessary, escorting them) in cooperation with the relevant institutions;

j) requiring the protection of legal order in accordance with the procedures established by the legislation of Georgia, and in the cases of a failure to fulfil that requirement, taking measures provided for by the legislation of Georgia;

k) ensuring the operation of security officers in the deployment sites of the Defence Forces;

l) ensuring public safety during the deployment of the Defence Forces and the movement of military equipment and vehicles, blocking sections of roads and streets or restricting traffic in relevant areas when carrying out certain operative and investigative activities in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;

m) in the cases of emergency, when pursuing a person, when delivering a detained person to the police or delivering a person in need of urgent medical aid to a medical institution, the use of vehicles (except for vehicles and special transport of diplomatic missions, consular offices and international organisations) free of charge in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;

n) during martial law and/or a state of emergency, the exercise of special control and powers determined by the legislation of Georgia in populated areas, on highways and in territorial waters;

o) the use of the media in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia to determine the circumstances of a crime and the identity of persons committing the crime, to search for absconders, and missing persons, to identify unidentified dead bodies, prevent crimes and enhance legal order;

p) contacting the relevant authorities, in accordance with the established procedures, with a request to delay the scheduled departure of rail, sea or air transport for a reasonable period to ensure the personal protection of passengers when detaining or arresting an accused;

q) drawing up an administrative offence report in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;

r) checking the official documents of employees of the system of the Ministry, checking the ID of a person to be interrogated regarding a case if there is sufficient information about the commission of a crime or administrative misconduct or disciplinary violation by that person;

s) the prevention of the organisation of illegal speeches/assemblies, demonstrations and other actions by military personnel within the scope of their powers;

t) within the investigative jurisdiction determined by the legislation of Georgia, carrying out registration, fingerprinting, photographing, filming, video and audio recording of an accused and/or an unidentified dead body, taking samples for comparative research and conducting expert research in criminal cases and cases of administrative offence;

u) stopping a vehicle and taking the measures provided for by the legislation of Georgia where a military service person commits an offence;

v) supporting the units of the Defence Forces for the development of the Defence Forces, the enhancement of mobilisation readiness and survivability thereof;

w) the planning of military operations within the scope of their powers and the coordination of the implementation thereof;

x) conducting/supporting manoeuvre and mobility operations, as well as the security of an area of operations and logistics operations;

y) the performance of other special tasks provided for by the legislation of Georgia.

 

Article 25 – Obligations of the Military Police

The Military Police shall be obliged to:

a) allow a detained or arrested person to exercise the right to legal protection under the legislation of Georgia, and inform his/her family, work or the management of the educational institution about that person;

b) during the process of investigation, determine the causes and conditions of a crime, take measures to eliminate crimes, and perform individual preventive work with the offender;

c) ensure the protection of a detained or arrested person and his/her transfer to a detention facility;

d) carry out the written tasks and instructions of a prosecutor and an investigator in accordance with the investigative jurisdiction regarding the performance of investigative actions and operative and investigative activities, assist them in the performance of investigative activities;

e) provide emergency assistance to persons affected as a result of accidents or publicly dangerous acts, persons in a destitute condition, or persons in a state of drug or alcohol intoxication if they are unable to move independently or may cause harm to themselves or the people around them;

f) execute the decisions of a court, a judge, a prosecutor and an investigator regarding the reporting of persons who evade appearing in court, in the prosecutor’s office or an investigative body, and also execute the decisions of a court, a prosecutor and an investigator on the detention or arrest of a person;

g) cooperate with the relevant services of administrative bodies in the process of implementing lawful activities;

h) during martial law, ensure the security of prisoner of war camps and their safe operation in accordance with the procedures established by the legislation of Georgia and in compliance with the procedures and forms established by the international treaties of Georgia.

 

Article 26 – Structure, organisation, leadership, rights and duties of the Military Police, completion of service in the Military Police

1. The structure, organisation, leadership, rights and duties of the Military Police shall be determined by this Code and the statute of the Military Police Department of the Defence Forces of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia.

2. The procedure for serving in the Military Police, including the grounds for hiring, discharging from service and for disciplinary liability, and other issues shall be defined by a normative act of the Minister.

3. The age limit for a service person with a special state rank to serve in the Military Police shall be:

a) 55 years for a service person with a junior special rank, and for a service person with a medium special rank;

b) 60 years for a service person with a senior special rank;

c) 65 years for a service person with a highest special rank.

4. Based on the official interests, the age limit for a service person with a senior special rank (only for a colonel), and for a service person with the highest special rank to serve in the Military Police may be extended, by his/her desire and with the consent of the Minister, for a term of up to 5 years.

5. Reaching of the age limit for serving in the Military Police by a service person with a special state rank specified by paragraphs 3 and 4 of this article shall be the ground for discharging him/her from service.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Chapter V – Military Service

 

Article 27 – Essence of military service

1. Based on the mission assigned to the Defence Forces in accordance with the Constitution of Georgia, military service is a special type of state service.

2. The completion of military service shall only be possible in the system of the Ministry.

3. With regard to the admission of a person to military service and service relations with the military service person, within the frameworks established by the legislation of Georgia, a legal act of the Minister may determine the issues of the management policy of the military personnel.

4. If the issues provided for by this Chapter in connection with persons subject to conscription/conscripted to the National Military Service of conscripts are otherwise regulated by other norms of this Code, the norms otherwise regulating the above issues shall apply to persons subject to conscription/conscripted to the national military service of conscripts.

 

Article 28 – Types of military service

1. Types of military service shall be:

a) regular military service;

b) reserve military service.

2. The regular military service comprises:

a) professional military service;

b) national military service of conscripts.

3. The reserve military service comprises:

a) active reserve military service;

b) mobilisation reserve military service.

 

Article 29 – Military oath

1. The text of the military oath shall be approved by the Government of Georgia upon the recommendation of the Ministry.

2. A military service person shall confirm the taking of a military oath with a signature.

 

Article 30 – Status of a military service person

1. A person shall acquire the status of a military service person:

a) in the case he/she is enlisted in the national military service of conscripts – from the day he/she is enrolled in the Ministry’s system until he/she is discharged from service;

b) from the day he/she is appointed to a position in the professional military service or the active reserve, or enlisted in the mobilisation reserve military service until he/she is discharged from service;

c) upon acquiring the status of a student on a Bachelor’s programme of a military academy in accordance with the procedure established by the Law of Georgia on Higher Education up to his/her discharge from service;

d) on the day of his/her appointment to a military position in a legal entity under public law operating within the system of the Ministry up to his/her discharge from the service;

e) in other cases provided for by this Code.

2. During military service, a military service person shall be a representative of the state government and shall be protected by the State.

3. An individual administrative act of the Minister shall be used to:

a) appoint a military service person to a position and to discharge him/her from a position/military service;

b) enrol a conscript enlisted in the national military service of conscripts in the Ministry’s system, and/or to appoint him/her to a position and to discharge him/her from a position/military service.

4. During martial law and/or a state of emergency or mobilisation, the particularities of the status of a military service person shall be determined by the legislation of Georgia.

5. A military service person shall be on a state allowance.

6. A military service person taken captive (if the captivity was not voluntary and the captive did not commit an act against Georgia), a military service person taken hostage, or an intern in a neutral state, shall retain the status of a military service person.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 31 – Performance of official duties by a military service person

To regulate the legal relationships connected to the completion of military service by a military service person, the following shall be considered as the fulfilment of the official duties thereof:

a) participation in combat operations;

b) performance of combat duty;

c) execution of an order of or a mission assigned by a commander;

d) remaining on the site of service during the time period established by the daily detail, or in the case of official necessity;

e) being on business trips;

f) staying in a medical facility for treatment;

g) travelling to and from work;

h) travelling to and from a treatment facility based on an official referral;

i) participating in a military training, including in field exercises;

j) being a captive (except for pre-determined capture/surrender), a hostage or an interned person;

k) going missing until being declared as missing or dead in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;

l) participating in peacekeeping operations;

m) daily routine.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 32 – Rights and privileges of military service persons

1. A military service person shall enjoy the rights and freedoms established for a citizen of Georgia. The above rights and freedoms may be partially restricted on the basis of this Code and other legal acts, in proportion to the requirements of military service.

2. With due consideration of the conditions of military service, a military service person shall have the right to study in an authorised educational institution in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.

3. With due consideration of the conditions of military service, a commander shall support the military service person in exercising his/her right to education.

4. A military service person shall use libraries, sports, cultural and educational institutions, sports facilities and equipment within the deployment sites of the unit. He/she shall also have the right to participate in sports and extracurricular activities.

5. A military service person shall have the right to practice religious customs unless it interferes with the performance of official duties or creates conditions for additional benefits.

6. A military service person shall have the right to change the location of his/her military service, if he/she or a member of his/her family, as determined by the legal act of the Minister, needs to change workplace or the place of residence due to health conditions, which shall be confirmed by a relevant medical report.

7. A military service person, in the case of the donation of blood or its components during working hours, shall be excused from detail, watch and other duties of military service on the day of donation.

8. A military service person shall enjoy the right to travel by railway and municipal transport free of charge within the limits of the allocations to the Ministry from the State Budget of Georgia.

9. A military service person shall pay 50% of the fees for electricity, natural gas, potable water/wastewater system and cleaning services, and the remaining 50% shall be reimbursed from the State Budget of Georgia from the allocations to the Ministry under the annual budget law.

 

Article 33 – Duties of a military service person

1. A military service person shall be obliged to:

a) become familiar with the functions and duties assigned to him/her and perform them in good faith;

b) take care of state property;

c) observe the norms of ethics established for a military service person;

d) keep state secrets entrusted to him/her;

e) obey a commander and fulfil his/her legal orders and tasks accurately and in a timely manner;

f) fulfil the requirements of the legislation of Georgia.

2. A military service person shall be obliged to perform his/her official duties as determined by this Code and the legal acts adopted/issued on the basis of other legislative acts.

3. A military service person shall be obliged to observe the legal acts relating to his/her service without special direction/request.

4. A military service person shall refuse to carry out an illegal order if he/she knew or should have known about its illegality and shall act in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.

5. During the performance of his/her duties, a military service person shall move only on the basis of the permission of his/her immediate commander.

6. Due to the particularities of the military service, a military service person shall be obliged to be in constant readiness to work upon call-up.

 

Article 34 – Activities compatible with the status of a military service person

1. A military service person may not be a member of a political union (political party) of citizens, organise and/or participate in assemblies and demonstrations, or perform other paid activities, except for the cases provided for by paragraph 2 of this article.

2. The following shall be compatible with the status of a military service person:

a) by a prior written agreement of the Ministry, scientific, pedagogical, creative, medical activities, activities carried out in the area of information technologies, or the activities carried out in the area of aviation within a state enterprise or an enterprise established with the shareholding of the State;

b) by a prior written agreement of the Ministry (including with the involvement of the Ministry in the selection), activities carried out in positions in international organisations abroad to achieve the goals of an international partnership and/or in peacekeeping operations.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 35 – General provisions regarding the responsibility of a military service person

1. According to the nature and severity of an offence committed by a military service person, he/she shall be subject to disciplinary, civil, and criminal liability, as well as administrative liability in accordance with the procedures established by this Code and other legal acts.

2. The State shall compensate material and non-material damage caused to another person by a military service person while performing his/her official duties.

3. A military service person or a former military service person shall compensate for material and non-material damage caused to the State or another person while performing his/her duties if that damage was caused by his/her intentional or negligent unlawful action.

4. If an early termination of a contract concluded with a military service person is not based on the grounds for discharge from military service as determined by Article 86(1)(a), (b), (d-f), (i-k) and (o) of this Code, the early termination of the above contract shall incur the imposition of a fine in the amount of GEL 1 500 to GEL 28 000 on the person, if the contract concluded with him/her, approved by an individual administrative act of the Minister, provides for the obligation to pay a fine in a specific amount. The person shall be obliged to pay the fine imposed on him/her within a month after the early termination of the contract.

5. The obligation to pay the imposed fine provided for by paragraph 4 of this article, and the penalty specified in a contract concluded with a military service person for securing payment of the fine shall be terminated when the person dies.

6. The obligation to pay the imposed fine provided for by paragraph 4 of this article, and the penalty specified in a contract concluded with a military service person for securing payment of the fine shall be terminated if the person who must fulfil the said  obligation:

a) voluntarily undergoes military service once again for the term of 2 years;

b) had received the living allowance provided for by the Law of Georgia on Social Assistance for 4 years from the imposition of the obligation to pay the fine.

7. The payment of the imposed fine provided for by paragraph 4 of this article, and the penalty specified in a contract concluded with a military service person for securing payment of the fine shall be deferred by an individual administrative act of the Minister or a person authorised by him/her:

a) until the expiration of the 2-year term established by paragraph 6(a) of this article;

b) until the expiration of the 4-year term established by paragraph 6(b) of this article.

8. Under a decree of the Government of Georgia, it shall be possible to exempt a person or a group of persons from the obligation to pay the imposed fine provided for by paragraph 4 of this article, and the penalty specified in a contract concluded with a military service person for securing payment of the fine, or to cut down the amount of the said fine or penalty.

9. Except as provided for by the legislation of Georgia, the obligation to pay the imposed fine provided for by paragraph 4 of this article, and the penalty specified in a contract concluded with a military service person for securing payment of the fine may be paid in instalments for a period of not more than 5 years, based on a written request of the person who must fulfil this obligation, if he/she submits an appropriate guarantee for the amounts of the said fine and penalty. The Minister or a commission set up by his/her individual administrative act shall have the authority to make a decision on the payment of the fine and penalty in instalments.

10. In the case of a failure to pay the imposed fine within the time limits established by paragraph 4 of this article, the Minister or a person authorised thereby shall issue an individual administrative act to ensure the enforcement of the above fine, which is a subordinate act of enforcement provided for by Article 2(z₃) of the Law of Georgia On Enforcement Proceedings.

11. The individual administrative act provided for by paragraph 10 of this article shall enter into force upon its promulgation.

12. Appealing against the individual administrative act provided for by paragraph 10 of this article before a court or a superior administrative body shall not suspend its effect.

13. The court shall be obliged to provide the Ministry with copies of a judgement delivered against a military service person and/or a ruling on the application of measures of restraint and a decision regarding an administrative offence.

14. A municipality within the administrative boundaries of which the structural unit of the Ministry where the service person serves is located shall be considered the place of execution of a contract unless otherwise provided for by that contract.

15. A military service person may not be advanced to an office and/or in rank during the effective period of disciplinary or criminal liability imposed on him/her.

16. An individual administrative act of an authorised person on the premature termination of a contract concuded with a military service person shall be made available for review to the related person in one of the following forms, in the order set by this paragraph:

a) by the determining authority through making the decision available for review/announcing the decision to the related person, including through an electronic records management programme;

b) by serving the decision on the related person to the address of his/her registration, actual location or place of work, which will be verified by the document signed by that person, and if he/she refuses to sign the document, it will be verified by the document signed by a person with the authority to accept the decision;

c) by serving the decision on the related person through another technical means of communication, which will be verified by an act drawn up by the determining authority;

d) by publishing the decision on the webpage of the Ministry for as long as one month, not later than 5 working days after the failure to serve the decision on the related person under the procedure established by subparagraph c) of this paragraph.

17. Where so provided for by paragraph 16(d) of this article, the decision shall be considered to have been officially made available for review to the related person on the 7^th day after publication.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 36 – Protection of life and health of a military service person

1. The protection of the life and health of military personnel shall be ensured by the State by providing healthy living conditions for military service and by a system of measures aimed at reducing risk factors typical to military service.

2. The medical examination/expert examination of the health of a recruit and a military service person shall be carried out by a military medical commission.

3. When conducting a medical examination/expert examination, the military medical commission shall be guided by the list of relevant diseases/injuries.

4. The procedure for the establishment of the military medical examination, the organisation of medical examinations/expert examinations and the procedure for the execution thereof, as well as the list of relevant diseases/injuries, shall be approved by a normative act of the Minister.

 

Article 37 – Remuneration of military personnel under special conditions

1. A military service person taking direct participation in combat operations or carrying out special tasks in peacetime shall be paid a triple amount of salary relevant to his/her rank on the basis of an individual administrative act of the Minister.

2. A military service person who did not directly participate in combat operations but ensured the sustainment thereof shall be given a double amount of the salary relevant to his/her rank on the basis of an individual administrative act of the Minister.

3. A military service person who performs military service in an environment harmful to health, as determined by the legislation of Georgia, shall be paid one and a half times the amount of salary relevant to his/her rank on the basis of an individual administrative act of the Minister.

4. In relation to a military service person for whom, for the circumstances provided for by paragraphs 1-3 of this article, salaries are established in triple, double and one-and-a-half times according to his/her rank, the length of service shall be calculated according to the same principle only for the purpose of assigning state compensation.

 

Article 38 – The right of a military service person to a residential space (apartment)

During the period of military service, a military service person shall be provided with living conditions and, if necessary, with a residential space (apartment) in accordance with the procedure established by the Minister.

 

Article 39 – Military positions

1. The military positions corresponding to military occupational specialities shall be determined by the table of organisation approved by an individual administrative act of the Minister.

2. Branches, military occupational specialities and their codes, as well as officials authorised to grant them, shall be determined by an individual administrative act of the Minister.

 

Article 40 – Temporary assignment of duties of a military service person

1. The assignment of military duties arising from a vacant position, as well as the duties of a military service person temporarily absent from his/her position to another service person, shall be carried out on the basis of an individual administrative act of the Minister. In such cases, the respective military service person may be released from the performance of his/her primary official duties.

2. In exceptional cases, when it is impossible to assign to another person the performance of the military duties arising from a vacant position, as well as the duties of a military service person temporarily absent from his/her position, a person enlisted in the active reserve may be appointed to that position for a period determined by an individual administrative act of the Minister with his/her consent, if the person meets the qualification requirements established for that relevant position.

3. The duties of a military service person temporarily absent from his/her position may, on the basis of an individual administrative act of the Minister, be assigned to a civilian:

a) in a military academy;

b) in a medical, financial or legal position.

4. In the cases provided for by this article, a service person shall be remunerated in accordance with the procedure established by a legal act of the Minister.

5. In the case provided for by this article, a military service person may be released from performing his/her primary functions.

 

Article 41 – Voluntary military training programme for junior reserve officers and voluntary military training programme for students

1. The following persons shall, of their own will and by decision of the Ministry, be admitted to a voluntary military training programme for junior reserve officers without being awarded the status of a military service person:

a) a student of an authorised higher educational institution;

b) a person with a bachelor’s academic degree.

2. A student under the age of 23, with an active status, of a higher educational institution of Georgia, or a foreign higher educational institution recognised under the procedure established by the legislation of a foreign country, who has military registration of conscripts, and a person provided for by Article 65(1)(d.b) of this Code, who cannot fully enjoy the right to defer conscription into the national military service of conscripts under the said article due to his/her study for a higher education programme in the form of distance learning, shall, of their own will and by decision of the Ministry, be admitted to the voluntary military training programme for students without being awarded the status of a military service person.

3. The duration of the military training programme provided for by this article and the issues of its completion, including the age of a person to be admitted to the said programme, and the procedure and conditions for his/her admission to the programme, shall be defined by a normative act of the Minister.

4. During the programme, a person admitted to the military training programme provided for by this article shall be provided with:

a) mandatory state health and life insurance at the expense of the State;

b) food and general supplies provided for a military service person within the framework of the norms established by the legislation of Georgia.

5. According to a decision of the Ministry, a person admitted to the military training programme provided for by this article may:

a) be granted a scholarship reimbursed from the allocations of LEPL David Aghmashenebeli National Defence Academy of Georgia;

b) conclude a contract;

c) be given other benefits established for a military service person by the legislation of Georgia.

6. A person admitted to the military training programme provided for by this article may undergo military training assembly within the scope of the said programme. During the military training assembly, for the purpose of his/her military education, he/she shall be provided with firearms and ammunition.

7. Where a person admitted to the military training programme provided for by this article is wounded/maimed, or dies during his/her period at the military training assembly, the said person/member of his/her family shall be entitled to the social guarantees established for a military service person by this Code and the relevant legal acts.

8. After a person completes (graduates from) the military training programme provided for by this article and is awarded a military rank, his national military service of conscripts shall be considered completed and the person shall be removed from the military register of conscripts.

9. A conscript who fails to complete the relevant military training programme provided for by this article shall not be awarded the relevant military rank, his national military service of conscripts shall not be deemed completed, and he will be included in the military register of conscripts.

10. After completing (finishing) the military training programme provided for by this article and being awarded a military rank, a person, except for a person with the status of a military service person, shall be enlisted in the high readiness mobilisation reserve or, if desired, admitted to the professional military service.

11. A voluntary military training programme for junior reserve officers may be completed under the procedure defined by a normative act of the Minister by a person with the status of a military service person who is a student of an authorised higher educational institution or who holds a Bachelor’s academic degree.

Law of Georgia No 3815 of 30 November 2023 – website, 19.12.2023

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 42 – Military ranks

1. Military ranks shall be:

a) privates – Private, Private First Class;

b) corporals – Corporal, Corporal Specialist;

c) sergeants – Junior Sergeant, Sergeant, Senior Sergeant, Master Sergeant, Sergeant Major;

d) officers:

d.a) junior officers – Lieutenant, Senior Lieutenant, Captain;

d.b) senior officers – Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel;

d.c) general officers – Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, General.

2. Issues of rank subordination shall be regulated by military regulations.

 

Article 43 – Awarding a military rank

1. A military rank of a private shall be awarded to:

a) a person enrolled in the national military service of conscripts;

b) a junker enrolled in the military academy, if he/she does not have any other military rank;

c) a person in contract-based military service, if he/she does not have any other military rank;

d) a person enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces, if he/she does not have any other military rank;

e) a person who completed the voluntary military training programme for students.

2. The military rank of a junior sergeant shall be awarded to a person:

a) who has completed the appropriate junior sergeant course. The issues of its completion shall be regulated by an individual administrative act of the Minister;

b) who has graduated from a voluntary military training programme for junior reserve officers and who has not been granted a Bachelor’s academic degree and one of the military rank of Sergeant by the day of its completion;

c) who has completed an 11-month national military service of conscripts and during that period:

c.a) has completed the respective Sergeants Course and was appointed to the junior sergeants’ commanding position;

c.b) has completed a respective training programme for junior officers, has been appointed to a junior officers’ commanding position of grade or to a staff post, and has not been awarded a Bachelor’s academic degree;

c.c) has completed a respective course for sergeants or a respective programme for junior officers and has been appointed to a pre-defined specialist position.

3. The military rank of Lieutenant shall be awarded to a person:

a) who has completed a Bachelor’s programme at a military academy;

b) who has been awarded an academic degree and who has completed the Junior Officers Candidate Training Programme;

c) who has graduated from the voluntary military training programme for junior reserve officers and is awarded a Bachelor’s academic degree on the day of completion of that programme, or who presents a document certifying his/her Bachelor’s academic degree within 5 years after the completion of that programme, and is under the age of 35;

d) who has completed an 11-month national military service of conscripts and during that period completed the relevant Junior Officers Training Programme, was appointed to a junior officers’ commanding position or to a staff post, is awarded an academic degree on the day of completion of service, or presents a document certifying his/her academic degree within 10 years after the completion of service, and is under the age of 35.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 44 – Term of service for awarding the next military rank

1. The term of service for awarding the next military rank shall be established as follows:

a) from Private to Private First Class – 1 year;

b) from Private First Class to Corporal or Corporal Specialist – 1 year;

c) (Deleted – 24.6.2025, No 713);

d) from Junior Sergeant to Sergeant – 3 years;

e) from Sergeant to Senior Sergeant – 4 years;

f) from Senior Sergeant to Master Sergeant – 4 years;

g) from Master Sergeant to Sergeant Major – 5 years;

h) from Lieutenant to Senior Lieutenant – 2 years;

i) from Senior Lieutenant to Captain – 3 years;

j) from Captain to Major – 4 years;

k) from Major to Lieutenant Colonel – 5 years;

l) from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel – 6 years.

2. The term of service for awarding the next military rank shall not be established for general officers.

3. The term of service for awarding the next military rank to persons enlisted in the active reserve shall be twice as long as the minimum term established for awarding the next military rank provided for by paragraph 1 of this article. At the same time, the term of service established for awarding the next military rank to the above persons shall include the period from the date of their appointment to a position in the active reserve to their discharge from military service.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 45 – Procedure for awarding the next military rank

1. A military service person shall be granted the next military rank successively, without skipping ranks.

2. A military service person (except for general officers) shall be awarded the next military rank if the following conditions are present simultaneously:

a) the term of service established for the award of the next military rank has expired, except for the case provided for by paragraph 9 of this article;

b) the military service person meets the qualification requirements established for the next military rank to be awarded thereto;

c) the military service person holds a position higher than his/her actual military rank;

d) the Selection Board made a positive decision on the award of the next military rank (promotion in rank) only for the rank categories of military service persons provided for by paragraph 5 of this article, whose promotion in rank is conducted in a centralised manner, by a decision of the Selection Board.

3. To be awarded the military rank of general officers, a military service person must meet the requirements provided for by paragraphs 2(b) and (c) of this article, and to be awarded the first military rank of general officers, the requirements provided for by paragraph 4 of this article as well.

4. The first military rank of general officers may be awarded to a military service person with a military rank of a Colonel if they occupied the position of a Colonel for 2 years and the position of a general officer for 1 year.

5. The rules and procedures for the promotion of a military service person in rank, as well as the rank categories of military service persons whose promotion in rank shall be conducted in a centralised manner, by a decision of the Selection Board, shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

6. A military rank, except for the military ranks of general officers, shall be awarded by the Minister.

7. The military ranks of general officers shall be awarded by the President of Georgia with the countersignature of the Prime Minister of Georgia.

8. The Minister shall recommend the candidacy of a military service person for the military rank of a general officer.

9. A military service person may be awarded the next military rank prematurely only during war.

10. A military service person may be temporarily awarded a military rank in a case provided for by Article 72(11) of this Code.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 46 – Limitations for awarding a military rank

During a period of military service, a military service person may not be awarded a military rank, if:

a) a disciplinary liability provided for by this Code is imposed on him/her;

b) he/she is being prosecuted.

 

Article 47 – Annulment of military rank and termination of rights to benefit from social guarantees

1. According to a decision of a court, the military rank of a person shall be annulled in the cases provided for by the Criminal Code of Georgia.

2. In the case of the annulment of a military rank, the right to benefit from social guarantees, which arise with respect to military service, shall be terminated.

 

Article 48 – Qualification requirements and duties and responsibilities

1. The qualification requirements for each military position and each military rank shall be determined by an individual administrative act of the Minister.

2. A military service person shall meet the qualification requirements both before his/her admittance to military service and during military service.

3. The duties and responsibilities and official instructions of a military service person shall be determined by an individual administrative act of the Minister.

4. A military service person may be sent on a business trip to another public institution to perform his/her duties.

 

Article 49 – Business trip

1. A military service person shall be sent on a business trip on the basis of an individual administrative act of the Minister.

2. An order on a business trip of a military service person shall determine its purpose, location and time frame, daily allowance, as well as the issues of rations, travel and accommodation during the trip.

3. If a military service person is sent on a business trip outside Georgia, issues related to the business trip shall be regulated in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, and in the case of a business trip within Georgia, by a normative act of the Minister.

4. If a military service person is sent on a business trip on the basis of an oral administrative act due to official needs, the corresponding written legal act must be issued within 3 working days.

 

Article 50 – Special mode of operation

1. During martial law and/or a state of emergency, an emergency situation, training, maintaining combat readiness, or other special circumstances, a special mode of operation may be declared in the Defence Forces or any unit of the Defence Forces for a certain period of time (confinement to barracks) by an individual administrative act of the Minister, which implies the permanent confinement of military personnel of the unit to the deployment site of that specific unit. During that period, a service person of the unit may not leave the deployment site of the unit without the consent of the commander.

2. During the special mode of operation of the unit, by decision of the Minister, it shall be allowed:

a) not to satisfy the report/application of a service person on the release from work;

b) to prohibit a service person from taking temporary time off or leave, except for the cases of severe family emergencies or other good reasons;

c) to terminate/suspend a period of leave of a service person (except for leave for health reasons, for pregnancy, childbirth and childcare, and for newborn adoption).

3. During martial law and/or a state of emergency:

a) a military service person (including a person in the national military service of conscripts) may not be discharged from service until the relevant decision is made by the Minister;

b) any type of leave shall be terminated/suspended (except for the leave provided for by subparagraph d) of this paragraph, and leave for health reasons, for pregnancy, childbirth and childcare, and for newborn adoption);

c) a military service person absent from service shall be obliged to immediately return to his/her place of deployment;

d) if necessary, a military service person may be granted short-term leave for a period of up to 10 calendar days. The days of leave used by the service person as provided for by this subparagraph shall not be deducted from other periods of leave provided for by this Code;

e) a military service person on leave shall return to the place of his/her deployment within a reasonable period. If it is not possible to do that, he/she should report to the nearest structural unit of the Ministry, which unit shall inform the immediate commander of the service person thereof.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 51 – Internal regulations of the Defence Forces

1. The internal regulations of the Defence Forces shall be approved by a normative act of the Minister; a service person shall be familiarized with such regulations upon admittance to service, when changing deployment site, and when changes are made to the internal regulations of the Defence Forces.

2. The Internal Regulations of the Defence Forces shall determine:

a) the beginning and the end of working hours;

b) break periods during the working day;

c) conditions and procedures for staying in a relevant facility on weekends and during the holidays, as well as after the end of working hours;

d) the procedure for introducing work-related matters to service persons;

e) general labour protection instructions;

f) the procedure for notification of absence from work;

g) short-term release from work;

h) the procedure for an application for leave;

i) the obligations of a discharged service person;

j) other issues related to the labour relations between the relevant units and service persons.

3. The internal regulations of the Defence Forces shall enter into force on a working day following their approval unless a later date for entry into force is specified by a regulation.

 

Article 52 – Military service record

1. A military service record (calendar years of service) shall include:

a) the period in a military position, except for a period in a position in the active reserve service;

b) the period at a military or training assembly;

c) the period of training at a military academy of Georgia and/or foreign country (junker, cadet, attendee, student), as well as the period of a long-term secondment of a service person abroad for studies;

d) the period of service in the army of the USSR up to 21 December 1991;

e) the period of military service in the agencies (organisations), service in which is/was considered as military service under the legislation of Georgian;

f) the period of placement in a temporary assignment to the human resources office, but for not more than 4 months after each transfer to a temporary assignment to the human resources office;

g) the period of temporary dismissal from position, but for not more than 4 months after each temporary dismissal from position;

h) in the case of a call-up of a person enlisted in the mobilisation reserve, the period between his/her reporting to the assembly point and the end of the mobilisation reserve military service;

i) in the case of a call-up of a person in the active reserve military service, the period between his/her reporting to the relevant unit and the end of active reserve military service in that unit;

j) the period of service in the state agencies of Georgia, if a special rank is equalised with a military rank and the period of service in the special rank is included in the military service record.

2. The period of military service is included in the total service record.

 

Article 53 – Military exercise

1. International exercises and/or joint (national) military exercises, except for the military exercises provided for by paragraph 2 of this article, shall be performed on the basis of an individual administrative act of the Minister.

2. Command Post Exercise of national and strategic levels (with or without the mobilisation of forces), where the employees of the Ministry and/or the employees of the legal entities under public law operating within the system of the Ministry participate along with the representatives of other state agencies and/or legal entities under private law of foreign countries and/or Georgia, shall be performed on the basis of an order of the Prime Minister of Georgia.

 

Article 54 – Procedure for admitting persons having a status of stateless person and foreigners to the military service in Georgia

1. Persons having a status of a stateless person in Georgia:

a) shall be subject to conscription into the national military service of conscripts;

b) may be accepted into professional military service at their own will.

2. A foreign person may be accepted into the military service of Georgia of his/her own will and by the decision of the Prime Minister of Georgia.

3. The decision of the Prime Minister of Georgia provided for by paragraph 2 of this article shall be made on the basis of a report of the State Security Service of Georgia.

4. Instead of swearing in, a person admitted to the military service on the basis of this article shall undertake a written allegiance to the State of Georgia and the military service and swear to strict compliance with the legislation of Georgia. The text of the above written allegiance shall be approved by the Minister in the case provided for by paragraph 1 of this article, and by the Prime Minister of Georgia in the case provided for by paragraph 2 of this article.

Law of Georgia No 769 of 26 June 2025 – website, 27.6.2025

 

Chapter VI – Military Registration

 

Article 55 – Obligation to carry out military registration

1. The military registration of a person shall be mandatory.

2. The following persons shall not be subject to military registration:

a) a woman who does not have a military occupational speciality, except for the case provided for by paragraph 3 of this article;

b) a person who is in the alternative non-military labour service, or who has completed it;

c) a person who has attained the age limit set for the reserve of the Defence Forces;

d) a person who is serving a sentence in the form of imprisonment;

e) a person who has the disability status defined by the legislation of Georgia.

3. The military registration of women who have a military occupational speciality or who have expressed a wish to carry out military registration and/or to complete military service (except for the national military service of conscripts) shall be performed by the entity carrying out military registration.

4. A woman who does not have a military occupational speciality and has carried out military registration of her own will, has the right to refuse military service before being appointed to a position. In such a case, she will be removed from the military registration.

5. A person shall be registered for military service according to the place of his/her registration and if the person does not have a place of registration, at the actual place of his/her residence.

6. When registering for military service, a person shall be released from a work/educational institution and retain his/her place of work/study and the remuneration/scholarship.

7. The procedure for the registration of a person for military service shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia on the recommendation of the Ministry.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 56 – Types of military registration

The types of military registration shall be:

a) military registration of conscripts;

b) military registration of reservists;

c) special military registration.

 

Article 57 – Military registration of conscripts

1. The registration of persons in the military register of conscripts shall be carried out by a legal entity under public law operating within the system of the Ministry established by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

2. To be included in a military register of conscripts, a person shall report immediately when called up by the appropriate authorised official.

3. The registration of persons in the military register of conscripts shall be carried out within the period between 1 January and 30 April of the year when he attains the age of 17, except for the case provided for by paragraph 5 of this article.

4. Persons included in a military register shall be called conscripts.

5. Persons aged 17 to 27 not included in the military register shall be subject to military registration of conscripts. These persons shall be included in the military register of conscripts immediately after the detection of the fact.

6. The inclusion of conscripts in the military register shall be documented in an individual administrative act.

7. A relevant authorised person shall notify a conscript of the decision regarding his military registration and the obligations incurred.

8. A person shall be obliged to:

a) report for military registration according to the new place of residence within the term of 2 weeks in the case of change of place of residence (registration);

b) report to the diplomatic mission or consular office of Georgia abroad for the military registration of conscripts within the term of 2 weeks in the case of a stay abroad for more than one month.

9. The procedure and conditions for the registration of a person provided for by paragraph 8(b) of this article for the military registration of conscripts shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

10. A person shall have the right to appeal in court the decision on his inclusion in the military register of conscripts within 15 calendar days after the official notification of such decision. Appealing against the above decision shall not suspend its effect. The effect of the appealed decision shall be suspended in accordance with the procedure established by Article 29(3) of the Administrative Procedure Code of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 3815 of 30 November 2023 – website, 19.12.2023

 

Article 58 – Military registration of reservists

The military registration of reservists shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure and conditions established by Chapter IX of this Code.

 

Article 59 – Special military registration

1. A service person and/or a person with a special state rank shall be subject to special military registration. Such a person shall be removed from the military registration of conscripts and/or the military registration of reservists.

2. The special military registration of a person provided for by paragraph 1 of this article shall be carried out by the agency where he serves.

3. In the event of the dismissal of a service person and/or a person with a special state rank, the relevant agency shall be obliged, within 2 weeks after his/her dismissal, to send to the entity carrying out military registration a document on the dismissal of the specified service person and/or a person with a special state rank at the place of registration of that person or, in the absence of the place of registration of the person, at the place of his/her actual residence, in order to include the person in the relevant military register.

Law of Georgia No 3815 of 30 November 2023 – website, 19.12.2023

 

Article 60 – Activities related to military registration

1. An educational institution shall immediately notify the person registered/enrolled in that educational institution about his inclusion in the military register of conscripts.

2. An employer, or an educational institution shall have the obligation not to employ a person  from 17 to 27 years of age (except for a person who is not subject to military registration of conscripts) or enrol him/her in an educational institution if he/she fails to present a document certifying his/her enlistment in the military register of conscripts or a document certifying his/her removal from the military register of conscripts.

3. The Ministry shall submit information on the progress, results and statistical data of the military registration of conscripts to the administration of the Government of Georgia.

4. In accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, the Public Service Development Agency, a Legal Entity under Public Law operating within the governance of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, shall:

a) inform, within 10 days, the entity carrying out military registration of the changes/amendments/additions made to the civil record (concerning birth, change of name and/or surname, or death) of a person included in the military register;

b) within 10 days after the registration or removal from registration of a person included in the military register, notify the entity carrying out military registration about the date of the registration or the removal from registration of that person and the new address of his registration (if any).

5. A conscript included in the military register shall provide information regarding his marital status, place of work, place of residence (places of actual residence and registration), change of position, and education within 2 weeks after request.

6. The personal data provided for by this Chapter shall be processed in accordance with the requirements of the Law of Georgia on Personal Data Protection, solely to ensure the implementation of measures related to military registration and to keep statistics to the extent necessary for the achievement of a legitimate purpose.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 61 – Violation of the procedure for military registration

A violation of the procedure for military registration as established by this Code and other legal acts shall entail liability as provided for by the legislation of Georgia.

 

Chapter VII – National Military Service of Conscripts

 

Article 62 – Age of persons to be conscripted to the national military service of conscripts

1. Persons aged 18 to 27 who are included in the military register of conscripts and do not have grounds for exemption from or deferral of conscription into national military service shall be subject to mandatory conscription.

2. A person who has attained the age of 27 and has not completed the national military service of conscripts shall be enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces under the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 63 – Conscription into the national military service of conscripts

1. The basis for conscription into the national military service of conscripts shall be an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

2. Based on paragraph 1 of this article:

a) the initiator of the draft ordinance of the Government of Georgia shall be the Ministry;

b) the draft ordinance of the Government of Georgia shall determine:

b.a) specific time frames for conscription into the national military service of conscripts;

b.b) the number of persons to be conscripted into the national military service of conscripts, based on the relevant requirements;

b.c) organisational issues related to conscription into the national military service of conscripts;

b.d) priorities, procedures and conditions for conscription into the national military service of conscripts.

3. Persons shall be called up for the national military service of conscripts:

a) by technical means or other means of communication;

b) on the basis of the principle of annual random selection, according to the established sequence.

4. The call-up of conscripts for the national military service on the basis of an annual random selection shall be carried out via an electronic system; the issues regarding the management and operation thereof shall be determined by the Government of Georgia.

 

Article 64 – Exemption from conscription into the national military service of conscripts

1. The following persons shall be exempted from conscription into the national military service of conscripts:

a) persons who have been recognised unfit for the national military service of conscripts due to their health condition;

b) persons who completed military service or alternative military service in a foreign country;

c) persons convicted for a grave or especially grave crime;

d) (Deleted – 24.6.2025, No 713);

e) persons whose disability status has expired, during the period from the expiration of the status to the verification thereof, but for not more than 3 months;

f) (Deleted – 24.6.2025, No 713)

g) a person who is an only son in the family, at least one member of which died in battle for the territorial integrity of Georgia or during military service;

h) members of the Parliament of Georgia.

2. Based on the recommendation of the relevant commission, the Prime Minister of Georgia shall be authorised to exempt conscripts gifted with a special talent from conscription into the national military service.

3. The composition and rules of operation of the commission provided for by paragraph 2 of this article shall be determined by the Government of Georgia.

4. A conscript who is subject to exemption from conscription into the national military service of conscripts in accordance with this article, except for the conditions provided for by paragraphs 1(a-d) of this article, may be called up for the national military service of conscripts if he so desires.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 65 – Deferral of the conscription into the national military service of conscripts

1. Conscription into the national military service of conscripts shall be deferred for:

a) persons who are recognised temporarily (for a period of up to 1 year) as unfit for the national military service of conscripts due to their health status;

b) persons with limited fitness for national military service of conscript (for a period of up to 3 years);

c) persons subject to criminal prosecution, until the relevant body makes an appropriate decision;

d) persons who are:

d.a) students with active status on a higher educational programme of a higher educational institution of Georgia recognised in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, until the end of their studies at each level of studies;

d.b) students with active status on a higher educational programme of a higher educational institution of a foreign country recognised in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of the foreign country (except for a higher educational programme carried out completely in the form of distance learning), whose status has not been suspended, until the end of their studies at each level of studies;

e) persons who are residents in a postgraduate stage of higher medical education, and/or persons at a postgraduate stage alternative to residency who, within the period established for mastering the residency programme, undergo professional training in one of the medical specialities, until the end of the residency programme;

f) persons who are vocational students registered in the vocational education management information system, until the completion of the relevant vocational educational programme/short-cycle educational programme, only once, if the right to deferral of the conscription into the national military service of conscripts in accordance with the subparagraphs (d) or (e) of this paragraph was never exercised;

g) persons who are applicants, in the year of completion of a general educational institution, before enrolment for a professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme of an educational institution;

h) persons who are students of a general educational institution, up to the age of 20;

i) persons who in the year of graduation from a general educational institution register for the Unified National Examinations, until the announcement of the results of the Unified National Examinations, and in the case of obtaining the right to enrolment in a higher educational institution based on the results of the Unified National Examinations, until enrolment in a higher educational institution as provided for by subparagraph d) of this paragraph in the same year;

j) persons who, in the year of completion of a Bachelor’s programme of higher academic education, have registered, under the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, for the entrance examination for a Master’s educational programme; in the case of registration for the general postgraduate examination – until the announcement of the results of the general postgraduate examination, and in the case of successful passing of the general postgraduate examination – until the announcement of the results of the examination/examinations defined by the higher educational institution; in the case of registration for the examination/examinations defined by the higher educational institution – until the announcement of the results of the examination/examinations defined by the higher educational institution,  and in the case of successful passing of the examination/examinations defined by the higher educational institution – in the year of graduation from the Bachelor’s programme, until enrolment for a Master’s educational programme of the higher educational institution provided for by subparagraph d) of this paragraph;

k) persons who applied to the Conscription Commission with a request to defer conscription into military service in order to continue studies in a doctoral educational programme of higher academic education, until submitting the corresponding application to the higher educational institution provided for by subparagraph d) of this paragraph in the year of completion of a Master’s educational programme, and after submitting the above application, until the decision on enrolment for a doctoral educational programme is made in the same year by the higher educational institution provided for by subparagraph d) of this paragraph;

l) persons registered in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia in a competition for admission to residency in the year of graduation from a higher medical educational institution, until the end of the competition announced in the year of registration, and in the case of acquiring a seat in the residency based on the results of the competition, until enrolment in a higher educational institution in the same year in the case provided for by subparagraph e) of this paragraph;

m) persons who have a family member (spouse, child, mother, father, sister, brother, grandfather, grandmother) with a disability as determined by the legislation of Georgia, who does not have other supporters. If another person subject to conscription into the national military service of conscripts lives with a family member with a disability, the older person shall be called up to the national military service of conscripts, except for the case where the younger person gives voluntary written consent to undergo the national military service of conscripts;

n) persons who have two or more children;

o) persons who have a dependent minor sister or brother;

p) a person who is the only child of his mother or father;

q) persons who work as doctors or teachers in a general educational institution in a village;

r) persons to whom the Prime Minister of Georgia has granted the right to defer conscription into the national military service of conscripts;

s) persons who have one child, for a period of 3 years from the date of birth of the child;

t) persons who have been awarded a doctoral or equivalent academic degree and are engaged in pedagogical or scientific and research activities;

u) a person who is a single father, whose spouse has died or has been deprived of parental rights;

v) persons who are members of an elected body of the state or local government of Georgia;

w) a person working within the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Special Penitentiary Service, a state subagency institution within the system of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, within the system of the State Security Service of Georgia, or the system of the Special State Protection Service, and exercising the powers exercised by a conscript conscripted into an institution specified in this subparagraph before coming of Article 72(1) of this Code into effect;

x) persons against whom a conditional sentence has been imposed, until the completion of the sentence;

y) persons enlisted in a voluntary military training programme for a junior reserve officer or a voluntary military training programme for students, during the period of the programme;

z) persons who have paid the fee established by this Code for the deferral of conscription into the national military service of conscripts.

2. The decision to grant the right provided for by paragraph 1(r) of this article shall be made on the basis of the recommendation of the relevant commission. The composition and rules of operation of the above commission shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

3. If, on the day of conscription into the national military service of conscripts, the conscript is registered as a candidate for membership of the highest representative body or an elected body of local government in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, his conscription into the national military service of conscripts will be deferred until the official announcement of the results of the relevant elections.

4. In the case provided for by paragraph 1(m) of this article, the conscription of a person to the national military service of a conscript shall not be deferred if a member of his family is a person with a disability but their disability status is established due to such physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment, the presence of which allows persons with disabilities to work in special or individual conditions in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.

5. A conscript who is subject to the deferral of conscription into the national military service in accordance with this article, except for the conditions provided for by paragraph 1(c) of this article, may be voluntarily included in national military service if he so desires.

6. The person provided for by paragraph 1(d.b) of this article, who in accordance with that paragraph cannot enjoy the right to deferral of the conscription into the national military service due to their studies in a higher educational programme in the form of distance learning, in the case of conscription into the national military service shall be entitled to choose and complete the military training programmes determined by Article 41 of this Code or one of the types (time frames) of the national military service of conscripts provided for by Article 72(2) of this Code at his discretion. In addition, in the case the above person completes the military training programmes determined by Article 41 of this Code, the regulatory norms of liability determined for military service persons provided for by the legislation of Georgia shall apply to him.

Law of Georgia No 3815 of 30 November 2023 – website, 19.12.2023

Law of Georgia No 4301 of 27 June 2024 – website, 4.7.2024

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

Law of Georgia No 769 of 26 June 2025 – website, 27.6.2025

 

Article 66 – Fee for deferral of conscription into the national military service of conscripts

1. The fee for deferral of conscription into the national military service of conscripts shall be a payment into the State Budget of Georgia, which is mandatory to exercise the right to deferral of conscription into the national military service of conscripts.

2. The payment of the fee for deferral of conscription into the national military service shall be the basis for deferral of conscription into the national military service.

3. The amount of the fee for deferral of conscription into the national military service of conscripts for 1 calendar year of the national military service of conscripts shall GEL 5 000 (five thousand).

4. A person may exercise the right to pay a fee for deferral of conscription into the national military service of conscripts until he attains the age of 25.

5. Where a person pays a fee for deferral of conscription into the national military service of conscripts, his conscription into the national military service of conscripts shall be deferred for 1 calendar year, and after the expiration of that period he will be subject to the conscription into the national military service of conscripts again.

6. Upon reporting to the Conscription Commission, a conscript shall be notified of the opportunity to exercise the right to pay a fee for deferral of conscription into the national military service of conscripts and the procedure for exercising that right.

7. In the case of a payment of a fee for deferral of the conscription into the national military service of conscripts, a relevant entry shall be made into the registration documentation of the conscript and a document confirming the payment of the above fee shall be stored.

8. The time frame, procedure and conditions for the payment of the fee for deferral of conscription into the national military service of conscripts shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

9. In order to predetermine the amounts of income to be received from the fees for deferral of conscription into the national military service of conscripts and to supervise the receipt of the said income, the Ministry shall annually, before 1 August, submit to the Ministry of Finance of Georgia the corresponding calculations regarding the predetermined amounts of income to be received from the above fees for the next budget year in accordance with the established procedure.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 67 – Organising conscription into the national military service of conscripts

1. Conscription of a conscript to the national military service of conscripts shall be organised and his/her call-up shall be ensured by the legal entity under public law provided for by Article 57(1) of this Code.

2. After the decision provided for by Article 69(d) of this Code is made, an order on conscripting a conscript to the national military service of conscripts shall be issued by the head of the legal entity under public law provided for by Article 57(1) of this Code.

3. The entity carrying out conscription into the national military service of conscripts shall inform the conscript about calling up for service.

4. In the event of calling up via technical means or other means of communication, a conscript shall, within a determined reasonable time frame, report to the meeting of the Conscription Commission; the same applies to conscription into the national military service of conscripts.

5. When a conscript is called up but he/she fails to report to the Conscription Commission, and/or if he/she fails to report to the standing medical expert examination commission for undergoing medical examination or he/she reports but fails to undergo medical examination, an entity authorised for conscription shall submit the related materials to the court.

6. An authorised official shall introduce the conscripts to the obligations associated with conscription into the national military service of conscripts.

7. After an appropriate decision is made by the Conscription Commission, an entity authorised for conscription into the national military service of conscripts shall ensure the presentation of a conscript to the standing medical expert examination commission for undergoing medical examination and shall carry out transportation of the conscript for that purpose, and shall provide him/her with food, if necessary.

8. After the decision on conscripting a conscript to the national military service of conscripts is made, an entity authorised for conscription into the national military service of conscripts shall ensure the delivery of a conscript to a relevant subdivision of the Ministry’s system, and shall provide him/her with food, if necessary.

9. The Ministry shall submit the information on the progress, results and statistics of conscription into the national military service of conscripts to the Administration of the Government of Georgia.

10. If, after the decision to call up a conscript to the national military service of conscripts is made, he/she fails to report to a place specified in the notification/notice received upon calling up to do the national military service of conscripts, the entity authorised for conscription into the national military service of conscripts shall forward the relevant materials to law enforcement bodies.

11. In the cases provided for by the legislation of Georgia, a conscript may be exempted from reporting to the meeting of the Conscription Commission if the decision on his exemption from conscription into the national military service of conscripts or the deferral of his conscription into the national military service of conscripts can be made without his reporting.

12. A person shall have the right to appeal in court the decision on his conscription into the national military service of conscripts within 15 calendar days after the official notification of such decision. Appealing against the above decision shall not suspend its effect. The effect of the appealed decision shall be suspended in accordance with the procedure established by Article 29(3) of the Administrative Procedure Code of Georgia.

13. The decision on conscription of a conscript to the national military service of conscripts shall enter into force upon the official notification of such decision to the conscript.

14. Official notification of the decision on conscription into the national military service of conscripts shall be carried out in one of the forms determined by this paragraph, and in the established sequence:

a) notification/announcement of the decision (including an oral decision) to the conscript in the decision-making body;

b) serving the decision on the conscript at the address of his registration, actual location, or place of work confirmed by a document signed by the conscript and if the conscript refuses to sign the document, by a document signed by the person authorised to serve the decision;

c) serving the decision on the conscript via technical means or other means of communication, which shall be confirmed by an act drawn up by the decision-making body;

d) publishing the decision in accordance with the procedure established by paragraph 15 of this article.

15. The decision provided for by paragraph 13 of this article on the conscription of a conscript to the national military service of conscripts shall be published on the website of the administrative body not later than the 2^nd working day after the failure to serve the decision on the conscript in accordance with the procedure established by paragraph 14(c) of this article. In this case, the above decision shall be considered officially served on the conscript within 7 calendar days after its publishing.

16. In the case provided for by paragraph 15 of this article, the conscript shall report to the decision-making body within 10 calendar days after the official notification regarding the decision on his conscription into the national military service of conscripts.

17. The oral decision provided for by paragraph 14(a) of this article shall be issued in writing on the day the decision is made.

18. A person who, for a good reason, has expressed his/her desire to do the national military service of conscripts in the form of the alternative non-military labour service but has refused to do it before his/her conscription into the said service, shall be subject to do the national military service of conscripts.

19. A person, including a person who has attained the age of 27, who is doing the alternative non-military labour service may be, of his/her own will, transferred from the alternative non-military labour service to the national military service of conscripts on the basis of his/her personal application. In addition, the period during which he/she was doing the alternative non-military labour service shall not be counted in the period of doing the national military service of conscripts.

20. In cases provided for by paragraphs 18 and 19 of this article, the procedure for notifying a person/calling up a person/transferring a person from the said service for doing the national military service of conscripts, and organisational issues shall be defined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

21. For the purposes of Article 72(2) of this Code, the criteria for conscripting into the national military service of conscripts may be specified by a legal act of the Minister.

Law of Georgia No 3815 of 30 November 2023 – website, 19.12.2023

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 68 – Conscription Commission

1. A Conscription Commission shall be established for conscription into the national military service of conscripts.

2. The composition of the Conscription Commission shall be approved by the Minister.

3. The powers of the Conscription Commission and the rules of operation thereof shall be defined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia upon recommendation of the Ministry.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 69 – Decision of the Conscription Commission

The Conscription Commission shall be authorised, within the scope of its competence, to deliver one of the following decisions in relation to a conscript on:

a) exempting the conscript from being conscripted into the national military service of conscripts;

b) deferring the conscription of the conscript into the national military service of conscripts;

c) sending the conscript to the standing medical expert examination commission for undergoing medical examination;

d) conscripting the conscript into the national military service of conscripts.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 70 – Medical examination

1. A standing medical expert examination commission shall operate to conduct medical examination of conscripts.  

2. A standing medical expert examination commission, after conducting a medical examination (including the additional medical examination, if necessary), shall determine the degree and category of fitness of a conscript for national military service.

3. A medical examination of a person subject to conscription into the national military service of conscripts (a conscript) shall be carried out by a standing medical expert examination commission.

4. The standing medical expert examination commission shall make an appropriate decision after conducting a medical examination, in particular, issue a conclusion on the fitness of the conscript for national military service according to the following categories:

a) fit for military service;

b) fit for military service with minor limitations;

c) limited fitness for military service;

d) temporarily unfit for military service;

e) unfit for military service.

5. The composition, powers, and rules of operation of the standing medical expert examination commission, as well as the procedure for organising and conducting medical examinations, shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia upon the recommendation of the Ministry.

6. During the medical examination, the standing medical expert examination commission shall be guided by the list of diseases/injuries approved by the Minister.

7. During the medical examination, a person shall be released from work/educational institution and retain his/her place of work/study and the remuneration/scholarship.

8. Medical and preventive and recreational measures to be carried out to prepare persons for the national military service of conscripts, as well as the additional medical examination of a person (a conscript) subject to conscription into the national military service of conscripts, and the work performed by a standing medical expert examination commission, shall be financed from the State Budget of Georgia by allocations to the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia.

9. (Deleted – 24.6.2025, No 713).  

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 71 – Activities associated with conscription into the national military service of conscripts

1. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall:

a) on the basis of a written request of the entity authorised for conscription into the national military service of conscripts:

a.a) assist the entity in the search for persons evading conscription into the national military service of conscripts or reporting to/completing the mobilisation reserve military service;

a.b) provide the entity with information on removing or expunging the conviction of a conscript;

b) provide the entity with information on conscripts crossing the state border of Georgia, or on the declaration of a search party due to the disappearance of the conscript.

2. The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia must, within 10 days, inform the entity authorised for conscription into the national military service of conscripts on the initiation and/or termination of a criminal prosecution against a conscript if he is or is required to be on the military registration.

3. The court shall, within 10 days, inform the entity authorised for conscription into the national military service of conscripts on the entry into force of a judgment of conviction against a conscript if he is or is required to be on the military registration.

4. A Legal Entity under Public Law called the Regulation Agency for Medical and Pharmaceutical Activities under the state control of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia shall provide access to the entity authorised for conscription into the national military service of conscripts to the following information in electronic form in real-time:

a) on declaring a conscript as a person with disabilities;

b) on the expiration of the disability status of a conscript during the period from the expiration of the status to the verification thereof, but for not more than 3 months.

5. An outpatient psychiatric institution shall, within 10 days, inform the entity authorised for conscription into the national military service of conscripts about the admittance of a conscript in the outpatient psychiatric institution.

6. A higher educational institution and a vocational educational institution shall, within 10 days, inform the entity authorised for conscription into the national military service of conscripts about the data to be included in the document certifying the military registration of a conscript studying in that institution.

7. To organise conscription into the national military service of conscripts, the databases provided for by this article (including those related to persons crossing the state border of Georgia) shall be available to the entity authorised for conscription into the national military service of conscripts. The procedure and conditions for ensuring the availability of these databases shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

8. The personal data provided for by this Chapter shall be processed in compliance with the requirements of the Law of Georgia on Personal Data Protection, solely to ensure the implementation of measures related to the conscription of a person to the national military service of conscripts and to keep statistics to the extent necessary for the achievement of a legitimate purpose.

 

Article 72 – Conditions for completion of the national military service of conscripts

1. Completion of the national military service of conscripts shall only be possible within the system of the Ministry.

2. The duration of the national military service of conscripts shall be:

a) 6 months for serving in a combat unit;

b) 8 months for serving in a combat support or tactical support unit;

c) 11 months for serving in a junior commanding position, staff post or a predetermined speciality position.

3. The following persons shall have the right to choose , at their discretion , one of the types (terms) of the military service provided for by paragraph 2 of this article:

a) a person with the right to have conscription into the national military service of conscripts deferred in accordance with this Code (except for a person provided for by Article 65(1)(c) of this Code), who has expressed his/her desire to do the national military service of conscripts;

b) a person who has expressed his/her desire to do the national military service of conscripts before the call up for conscription;

c) a person provided for by Article 65(1)(d.b) of this Code who cannot fully enjoy the right to have conscription into the national military service of conscripts deferred under that subparagraph due to studies in a higher educational programme in the form of distance learning.

4. A person conscripted into the national military service of conscripts may, in accordance with the criteria specified by the Ministry and on the basis of a legal act of the Minister, be moved within a respective type of the national military service of conscripts:

a) of his/her own will, unless it results in a reduction of the period of service in the national military service of conscripts;

b) by decision of the Ministry, from an 11-month national military service of conscripts to an 8-month national military service of conscripts.

5. A military service person on the national military service of conscripts shall:

a) upon the completion of the basic combat training within his national military service, be granted paid leave, if so desired:

a.a) when doing a 6-month national military service of conscripts – for not more than 10 calendar days;

a.b) when doing an 8-month national military service of conscripts – for not more than 10 calendar days;

a.c) when doing an 11-month national military service of conscripts – for not more than 15 calendar days;

b) be granted paid leave of not more than 10 calendar days due to family circumstances or other good reasons, including during a period of basic combat training.

6. A military service person serving in the national military service of conscripts in the form of contract-based military service, in the case of the termination of the contract on his initiative, arbitrarily or through guilt, shall be enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces, if at the time of the termination of the contract he has served 12 months; if that time frame has not expired, the service person shall be subject to serving in the national military service of conscripts for a period of 6 or 8 months.

7. The duration of a working day and the days off (at least 2 days a week) of a military service person in the national military service of conscripts shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

8. A military service person serving in the national military service of conscripts shall enjoy holidays as determined by the Organic Law of Georgia Labour Code of Georgia.

9. The right to the use of days off and holidays provided for by paragraphs 7 and 8 of this article shall be limited when a military service person participates in exercises/training, performs daily detail or combat duty, when a special regime is declared and/or disciplinary liability in the form of restriction on the right to rest has been imposed on the service person.

10. A person may perform the national military service of conscripts in accordance with the procedure and conditions established by this Code and the relevant legal act in the form of a contract-based military service (including in the active reserve) or in the military academy as well.

11. A person doing an 11-month national military service of conscripts may be, during this period, temporarily awarded one of the following military ranks defined by a legal act of the Ministry:

a) Lieutenant – if he/she has been appointed to a junior commanding position of grade of the junior officers, or to a staff post and has completed an appropriate Junior Officers’ Training Programme while on service;

b) Junior Sergeant or Sergeant – if he/she has been appointed to a junior commanding position of grade of the sergeants, a staff post or to a pre-defined specialist position and has completed an appropriate course for the sergeants while on service.

12. On the basis of paragraph 11 of this article:

a) a temporarily awarded military rank shall not be used for equalising with a special state rank;

b) the period served with a temporarily awarded military rank shall be counted in the record of military service completed with the military rank of Private.

13. A person shall not be able to exercise the right provided for by paragraph 3 of this article if:

a) he/she fails to meet the criteria for conscripting into the national military service of conscripts, except as provided for by paragraph 14 of this article;

b) the type of the national military service of conscripts he/she showed himself/herself willing to do has been staffed.

14. If a person fails to meet the criteria for conscripting into an 11-month national military service of conscripts provided for by Article 67(21) of this Code, or the type of the national military service of conscripts he/she showed himself/herself willing to do has been staffed, he/she shall be conscripted into the national military service of conscripts on the basis of an annual random selection principle in the established order or shall be conscripted into an 8-month national military service of conscripts of his/her own will.

Law of Georgia No 3815 of 30 November 2023 – website, 19.12.2023

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 73 – Privileges associated with the national military service of conscripts

1. Persons conscripted to the national military service of conscripts shall retain:

a) a workplace, regardless of the organisational and legal form of the relevant institution;

b) remuneration in the public service provided for by Article 3(c) of the Law of Georgia on Public Service and at a public institution provided for by Article 3(j) of the same Law;

c) other social security guarantees established by the Law of Georgia on Social Assistance and the relevant legislation.

2. Persons conscripted to the national military service of conscripts or persons who have completed service in the national military service of conscripts may, in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, receive funding in the form of a state educational grant.

3. Persons called up to the national military service of conscripts shall enjoy the right to free travel by railway and municipal transport within the allocations from the State Budget of Georgia to the Ministry.

4. Military service persons shall pay 50% of the fees for electricity, natural gas, potable water/wastewater and cleaning services and the remaining 50% shall be reimbursed from the State Budget of Georgia, from the allocations to the Ministry under the annual budget law.

5. Persons called up to the national military service of conscripts of their own will shall be given remuneration in the amount established for the National Military Service of conscripts increased by 30%.

6. Persons conscripted into the national military service of conscripts, who receive remuneration in public service/institution in accordance with paragraph 1(b) of this article, shall not be given the remuneration set within the national military service of conscripts. Such persons shall be given the remuneration set within the national military service of conscripts when it is more than the remuneration in public service/institution.

7. An entity provided for by paragraph 1(b) of this article shall provide the Ministry with information about the remuneration of a person conscripted into/enlisted in the national military service of conscripts.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 74 – Suspension of official powers

1. The suspension of official powers shall mean the temporary release of a person in the national military service of conscripts from official duties.

2. The grounds for the suspension of official powers shall be:

a) a decision of the Minister on the initiation of a criminal prosecution against a military service person;

b) the temporary incapacity for work of a military service person;

c) a period of leave of a military service person;

d) administrative detention applied to a military service person for the commission of an administrative offence;

e) (Deleted – 24.6.2025, No 713);

f) (Deleted – 24.6.2025, No 713);

3. If there is a ground provided for by paragraph 2(b) and (c) of this article, the period of suspension of the official powers shall commence from the 2^nd day of the period actually served and shall be included in the period served in the national military service of conscripts.

4. During the period of suspension of official powers, except for the cases provided for by paragraphs 2(b) and (c) of this article, military service persons shall not retain the salary relevant to their rank, the right to general supplies, as well as other payables determined by the legislation of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 75 – Discharge from the national military service of conscripts

1. A military service person shall be discharged from the national military service of conscripts:

a) the day following the expiration of the period established for the national military service of conscripts, except during martial law. In addition, a military service person shall be dismissed from the national military service of conscripts not later than 10 calendar days after the revocation of martial law;

b) early discharge, taking into account the conditions provided for by this Code.

2. A person discharged from the national military service of conscripts (including those discharged early) shall be enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces, except for the case provided for by paragraph 3 of this article.

3. The service of a person in the national military service of conscripts shall not be considered completed if the period set by this Code for doing the national military service of conscripts has passed from his/her enlistment in the national military service of conscripts, but the person has not actually fully served within the said period, except when there is a good reason or as provided for by paragraphs 5(c) and (d) of this article.

3¹. Where so provided for by paragraph 3 of this article, the national military service of conscripts shall not be considered completed for a person and he/she shall be subject to a repeated conscription for a period for which he/she failed to do the national military service of conscripts before being dismissed from the service, under the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.

4. The grounds for the early discharge of a military service person from the national military service of conscripts shall be:

a) the occurrence of the circumstances provided for by Article 64 of this Code;

b) the occurrence of a condition provided for by Article 65 of this Code (except for Article 65(1)(c)–(g) and q));

c) health status (based on the conclusion of the military medical commission);

d) being declared missing or dead in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;

e) a decree of the Government of Georgia in individual cases;

f) (Deleted – 24.6.2025, No 713);

g) the termination of the citizenship of Georgia;

h) death.

5. In the event of a criminal prosecution carried out against a military service person, a military service person in the national military service of conscripts shall continue service in the national military service of conscripts for a specified period, if:

a) a preventive measure (other than detention) has been applied against him and/or a non-custodial sentence has been imposed on him for committing a less serious crime;

b) detention has been applied as a preventive measure and a non-custodial sentence is imposed on him for committing a crime of less gravity. The period of detention shall not be included in the national military service of conscripts;

c) detention has been applied as a preventive measure but a judgement of acquittal has been issued. The period of detention shall be included in the national military service of conscripts;

d) a criminal prosecution has been terminated. The period of detention (if any) shall be included in the national military service of conscripts, except for the cases of diversion and active repentance.

6. A military service person in the national military service of conscripts shall be prematurely dismissed from the national military service of conscripts after a court decision is delivered, from the 2^nd day of the period actually served, if he/she has been:

a) given a sentence for committing a serious or particularly serious crime;

b) sentenced to imprisonment.

7. During martial law, the issue of dismissing a person in the national military service of conscripts from the national military service of conscripts shall be decided by the Government of Georgia.

8. A person in the national military service of conscripts who is subject to the grounds for early discharge from service in accordance with Article 65(1)(m), (n), (o), (p), (s) or (u) of this Code and paragraph 4(f) of this article, may continue his service in the national military service of conscripts of his own will. In such case, additional material support and/or social guarantees may be set for that person under a legal act of the Minister.

Law of Georgia No 3815 of 30 November 2023 – website, 19.12.2023

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Chapter VIII – Professional Military Service

 

Article 76 – General conditions for professional military service

1. A professional military service person (hereinafter, a military service person for the purposes of this chapter) shall perform professional military service in accordance with this Code, the legal acts adopted/issued on its basis and other legal acts.

2. Professional military service may be:

a) contract-based –military service for a fixed-term based on a contract which is voluntary;

b) non-contractual – lifelong military service.

3. Military service persons who undertake contract-based military service shall include military service persons with the ranks of a Private, Private First Class, Corporal, Corporal Specialist, Junior Sergeant, Sergeant, Senior Sergeant, Master Sergeant, Sergeant Major, Lieutenant, First Lieutenant and Captain.

4. Military service persons who undertake non-contractual military service shall include military service persons with the ranks of a Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, General Major, Lieutenant General and General.

5. A contract shall be concluded with a military service person who undertakes contract-based military service for completing professional military service.

6. A contract may be concluded with a military service person who undertakes non-contractual military service in order to provide him/her with privileges and/or determine his/her duties during the period of his/her professional military service.

7. The form of the contract shall be approved by the Minister.

 

Article 77 – Admission to professional military service

1. A citizen of Georgia, who is at least 18 years old, has a command of the official language and meets the requirements of the legislation of Georgia, may be admitted to the professional military service (hereinafter, the military service for the purposes of this chapter).

2. The maximum age of a person eligible for contract-based military service shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

3. The procedure for admitting a person to military service and the documents to be submitted shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

4. Before being admitted to contract-based military service, a person shall undergo a selection process during which a physical, medical, psychological and special examination may be carried out, as well as an interview in predetermined cases. The selection criteria for persons to be admitted to contract-based military service shall be determined by a legal act of the Minister.

5. In the case of successful selection, the persons provided for by paragraph 4 of this article shall be appointed to the appropriate positions and, in the case determined by an individual administrative act of the Minister, shall undergo a course of basic combat training. If they successfully complete the course of the basic combat training, they will continue military service for the period determined by the contract.

6. The procedure and conditions for conducting the basic combat training shall be determined by a legal act of the Minister, and for a military academy, by a legal act of its rector.

 

Article 78 – Limitation for admission to military service

The following persons shall not be admitted to military service:

a) persons who have been convicted for a grave or especially grave crime;

b) persons who fail to meet the requirements of the recruitment procedure for military service established by the legislation of Georgia;

c) persons who are under criminal prosecution, until the relevant body makes an appropriate decision;

d) persons recognised as beneficiaries of support by a court decision;

e) persons deprived of the right to be appointed to relevant positions by the court;

f) persons who suffer from drug addiction, alcoholism, solvent abuse, or do not meet the established health requirements;

g) persons who fail to meet the qualification requirements established for the relevant position.

 

Article 79 – Time limits for military service and age limits for military service persons

1. The time limits of military service associated with contract-based military service shall be determined by the contract concluded with the military service person.

2. The age limits for military service persons shall be:

a) for Privates – 45 years;

b) for Corporals and Sergeants (except for Sergeant Majors) – 50 years;

c) for Sergeant Majors – 55 years;

d) for junior officers – 45 years;

e) for senior officers (except for Colonels) – 50 years;

f) for Colonels – 55 years;

g) for general officers – 60 years.

3. The age limits provided for by paragraph 2 of this article may be extended for a military service person by up to 5 years.

4. The age limit for a military service person shall be extended by the Minister upon the recommendation of the Chief of the Defence Forces. The age limit for the Chief of the Defence Forces shall be extended by a decision of the Minister.

 

Article 80 – Working time and rest time

1. The total duration of the weekly working time of a military service person, except for the cases provided for by this Code, shall not exceed the duration of the weekly working time established by the labour legislation of Georgia.

2. Irregular working hours shall be established for a military service person in the following cases:

a) during martial law and/or a state of emergency, an emergency situation;

b) during his/her studies;

c) to ensure or maintain combat readiness;

d) during the daily detail and combat duty;

e) when carrying out training and other activities during peacetime to ensure readiness for mobilisation.

3. Attendees and junkers shall be given rest days according to the relevant curriculum, but not less than 1 day per week, except for the period of practical field studies.

 

Article 81 – Leave

1. Military service persons (except for the military service persons provided for by paragraphs 4 and 5 of this article) shall be granted annual paid leave in the amount of 30 calendar days.

2. Due to family circumstances or other good reasons, military service persons shall be granted additional paid leave for not more than 10 calendar days.

3. To participate in sports competitions, military service persons may be granted leave for up to 30 calendar days.

4. Attendees and cadets shall be granted leave during a period established by the relevant curriculum.

5. Graduates of a military academy who have been awarded their first military rank of an officer shall be granted paid leave of 30 calendar days unless otherwise provided for by the relevant curriculum.

6. Military service persons shall be granted leaves for pregnancy, childbirth and childcare and for newborn adoption in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.

7. Military service persons shall have the right to use the paid leave provided for by paragraph 1 of this article not used during the current calendar year in the next calendar year.

8. Military service persons shall have the right, while on service, with the consent of the commander/head, to take leave for not more than one year, including by parts, unless this contradicts the military service interests, but without retaining the right to general supplies, to a compensation set in exchange for food, the rank salary and an increment. The above period shall not be included in the military service record of a military service person.

9. Military service persons may use the leave provided for by paragraphs 1, 2 or 3 of this article in parts, in agreement with their superiors.

10. A military service person may be called up from leave only in the case of official necessity.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 82 – Selection Board

1. For the promotion of military service persons in rank, their transfer to another position and participation in professional development programmes, a Selection Board shall be established in the Ministry.

2. The types, composition, structure and rules of operation of the Selection Board, as well as the procedure for appealing decisions made by the Selection Board, shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

3. During martial law, issues regarding human resources may be resolved in accordance with the procedure established by the Minister, as distinct from the procedure determined by this article.

 

Article 83 – Transfer to another position

1. Transfer to another position means the release of a service person from his/her position and appointment to a position equal to, higher or lower than his/her actual military rank.

2. Due to official needs, the Minister may decide to transfer a military service person to a position with a relevant function/of a relevant branch. Compliance with that decision shall be mandatory for the military service person.

3. Transfer to another position as provided for by paragraph 2 of this article shall be allowed if a military service person can perform the functions and responsibilities assigned thereto due to his/her education (qualifications) and the work performed.

4. Other cases of transfer to another position of a military service person shall be determined by the Minister.

 

Article 84 – Suspension of official powers

1. The suspension of official powers means the temporary release of a military service person from the performance of official duties.

2. The grounds for suspension of official powers shall be:

a) a period of leave of a military service person;

b) the temporary incapacity for work of a military service person;

c) the nomination of a military service person as a candidate for the President of Georgia, in the Parliament of Georgia, the representative body of a municipality, the Sakrebulo or the executive body of a municipality, and mayoral elections, unless otherwise provided for by the legislation of Georgia;

d) the placement of a military service person in a shelter or crisis centre as a victim of domestic violence, for not more than 30 calendar days a year, if he/she is no longer able to perform official duties. The obligation to notify the Ministry thereof rests with the organisation providing the relevant service;

e) when, during the criminal prosecution of a military service person, detention has been imposed as a preventive measure;

f) the initiation of a criminal prosecution against a military service person upon a decision of the Minister, except for the case provided for by subparagraph e) of this paragraph;

g) the removal of a military service person from monetary and rations allowance;

h) a decision of a Minister to remove from office during disciplinary proceedings a person who has allegedly committed disciplinary misconduct, if the commission of the disciplinary misconduct provides for the removal from service;

i) the establishment of the fact that a military service person has used and/or is under the influence of a narcotic, psychotropic and/or psychoactive substances (drugs) without the prescription of a doctor, until a final decision is made on the case;

j) the application of administrative detention against a military service person for committing an administrative offence;

k) a court decision (ruling) on applying a measure of security of a claim for the prohibition of dismissal of a military service person from service if, during the validity of that decision (ruling), a ground under the legislation of Georgia for dismissing the military service person from service has arisen;

l) activities carried out by a military service person in the position available in an international organisation abroad to achieve the goals of an international partnership and/or a peacekeeping operation.

3. During the period of suspension of official powers, except as provided for by paragraph 2(a) (except as provided for by Article 81(8) of this Code) and paragraphs 2(b) and (d) of this article, a military service person shall not retain his/her rank salary, food or a compensation set in exchange for food, the right to general supplies, increments, and other payables specified by the legislation of Georgia. Where so provided for by paragraph 2(l) of this article, the issue of retaining the remuneration and other payables shall be defined by a normative act of the Minister.

4. The time frame of suspension of official powers provided for by paragraph 2 of this article shall commence from the following day of actual service.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 85 – Temporary dismissal from a position

1. Temporary dismissal from a position means the dismissal of a military service person for a period of not more than 4 months.

2. A military service person shall be temporarily dismissed from a position in the following cases:

a) during the ongoing reorganisation and reduction in force within the structural units (including the cancellation of a position);

b) upon transfer to another position, before selecting the relevant position.

3. A military service person shall be temporarily dismissed from the position by the Minister.

4. In the cases provided for by paragraph 2 of this article:

a) a military service person temporarily dismissed from a position as provided for by subparagraph 2(a) of this article may, before the expiration of the period of temporary dismissal from the position, be appointed to the relevant position or be discharged from military service the day after the expiration of the period of temporary dismissal from the position due to reorganisation and reduction in force;

b) a military service person temporarily dismissed from a position as provided for by subparagraph 2(b) of this article shall be appointed to the relevant position;

c) the temporary dismissal from the position of a military service person as provided for by subparagraph 2(a) of this article is at the same time a warning about his/her possible discharge from military service.

5. During the temporary dismissal from a position, a military service person may be entrusted with performing the duties of a military service person temporarily absent from position or the duties provided for by a vacant position for a period of not more than his/her temporary dismissal from the position.

6. During the period of temporary dismissal from a position, a military service person shall retain his/her rank salary, food or a compensation set in exchange for food, the right to general supplies, increments, and other payables specified by the legislation of Georgia.

7. During the period of temporary dismissal from post, a person shall be transferred under the control of a subdivision specified by an individual administrative act of the Minister.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 86 – Discharge from military service

1. The following shall serve as grounds for discharge from military service:

a) expiration of the time frame determined by a contract;

b) attaining the age limit;

c) the breach of the terms of a contract;

d) the agreement of the parties;

e) a reorganisation and reduction in force;

f) health status (based on the conclusion of the military medical commission);

g) committing disciplinary misconduct in the cases provided for by the legislation of Georgia;

h) incompatibility;

i) a personal written request (as an exception) in the presence of a good reason justified and confirmed by relevant documents (severe family condition, moving to another state for permanent residence);

j) election or appointment to a position in a public institution;

k) in accordance with the procedure established by the Civil Code of Georgia, being declared as a person with limited legal capacity or a beneficiary of support, unless otherwise determined by a court decision, as well as being declared missing or dead in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;

l) a judgement of conviction delivered by a court for committing an intentional crime or imposing a sentence of imprisonment for committing a crime of negligence;

m) using and/or being under the influence of a narcotic, psychotropic and/or psychoactive substance (drug) without the prescription of a doctor;

n) the neglect of ethical norms, general rules of conduct, or a violation thereof, aimed at discrediting military service/a military service person and a public institution, regardless of whether committed on or off duty;

o) death;

p) the termination of the citizenship of Georgia;

q) a violation of the requirements of the Law of Georgia on the Fight against Corruption.

2. A military service person subject to discharge from military service due to health status shall be referred by a military medical commission to determine his/her fitness for service.

3. After a judgement of conviction is delivered by a court, a military service person shall be discharged from military service from the 2^nd day of the period actually served.

4. A military service person in service who is recognised as unfit for military service by a military medical commission and is removed from registration shall be discharged from military service by removal from registration due to health reasons. A person with limited fitness for military service shall, after being discharged from military service, be enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces.

5. A military service person discharged from military service illegally and without grounds shall be reinstated in the same position and in the same unit where he/she served before being discharged from military service, or in the equivalent position in another unit. The period of forced absence after the discharge from service shall be included in his/her length of service and he/she shall be given appropriate remuneration.

6. If a military service person submits a personal written request regarding the discharge from military service (termination of military service), the authorised person shall make a decision on his/her discharge from military service in accordance with the established procedure and within the time limits set by the General Administrative Code of Georgia.

7. Until the decision provided for by paragraph 6 of this article is made, a military service person shall not be released from performing his/her official duties, except for the presence of a good reason justified and confirmed by relevant documents (moving to another state for permanent residence, election or appointment to a position in a public institution, or other special objective circumstances which make it impossible for the service person to perform assigned duties due to reasons that are beyond his/her control).

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Chapter IX – Reserve of the Defence Forces and Reserve Military Service

 

Article 87 – Reserve of the Defence Forces

1. The Reserve of the Defence Forces is established to strengthen and support the Defence Forces.

2. The operation of the system of the Reserve of the Defence Forces shall be ensured on the basis of this Code and other legal acts.

 

Article 88 – Composition of the Reserve of the Defence Forces

1. The Reserve of the Defence forces shall include:

a) the active reserve;

b) the mobilisation reserve.

2. The active reserve consists of:

a) the territorial reserve;

b) the specialists reserve.

3. The mobilisation reserve consists of:

a) the high readiness mobilisation reserve;

b) the general mobilisation reserve.

 

Article 89 – Age of a reservist

A person between the ages of 18 to 60 may be enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces in accordance with the procedure established by this Code.

 

Article 90 – Conditions of the Active Reserve

1. A person shall be admitted into the active reserve on a voluntary basis.

2. A contract shall be concluded with the person admitted to the active reserve. He/she shall be appointed to a position and granted the status of a military service person.

3. A person in the active reserve shall undergo special training in accordance with the established procedure, report to the specified place at a specified time in case of call-up, and perform the duties determined by the contract and the legislation of Georgia.

4. The registration of a person in the active reserve shall be carried out by the Defence Forces in accordance with the procedure established for the registration of a military service person.

5. An active reservist shall be appointed to a position according to the awarded military rank and where he/she does not have a military rank he/she shall be awarded the military rank of a Private.

6. A person who meets the qualification requirements determined for that category shall be admitted to the active reserve. The procedure and criteria for selection and the qualification requirements of persons to be admitted to the active reserve shall be approved by a normative act of the Minister.

7. The number of persons to be admitted to the active reserve shall be approved by the Government of Georgia upon the recommendation of the Ministry.

8. The call-up of active reservists shall be provided by the unit in which they are enlisted. An active reservist may be called up by technical means or other means of communication. The procedure for the call-up of persons enlisted in the active reserve shall be approved by a normative act of the Minister.

9. The rights and duties of active reservists, the length of their contract and the terms of payment, as well as their liabilities in the event of early termination of the contract without a good reason, shall be determined by the contract. The form of the contract to be concluded with a person admitted to the active reserve shall be approved by the Minister.

10. The remuneration of active reservists, as well as issues relating to their material support and social guarantees, shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

11. The period of call-up and performance of military service by active reservists should not exceed 45 days during a calendar year, with the exception of martial law and/or a state of emergency or an emergency situation, as well as the conditions provided for by an additional contract.

12. Active reservists shall enjoy the status of a military service person, and during military service they shall be subject to legislation regulating relations with professional military service persons.

13. Active reservists shall, in the event of a declaration of martial law and/or a state of emergency, report immediately to the relevant unit when called up.

14. If an active reservist cannot report to the relevant unit in the event of a declaration of martial law and/or a state of emergency, he/she shall report to the nearest military base/unit of the Defence Forces and the head of that military base/unit shall immediately notify the head of the unit where the active reservist serves, and if the active reservist is unable to report to the nearest military base/unit of the Defence Forces, he/she shall immediately report to the appropriate service of the relevant municipality and take measures to inform his/her leadership. In such case, the Ministry shall ensure the transfer of the active reservist to the relevant structural unit of the Ministry.

15. The national military service of conscripts shall be considered completed if a person serves in the active reserve for at least 3 years. Where the contract concluded with a person is prematurely temirnated, he/she shall be subject to the conscription into the national military service of conscripts. In addition, he/she shall retain the military rank obtained in the reserve military service.

Law of Georgia No 3815 of 30 November 2023 – website, 19.12.2023

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 91 – Territorial reserve

1. A territorial reserve is created to organise additional combat support and combat sustainment, the growth of the Defence Forces in quantity, and territorial defence in a short-term mobilisation period.

2. The territorial reserve is included in the National Guard of the Defence Forces and is organised in the units of territorial defence, which consist of manoeuvre elements, as well as territorial units adapted to assigned missions and geographical areas.

3. The territorial reserve shall be manned by persons who meet the criteria and qualification requirements determined for an active reservist.

 

Article 92 – Specialists Reserve

1. A specialists reserve shall be set up from persons with relevant civilian specialities to fulfil the specific requirements and missions of the Defence Forces.

2. For the needs of the Defence Forces, the list of civilian specialities shall be approved by a normative act of the Minister upon the recommendation of the Chief of the Defence Forces.

3. Persons with high qualifications and a relevant speciality, who meet the qualification requirements determined therefor, can be enlisted in the specialists reserve.

4. A person with a disability status may be enlisted in the specialists reserve in the relevant form and under relevant conditions.

 

Article 93 – Mobilisation reserve

1. A mobilisation reserve shall be created to man/reinforce the units of the Defence Forces with reservists, to increase their combat readiness, as well as to strengthen and enhance the task organisation of the combat forces of the Defence Forces and to replenish losses.

2. A person who refuses to do the mobilisation reserve military service on account of the freedom of belief, religion and conscience shall be enlisted in the reserve defined by the Law of Georgia on Alternative Non-Military Labour Service.

3. The issues of the enlistment of a person in the mobilisation reserve and his/her delistment from the mobilisation reserve shall be defined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

4. Persons over the age of 60 may remain or enlist in the mobilisation reserve, if desired, for a period of up to 5 years.

5. During the manning of the mobilisation reserve, state and public security interests shall be taken into consideration.

6. For the purpose of inspection of and/or preparation for mobilisation readiness, as well as in the event of a call-up during a mobilisation, the amount of remuneration of a mobilisation reservist shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 94 – High readiness mobilisation reserve

1. A high readiness mobilisation reserve shall be created to man/reinforce the units of the Defence Forces with reservists, to increase their combat readiness, and foremost, to strengthen and enhance the task organisation of the Defence Forces.

2. The following persons shall be enlisted in the high readiness mobilisation reserve:

a) a person dismissed from military service who meets the health requirements established for a military service person, and who has served:

a.a) in the military service of the Ministry’s system (except for the active reserve) for not less than 6 months;

a.b) in the active reserve for not less than 3 years;

b) a person who has passed (completed) a military training programme provided for by Article 41 of this Code and has been awarded a military rank, except for a person with the status of a military person.

3. A person enlisted in the high readiness mobilisation reserve may be appointed/assigned to an active unit of the Defence Forces in accordance with the procedure established by the Minister. Moreover, more than one reservist can be appointed/assigned to each position.

4. The duration of stay in the high readiness mobilisation reserve shall be 10 years.

5. For a person who has the status of a volunteer in the field of defence and has completed military service, the period of volunteering in the field of defence shall be included in his/her length of service in the high readiness mobilisation reserve.

6. A person from the dismissal of whom from military service 10 or more than 10 years have passed shall not be subject to the enlistment in the high readiness mobilisation reserve.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 95 – General mobilisation reserve

1. The purpose of the general mobilisation reserve is to strengthen the Defence Forces and replenish losses.

2. For registration in the general mobilisation reserve, the categories of the general mobilisation reserve shall include the trained mobilisation reserve and the untrained mobilisation reserve.

3. The following persons shall be subject to registration in the trained mobilisation reserve:

a) persons who served in the high readiness mobilisation reserve for 10 years;

b) persons who were enlisted in the mobilisation reserve before the entry into force of this Code, who completed military service, are not enlisted in the high readiness mobilisation reserve, and:

b.a) served in the military service (except for the active reserve) for at least 6 months;

b.b) served in the active reserve for at least 3 years.

4. The following persons shall be subject to registration in the untrained reserve:

a) persons who are not enlisted in any other category of reserve;

b) persons who completed military service in other institutions.

5. A person who has attained the age of 18 will be enlisted in the untrained mobilisation reserve.

6. According to the requirement defined by paragraph 5 of this article, a person enlisted in the untrained mobilisation reserve (unless otherwise provided for by the legislation of Georgia) shall not be removed from military registration until he/she reaches the age of 27 and shall be subject to the conscription into the national military service of conscripts in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 96 – Management of the mobilisation reserve

Management of the mobilisation reserve encompasses the processes for registration in the mobilisation reserve, conscription, call-up, training, and the transportation of the mobilisation reservists and their management, which shall increase the possibility of their optimal redeployment and use, the strengthening of the relevant units, and the continuous replenishment of losses.

 

Article 97 – Registration in the mobilisation reserve

1. Registration in the mobilisation reserve shall be performed through the electronic system of the mobilisation reserve, which may have a confidential part.

2. The electronic system of the mobilisation reserve shall be managed by the Legal Entity under Public Law provided for by Article 57(1) of this Code.

3. Registration in the mobilisation reserve shall be performed by a Legal Entity under Public Law provided for by Article 57(1) of this Code.

4. The following persons shall not be subject to registration in the mobilisation reserve:

a) women with no military occupational speciality, unless they wish to enlist in the reserve of the Defence Forces;

b) persons who are recognised unfit for military service due to their health status;

c) persons who have attained the age of 60, unless they voluntarily remain or enlist in the mobilisation reserve;

d) persons with a disability status determined by the legislation of Georgia;

e) persons whose term of validity of disability status expired, during the period from the expiration of the status to the verification thereof, but for not more than 3 months.

5. In order to register in the mobilisation reserve, the following information (data) on the person shall be entered into the electronic mobilisation reserve system:

a) the identification data of the person – name, surname, personal number, gender, date of birth, place of birth, registration address, address of the place of actual residence, contact information, photo, and information on his/her citizenship;

b) information on the physical characteristics of the person (blood type, height, weight, foot size, head size);

c) information on the education, qualifications, skills, special talents and work experience of the person, and on his/her specific activities and employment, as well as on the registration of a person as a candidate in the elections at the time of conscription;

d) information on any search party for the person by law enforcement agencies, as well as on a declaration of the person as missing or dead;

e) information on granting a status of a guardian and a custodian to the person;

f) information on the completion of military service, reserve military service, or alternative non-military labour service by the person, as well as on his/her participation in combat operations and peacekeeping operations and on granting the status of a veteran thereto;

g) information on the health status of the person;

h) information on the record of convictions of the person, only within the limits provided for by Article 108(1)(o) of this Code;

i) information on the convictions of and allegations against the person, only within the limits provided for by Article 108(1)(m) and (n) of this Code, as well as information on the application of a non-custodial sentence and probation against the person;

j) information about the religion and religious services of the person.

6. The procedure for registration in the mobilisation reserve, as well as the rights and duties of public and private institutions that shall ensure the smooth and proper functioning of the electronic system of the mobilisation reserve, shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

7. Within 10 working days from the entry into force of a decision to remove a person from registration in the mobilisation reserve, information regarding the mobilisation reservist shall be archived in the electronic system of the mobilisation reserve. That information shall be stored for 75 years and then deleted from the electronic system of the mobilisation reserve.

8. The personal data provided for by this Chapter shall be processed in compliance with the requirements of the Law of Georgia on Personal Data Protection, solely to ensure registration in the mobilisation reserve, enlistment, call-up and the training of mobilisation reservists, and to keep statistics to the extent necessary for the achievement of a legitimate purpose.

 

Article 98 – Measures related to registration in the mobilisation reserve

1. For registration in the mobilisation reserve and the operation of the electronic system of the mobilisation reserve:

a) a Legal Entity under Public Law called the Public Services Development Agency operating within the system of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia shall provide the entity carrying out military registration with the following identification data on the relevant person: name, surname, personal number, gender, date of birth, place of birth, registration address, photo, and information about his/her citizenship;

b) the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia shall, upon request, inform the entity performing military registration about the initiation of a criminal prosecution against the relevant person within 10 days;

c) the court shall, within 10 days, provide the entity carrying out military registration with information on the entry into force of a judgment against the relevant person (if the person is convicted of committing crimes against the foundations of the constitutional order and security of Georgia, of terrorism, crimes against military service and humanity);

d) a Legal Entity under Public Law called the Regulation Agency for Medical and Pharmaceutical Activities under the state control of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia shall provide access to the entity carrying out military registration to the following information in electronic form in real-time:

d.a) on declaring a reservist as a person with disabilities;

d.b) on the expiration of the disability status of a reservist, during the period from the expiration of the status to the verification thereof, but for not more than 3 months;

e) the Special Penitentiary Service, a state subordinate institution within the system of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia shall, within 10 days, inform the entity carrying out military registration regarding the relevant person serving a sentence in a penitentiary institution;

f) the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall, in the event of a written request, provide the entity carrying out military registration, within 10 days, with information about the announcement of a search party due to the declaration of a relevant person as missing; and if requested, provide information on removing or expunging a conviction in relation to a relevant person (if the person is convicted of committing crimes against the foundations of the constitutional order and security of Georgia, of terrorism, crimes against military service and humanity);

g) an educational institution shall, within 10 days, provide the entity carrying out military registration with information about the civil and military education of the relevant person, his/her profession and speciality;

h) the Central Election Commission of Georgia shall, within 10 days, provide the entity carrying out military registration with information about the circumstance provided for by Article 108(1)(b) of this Code;

i) the relevant agency carrying out special military registration shall, within 10 days, provide the entity carrying out military registration with information about the circumstances provided for by Article 108(1)(d) and (e) of this Code;

j) the High Council of Justice of Georgia, and the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, shall, upon request, provide the entity carrying out military registration with information about the circumstances provided for by Article 108(1)(f) and (g) of this Code within 10 days;

k) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, and the State Security Service of Georgia, shall, within 10 days, provide the entity carrying out military registration with information about the circumstance provided for by Article 108(1)(i) of this Code;

l) the Administration of the Government of Georgia shall, within 10 days, provide the entity carrying out military registration with information about the circumstances provided for by Article 108(1)(j) and (k) of this Code;

m) the Emergency Management Service, a state subordinate agency operating under the governance of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall, within 10 days, provide the entity carrying out military registration with information about the circumstance provided for by Article 108(1)(l) of this Code;

n) the relevant person shall, within 10 days after a written request, provide the entity carrying out military registration with:

n.a) information about the place of his/her actual residence;

n.b) information on his/her civil and military education, profession and speciality;

n.c) information on his/her work experience;

n.d) information on his/her phone number and email;

n.e) documents confirming the circumstances provided for by Article 108(1)(a) and (c) of this Code.

2. In order to organise activities related to the registration in the mobilisation reserve, the entity carrying out military registration shall be provided with access to the databases provided for by this article (including regarding the crossing of the state border of Georgia by the relevant person). The procedure and conditions for ensuring the availability of these databases shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 323 of 20 February 2025 – website, 21.2.2025

 

Article 99 – Call-up of a person enlisted in the mobilisation reserve

1. Persons enlisted in the mobilisation reserve shall be called up:

a) during martial law, a state of emergency, an emergency situation;

b) for an inspection of mobilisation readiness and/or for the training of the reservists.

2. Persons enlisted in the mobilisation reserve shall be called up:

a) in the amount determined by the Ministry, in accordance with the request of the Ministry;

b) through the electronic system of the mobilisation reserve.

3. In the cases provided for by:

a) paragraph 1(a) of this article, a decision on the call-up of persons enlisted in the mobilisation reserve shall be made based on an appeal from the Ministry and the time limit of their call-up shall be determined by the Prime Minister of Georgia;

b) paragraph 1(b) of this article, a decision on the call-up of a person enlisted in the mobilisation reserve shall be made by the Minister.

4. In order to inspect mobilisation readiness and/or train the reservists:

a) the period of call-up of persons enlisted in the high readiness mobilisation reserve shall not exceed 15 days during a calendar year and 120 days in 10 years;

b) the period of call-up of persons enlisted in the general mobilisation reserve (with the exception of persons registered as conscripts) shall not exceed 15 days during a calendar year.

5. Persons who have the status of a volunteer in the field of defence and are registered in the high readiness mobilisation reserve shall not be subject to call-up for the purpose of an inspection of mobilisation readiness and/or training of reservists.

6. The site of completion of the mobilisation reserve military service shall be determined by a plan developed by the Defence Forces, which shall be approved by the Minister.

7. The entity carrying out military registration shall be authorised to ensure the transfer of a person enlisted in the mobilisation reserve military service from the collection point to the reception point.

8. Persons called up to the mobilisation reserve military service have the right to appeal the decision on their call-up to the mobilisation reserve military service within the period established by the legislation of Georgia after they are officially notified of such decision. Appealing against a decision on call-up to the mobilisation reserve military service shall not suspend its effect.

9. The decision on the call-up of a person to the mobilisation reserve military service shall enter into force upon the official notification of such decision to the person.

10. Official notification of a decision on the call-up of a relevant person to the mobilisation reserve military service shall be carried out in one of the forms determined by this paragraph and in the established sequence:

a) notification/announcement of the decision (including an oral decision) to the person called up to the mobilisation reserve military service in the decision-making body;

b) serving the decision on the person called up to the mobilisation reserve military service at the address of his/her registration, actual location, or place of work confirmed by a document signed by that person and if the person refuses to sign the document, by a document signed by the person authorised to serve the decision;

c) serving the decision on the person called up to the mobilisation reserve military service via technical means or other means of communication, which shall be confirmed by an act drawn up by the decision-making body;

d) publication of the decision in accordance with the procedure established by paragraph 11 of this article.

11. The decision provided for by paragraph 9 of this article on the call-up of persons to the mobilisation reserve military service shall be published on the website of the administrative body not later than the 2^nd calendar day after the failure to serve the decision on the person called up to the mobilisation reserve military service in accordance with the procedure established by paragraph 10(c) of this article. In this case, the above decision shall be considered served on the person called up to the mobilisation reserve military service on the 2^nd calendar day after its publication.

12. The oral decision provided for by paragraph 10(a) of this article shall be issued in writing on the day the decision is made.

 

Article 100 – Call-up of persons enlisted in the mobilisation reserve

1. The call-up of persons enlisted in the mobilisation reserve (mobilisation reservists) shall be carried out by the Legal Entity under Public Law provided for by Article 57(1) of this Code, taking into account the requirements of this Code and other legal acts.

2. To achieve the goals of the reserve military service, the entity authorised to call up reservists shall ensure the call-up of a mobilisation reservist in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia and the transportation thereof from the collection point to the reception point.

3. The entity authorised to call up reservists may call up the mobilisation reservists to the collection point via technical means or other means of communication. In this case, the entity authorised to call up the reservists should assist the mobilisation reservists in providing an employer with information about the good reason for the failure to report to work.

4. After calling up the mobilisation reservists, the responsibility for managing mobilisation reservists shall rest with the Ministry.

5. From the moment of call-up in accordance with this article, the mobilisation reservists shall be considered called up for mobilisation reserve military service.

 

Article 101 – Inspection (reinspection) of the health status of persons called up for mobilisation reserve military service

The inspection (reinspection) of the health status of persons called up for mobilisation reserve military service shall be carried out on the basis of the data available to the entity authorised to call up reservists, and/or after the call-up, during the medical examination of mobilisation reservists, which shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by the Government of Georgia.

 

Article 102 – Taking a military oath by a reservist

1. A reservist (citizen of Georgia enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces), who has not taken a military oath, shall take a military oath during the military assembly.

2. The reservist shall confirm the taking of the military oath with his/her signature.

 

Article 103 – Training a reservist

1. The purpose of training a reservist shall be:

a) the formation of a reserve from persons trained for the Defence Forces, who have the relevant military occupational specialities;

b) the manning, active training and retraining of the leadership of the reserve – officers and sergeants;

c) the individual, high-level training of reservists.

2. Reservists shall be trained within the special training programme approved by a normative act of the Minister during the military assembly.

 

Article 104 – Entity responsible for the training of reservists

The training of reservists shall be conducted by the relevant units of the system of the Ministry, as well as legal entities under public law operating within the system of the Ministry.

 

Article 105 – Mobilisation commission

1. A decision on the exemption of a person from mobilisation reserve military service or the deferral of mobilisation reserve military service shall be made by the mobilisation commission.

2. The composition, powers and rules of operation of the mobilisation commission shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia upon the recommendation of the Ministry.

3. The mobilisation commission shall make one of the following decisions regarding a person called up to mobilisation reserve military service:

a) on the exemption from mobilisation reserve military service and removal from registration;

b) on the deferral of mobilisation reserve military service;

c) on the refusal to make the decisions provided for by subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this paragraph.

4. The decision of the mobilisation commission may be appealed to a court. Appealing the decision of the mobilisation commission to a court shall not suspend its effect.

 

Article 106 – Rights and duties of persons called up to mobilisation reserve military service

1. A person enlisted in the mobilisation reserve shall have the right to receive information about the results of call-up to mobilisation reserve military service, their exemption from mobilisation reserve military service, or the deferral of mobilisation reserve military service, and the results of failure to report for mobilisation reserve military service when called-up.

2. Persons called up to perform mobilisation reserve military service shall:

a) report to the collection point at the time and place specified in the notification;

b) follow the instructions of the authorised person after reporting to the collection point.

 

Article 107 – Social and other guarantees

1. During reserve military service, persons shall enjoy the social guarantees established for a military service person by the legislation of Georgia.

2. During the period in the reserve, the service record shall include the following:

a) in the case of the active reserve – the period determined by the contract;

b) in the case of the mobilisation reserve – the period from reporting to the collection point to the completion of the reserve military service.

3. For persons enlisted in the reserve military service, the following shall be included in their length of service:

a) in the case of active reserve military service:

a.a) for the purpose of granting state compensation and other monetary payables, the period from reporting to the specified unit to the completion of active reserve service in that unit when the reservist is called up;

a.b) for the purpose of awarding the next military ranks, the period in the active reserve;

b) in the case of the mobilisation reserve, the period from reporting to the collection point to the completion of reserve military service.

4. During their service in the reserve military service, reservists shall retain their place of work and remuneration regardless of the organisational and legal form of the relevant institution. Moreover, the unhindered operation of the employer which is in labour relations with the reservist may be provided for as well.

5. During the period of validity of the contract, persons in the active reserve, as well as persons serving in the mobilisation reserve military service, shall retain state compensation/a state academic scholarship and other social guarantees established by the relevant legislation of Georgia.

6. The Ministry shall provide inpatient and outpatient treatment for reservists during reserve military service.

7. The failure of a reservist to report to the National Agency for Crime Prevention, Execution of Non-custodial Sentences and Probation, a Legal Entity under Public Law operating under the governance of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, during a period of reserve military service, shall not be considered a violation of the Law of Georgia on the Procedure for Enforcing Non-custodial Sentences and Probation.

8. Failure to report to higher educational institutions shall be considered excusable for a student of a higher educational institution who serves in the reserve military service.

9. The powers of a person in the active reserve military service shall be suspended when sent abroad on an educational or research programme (except when the person is sent by the Ministry). The period in the above programme shall not be included in the duration of the contract of that person and he/she shall not be paid salary.

 

Article 108 – Deferral of mobilisation reserve military service

1. Mobilisation reserve military service shall be deferred:

a) for persons who have a family member (spouse, child, mother, father, sister, brother, grandfather, grandmother) with a disability as determined by the legislation of Georgia, who does not have other supporters. If another person subject to conscription in the national military service of conscripts or mobilisation reserve military service lives with a family member with a disability, the oldest person shall be called up to mobilisation reserve military service, except for the case where the younger person gives voluntary written consent to undergo mobilisation reserve military service;

b) for a person who, by the time of conscription into mobilisation reserve military service, is registered, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, as a candidate for the President of Georgia, a member of the Parliament of Georgia, the highest representative body of the autonomous republics or the representative body of a municipality, or a mayor of a municipality, before the official publication of the final results of the relevant elections;

c) due to the health status of a person;

d) for the employees of the Ministry, the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the State Security Service of Georgia;

e) for persons registered with special military personnel;

f) for a judge;

g) for a prosecutor;

h) for persons who are abroad at the time of the announcement of mobilisation;

i) for diplomatic officials;

j) for state and political officials, political officials;

k) for persons elected by the Parliament of Georgia;

l) for employees of the Emergency Response Force;

m) for convicted persons serving a sentence in a penitentiary institution;

n) for persons accused of committing a crime, against whom a preventive measure in the form of detention has been applied;

o) for persons with criminal records for committing crimes against the foundations of the constitutional order and security, of terrorism, crimes against military service and humanity;

p) for persons gifted with special talent who are exempted from conscription into the national military service of conscripts by the Prime Minister of Georgia for 3 years;

q) for persons provided for by paragraph 3 of this article.

2. To ensure the smooth functioning of private and public institutions, the Government of Georgia shall, by decree, determine the private and public institutions and establish a list and number of professions/positions for the employees of those institutions which are subject to deferral from mobilisation reserve military service.

3. The institutions provided for by paragraph 2 of this article shall ensure that data on persons (members of the personnel) working in those institutions are entered into the electronic mobilisation reserve system in accordance with the requirements determined by the same paragraph. After including the data in the electronic mobilisation reserve system, the above persons shall be granted a deferral from mobilisation reserve military service.

4. Except for the cases provided for by this article, persons shall also be granted a deferral from mobilisation reserve military service if some of the circumstances presupposing their exemption or deferral from service arose during their time in mobilisation reserve military service.

5. The decision in relation to persons provided for by paragraph 1(p) of this article shall be made on the basis of a recommendation of the relevant commission. The composition of the above commission and the rules of its operation shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

 

Article 109 – Procedure for admitting persons having a status of a stateless person and foreign persons to the reserve military service of Georgia

1. In Georgia, persons having the status of a stateless person shall be subject to call-up to the reserve military service of Georgia.

2. Foreign persons may be admitted to the reserve military service of Georgia of their own will and by a decision of the Prime Minister of Georgia.

3. The decision of the Prime Minister of Georgia provided for by paragraph 2 of this article shall be made on the basis of a report of the State Security Service of Georgia.

4. Instead of swearing in, a person admitted to the reserve military service on the basis of this article shall undertake a written allegiance to the State of Georgia and the military service and swear to strict compliance with the legislation of Georgia. The text of the above written allegiance shall be approved by the Minister in the case provided for by paragraph 1 of this article, and by the Prime Minister of Georgia in the case provided for by paragraph 2 of this article.

Law of Georgia No 769 of 26 June 2025 – website, 27.6.2025

 

Article 110 – Liability for evasion from reserve military service

If persons enlisted in the reserve military service, after receiving a notification regarding their call-up, do not report for reserve military service within the time limits specified in the notification without a good reason, or otherwise evade it, they shall be held liable in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia. A good reason on the basis of a relevant document shall be the illness of the specified person (reservist), which makes it impossible for him/her to perform reserve military service, or the death of a close relative of the above person (a relative in the direct ascending or descending line, sister, brother, spouse, stepchild), or circumstances caused by natural phenomena or other force majeure circumstances.

 

Chapter X – Military Education

 

Article 111 – Military education

The purpose of military education shall be the development of the knowledge and skills required to ensure the defence and security of Georgia.

 

Article 112 – Military educational programme

1. A military educational programme is a combination of training courses/modules necessary to obtain appropriate qualifications, which include the objectives, topics of studies, teaching methods (including the possibility of using distance learning), an assessment system and learning outcomes.

2. Within the military educational programme:

a) validation means confirmation of the compliance of a military educational programme with the standards established for the military educational programme of Georgia;

b) recognition means the equalisation of a military educational programme of a foreign state with the standards established for the military educational programme of Georgia.

3. The validation and recognition of a military educational programme shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by a normative act of the Minister.

4. The military educational programme provided for by this Chapter may be completed by:

a) a military service person;

b) a citizen of Georgia who is not a military service person;

c) a foreign person.

5. An employee within the system of the Ministry may receive military education in a relevant military educational institution of a foreign country. Procedures for determining compatibility with the military educational programmes of foreign countries shall be approved by a normative act of the Minister.

 

Article 113 – Types of military education

1. The types of military education shall be:

a) career military education:

a.a) the career military education of officers, which includes military educational programmes of appropriate levels necessary for the career development of officers;

a.b) the career military education of sergeants, which includes military educational programmes of appropriate levels necessary for the career development of sergeants;

b) special military education, which includes receiving education/training according to the branches of service, branches, specialities and needs of the Defence Forces.

2. The levels (stages) of the career military education of officers and sergeants shall be determined by the Minister.

 

Article 114 – Educational units

1. The educational units shall be:

a) a military academy;

b) an educational unit of the Ministry.

2. An educational unit of the Ministry shall be a structural unit of the Ministry or a Legal Entity under Public Law operating within the system of the Ministry which carries out military educational programmes.

 

Article 115 – Military academy

1. The manual of a military academy may determine the structure and functions of structural units, management bodies, the procedure for manning the highest representative body and the procedure for occupying the position of a rector, as distinct from that determined for higher educational institutions established by the State under the Law of Georgia on Higher Education.

2. The staff of a military academy may include military personnel as well as persons with special ranks, and civilians. Military service persons and persons with special ranks shall be appointed and dismissed by the Minister. In the event of a conflict between the Law of Georgia on Higher Education and legal acts regulating relations with military service persons or persons with special ranks, the legal acts regulating relations with the military service persons or persons with special ranks shall be applied.

3. In the cases determined by the legislation of Georgia, military service persons and persons with special ranks may be subject to restrictions not provided for by the law of Georgia on Higher Education.

 

Article 116 – Funding of a military academy

The sources of funding for a military academy shall be:

a) allocations to the Ministry from the State Budget of Georgia;

b) grants;

c) income received from work performed on the basis of contracts;

d) other income provided for by the legislation of Georgia.

 

Article 117 – Procedure for enrolling a person in a military academy or an educational unit of the Ministry

1. Before passing the Unified National Examinations, entrants shall undergo departmental selection, the procedures of which shall be determined by a military academy.

2. Except for the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, the obligation of a person to sign a contract provided for by this Code shall be a precondition for his/her enrolment in a military academy.

3. The procedure and conditions for the enrolment of a person in a military academy, and in an educational unit of the Ministry shall be defined by a legal act of the Minister.

4. A 17-year-old person may become a student of a military academy with the consent of his/her parents.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 118 – Status of persons enrolled in a military academy or an educational unit of the Ministry

1. Persons who obtain the status of a student of a Bachelor’s programme of a military academy in accordance with the procedure established by the Law of Georgia on Higher Education shall be granted the status of a military service person. A person may complete a Bachelor’s programme without being granted the status of a military service person in accordance with the procedure established by the Minister.

2. The amount of remuneration and/or the amount of scholarship of a junker and the procedure for their payment shall be defined by a legal act of the Minister.

3. Under a contract concluded with a student of a military academy, the rights established for the student by the Law of Georgia on Higher Education may be restricted. In the event of a conflict between the Law of Georgia on Higher Education and legal acts regulating relations with military service persons or persons with special ranks, the legal acts regulating relations with military service persons or persons with special ranks shall be applied.

4. If:

a) the status of a student is terminated for a junker, or an attendee with the status of a military service person enrolled in a military academy, who did not have the status of a military service person before the status of an attendee was granted to him/her, is expelled from the military academy, the Ministry shall terminate the contract concluded with him/her, except as provided for by subparagraph b) of this paragraph;

b) the status of a student is terminated for a junker, or an attendee with the status of a military service person enrolled in a military academy, who did not have the status of a military service person before the status of an attendee was granted to him/her, is expelled from the military academy, the Minister shall be authorised, based on the military service needs, to make a decision on appointing him/her to an appropriate position in contract-based military service.

5. From the day the Minister makes a decision as provided for by paragraph 4(b) of this article, the terms of the contract concluded with him/her on the day the decision was made shall apply to the military service person of contract-based military service.

6. Upon the termination of studies at a military academy, the national military service of conscripts shall be considered completed for a person who has not completed it, and he/she shall be enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces with the rank of a Private if he/she studied at a military academy for 12 months.

7. The rights and duties of an attendee shall be determined by the legislation of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Chapter XI – International Exercises

 

Article 119 – Grounds for conducting and participating in an international exercise

1. The basis for conducting an international exercise in the territory of Georgia and participating in an international exercise conducted in foreign countries are the international treaties of Georgia and/or a supporting document.

2. In the case of the existence of the international treaties of Georgia and/or a supporting document, the following shall be the bases for conducting international exercises and participating therein:

a) an individual administrative act of the Minister;

b) an order of the Prime Minister of Georgia issued on the basis of a recommendation of the Minister, if along with the Ministry and/or a Legal Entity under Public Law operating within the system of the Ministry one or more administrative bodies participate in the international exercise.

3. With the parties to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the countries participating in the Partnership for Peace programme, the supporting document provided for by paragraph 1 of this article may determine the terms of the ‘Agreement between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty regarding the Status of their forces’ and the ‘Agreement among the States Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty and the other States Participating in the Partnership for Peace regarding the Status of their Forces’.

4. Issues of support of the host nation during an international exercise shall be regulated by the concept of the support of the host nation.

 

Article 120 – Entity participating in an international exercise

1. Entities participating in an international exercise can be a military contingent or a non-military contingent.

2. A military contingent intended for participation in an international exercise shall be set up from the military personnel of the system of the Ministry.

3. A civil employee within the system of the Ministry and/or a person with a special rank, as well as an employee of another administrative body, may participate in the international exercise within the composition of a non-military contingent.

4. As regards the participants of an international exercise:

a) the military contingent shall include military personnel in the system of the Ministry and the relevant resources;

b) the non-military contingent shall include civil employees in the system of the Ministry and/or persons with special ranks and the relevant resources. The non-military contingent may also include the employees of other administrative bodies and the relevant resources.

5. An entity participating in an international exercise shall be selected by the relevant state agency participating in that exercise.

6. The support of an entity participating in an international exercise may be ensured through the services provided by a contractor. This issue shall be regulated by an agreement concluded between the Ministry and the contractor.

 

Article 121 – Organisational issues of conducting international exercises

The organisational issues of conducting international exercises in the territory of Georgia and the participation of the relevant entities in international exercises conducted in foreign countries shall be determined by:

a) the Minister;

b) an order of the Prime Minister of Georgia issued on the basis of a recommendation from the Minister, if, along with the Ministry and/or a Legal Entity under Public Law operating within the system of the Ministry, one or more administrative bodies participate in the international exercise.

 

Article 122 – Legal status and subordination of an entity participating in an international exercise

1. The legislation of Georgia shall apply to an entity participating in an international exercise conducted in a foreign country, as well as the personnel of a foreign country participating in an international exercise conducted in Georgia, unless otherwise provided for by an international treaty of Georgia.

2. The issues of subordination, command and control of entities participating in international exercises shall be regulated by the international treaties of Georgia, supporting documents, and/or the legal acts provided for by Article 119(2) and/or Article 121 of this Code.

 

Article 123 – Provision of resources to entities participating in international exercises

Financial and other resources shall be provided to entities participating in international exercises from the State Budget of Georgia. The resources may also be provided to entities participating in international exercises by an international organisation and/or a foreign country.

 

Article 124 – Compensation for damage incurred during the conduct of international exercises

1. The procedure for the compensation of damage caused to another person by an employee of an entity participating in an international exercise shall be determined by the international treaties of Georgia and/or the ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

2. If a person employed by an entity participating in an international exercise causes damage to another person due to the performance of his/her official duties, the state agency where the above person is employed shall be responsible for the damage incurred.

 

Chapter XII – Peacekeeping Operations

 

Article 125 – Grounds for participation in peacekeeping operations

1. Georgia shall participate in peacekeeping operations in accordance with the Constitution of Georgia, the international treaties of Georgia and this Code.

2. To ensure participation in a peacekeeping operation, a supporting document may be drawn up which shall determine the logistical, medical, financial and other issues related to the participation in the peacekeeping operation for an entity participating in the peacekeeping operation.

3. Georgia shall independently determine the expediency of participating in a peacekeeping operation for each individual case.

 

Article 126 – Entities participating in peacekeeping operations

1. Entities participating in peacekeeping operations can be from a military contingent or a non-military contingent.

2. A military contingent intended for participation in a peacekeeping operation shall be set up from military personnel in the system of the Ministry.

3. Civil employees within the system of the Ministry and/or persons with a special rank, as well as employees of other administrative bodies, may participate in a peacekeeping operation within the composition of a non-military contingent.

4. As regards the participants of a peacekeeping operation:

a) the military contingent shall include military personnel in the system of the Ministry and the relevant resources;

b) the non-military contingent shall include civil employees in the system of the Ministry and/or persons with special ranks and the relevant resources. The non-military contingent may also include the employees of other administrative bodies and relevant resources.

5. Support for an entity participating in a peacekeeping operation may be ensured by the services provided by a contractor. This issue shall be regulated by an agreement concluded between the Ministry and the contractor.

 

Article 127 – Dispatch and withdrawal of entities participating in peacekeeping operations

1. A decision on the dispatch of a military contingent participating in a peacekeeping operation, the project of which is initiated by the Ministry, shall be made by the President of Georgia upon the recommendation of the Government of Georgia, and it shall be immediately submitted for approval to the Parliament of Georgia. The above decision shall enter into force upon approval by the Parliament of Georgia.

2. An ordinance of the Parliament of Georgia shall include the place (country) of the deployment of a military contingent participating in a peacekeeping operation and the maximum number of military personnel. The ordinance may also determine the issues of subordination of the military contingent.

3. The Minister shall dispatch a non-military contingent participating in a peacekeeping operation.

4. The organisational issues of manning and the secondment of a military contingent participating in a peacekeeping operation, as well as the organisational issues of the deployment of a non-military contingent, shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

5. The procedure for the reimbursement of expenses of the secondment of entities participating in peacekeeping operations and the amount of compensation shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

6. A decision on:

a) withdrawing a military contingent shall be made in accordance with the procedure established by paragraph 1 of this article. During martial law and/or the state of emergency, the Prime Minister of Georgia shall make the decision on the withdrawal of the military contingent from peacekeeping operations. The above decision does not require the approval of the Parliament of Georgia;

b) withdrawing a non-military contingent shall be made by the Minister.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 128 – Legal status and subordination of entities participating in peacekeeping operations

1. The legislation of Georgia shall apply to entities participating in peacekeeping operations unless otherwise provided for by the international treaties of Georgia.

2. The issues of subordination, command and control of entities related to their participation in peacekeeping operations shall be regulated by the international treaties of Georgia, supporting documents, and/or legal acts of the Minister.

 

Article 129 – Provision of resources to entities participating in peacekeeping operations

Financial and other resources shall be provided to entities participating in peacekeeping operations from the State Budget of Georgia. The resources may also be provided to entities participating in peacekeeping operations by an international organisation and/or a foreign country.

 

Article 130 – Support of host nation

1. Georgia shall provide military and civil support to the personnel and contractors of foreign countries participating in peacekeeping operations who are deployed and/or operate in or transit through the territory of Georgia, in accordance with the concept of support of the host nation.

2. The concept of support of the host nation shall be approved by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia upon the recommendation of the Ministry.

 

Article 131 – Compensation for damage incurred during the performance of peacekeeping operations

1. The procedure for the compensation of damage caused to another person by an employee of an entity participating in a peacekeeping operation shall be determined by the international treaties of Georgia and/or an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

2. If a person employed by an entity participating in a peacekeeping operation causes damage to another person due to the performance of his/her official duties, the state agency where the above person is employed shall be responsible for the damage incurred.

 

Chapter XIII – Incentives and Disciplinary Liability

 

Article 132 – Purposes of incentives and disciplinary liability

1. The purposes of incentives and disciplinary liability shall be the observance of the rules of military service and military discipline by military service persons, the prevention of disciplinary misconduct, and the increase in the motivation of service persons.

2. To achieve the goals provided for by paragraph 1 of this article, this Code shall determine:

a) the types of incentives;

b) the types of disciplinary liability;

c) the procedure for reviewing the issues of granting incentives and imposing disciplinary liability.

3. The imposition of disciplinary liability shall not exempt a person committing disciplinary misconduct from fulfilling the obligation the non-fulfilment of which resulted in disciplinary liability, nor from the obligation to compensate for damage caused by disciplinary misconduct.

4. Incentives and disciplinary liability shall apply to military service persons within the system of the Ministry, and during a period of martial law, to the military service persons of state agencies, state subordinate institutions and legal entities under public law within the Defence Forces as well.

 

Article 133 – Principles of disciplinary proceedings

1. Disciplinary proceedings shall be based on the principles of legality, justice, equality, objectivity, comprehensiveness, confidentiality, impartiality and correctness.

2. Disciplinary liability for committing the same disciplinary misconduct shall not be imposed repeatedly on a military service person.

3. A military service person may not participate in disciplinary proceedings if he/she has personal interests and/or other circumstances that might affect the resolution of the disciplinary case.

4. A military service person may not be considered as a person committing disciplinary misconduct until the decision on the imposition of disciplinary liability on him/her enters into legal force.

 

Article 134 – Time of effect of the norms on granting incentives and imposing disciplinary liability

1. A military service person shall be granted an incentive or be subject to disciplinary liability if his/her conduct serves as grounds for granting an incentive or imposing disciplinary liability.

2. The time of the committal of an act shall be considered as the date of its commission. The moment of the occurrence of the result of the act shall not be relevant.

 

Article 135 – Retroactive effect of a norm related to disciplinary liability

A norm that cancels disciplinary misconduct or mitigates disciplinary liability shall have a retroactive effect. A norm that imposes or toughens disciplinary liability shall not have a retroactive effect.

 

Article 136 – Scopes of incentives and disciplinary liability

Incentives and disciplinary liability shall apply to military service persons both in the territory of Georgia and abroad unless otherwise provided for by the international treaties of Georgia.

 

Article 137 – Grounds, types and procedure for the application of incentives

1. The grounds for incentives shall be:

a) the performance of assigned duties in good faith and with high quality;

b) the successful performance of particularly difficult or important tasks, combat tasks, or tasks undertaken during military training;

c) helping a brother-in-arms, avoiding significant damage to property;

d) achieving success in scientific activities, sports and/or cultural events;

e) conducting an honourable act to protect state and public order, to maintain military discipline, to protect the rights and responsibilities of a citizen and a military service person, or to protect the established order of governance, which results in his/her profoundly positive assessment in terms of his/her service and in society.

2. The types of incentives shall be:

a) a declaration of gratitude;

b) the award of a certificate of honour;

c) the presentation of a monetary gift;

d) a financial incentive;

e) short-term leave;

f) the early removal of disciplinary liability.

3. A declaration of gratitude and the award of a certificate of honour may be applied to one or several military service persons, as well as to an entire unit.

4. The value of a monetary gift shall not exceed GEL 3 000. A monetary gift may not be a weapon or other property which is not subject to free circulation under the legislation of Georgia.

5. A period of short-term leave shall not exceed 5 calendar days.

6. Several types of incentives may be applied simultaneously.

7. An official with the authority to grant incentives shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

 

Article 138 – Grounds, types and procedure for the imposition of disciplinary liability

1. The grounds for disciplinary liability shall be:

a) a failure to perform official duties, intentionally or by negligence;

b) the infliction of property damage, or the deliberate or negligent creation of a risk of such damage;

c) the neglect or violation of ethical standards, and general rules of conduct, that are aimed at discrediting a military service person and/or military service, irrespective of whether it was committed within or outside the service.

2. The types of disciplinary liability shall be:

a) a remark;

b) a reprimand;

c) an appointment to extra duty;

d) a restriction of the right to rest;

e) deduction from the salary relevant to the rank (withholding 5% to 40% of the salary for a period of 1 to 12 months);

f) the reduction of disciplinary points;

g) expulsion from a military academy;

h) discharge from service.

3. For one act of disciplinary misconduct, a military service person shall be subject to only one type of disciplinary liability.

4. The type of disciplinary liability provided for by paragraph 2(c) of this article shall be imposed only on a military service person serving in the national military service of conscripts and a person in reserve military service.

5. The type of disciplinary liability provided for by paragraph 2(d) of this article shall be imposed only on a military service person serving in the national military service of conscripts.

6. The types of disciplinary liability provided for by paragraphs 2(a), (b), (e), and (h) of this article shall not be imposed on a junker and an attendee with the status a military service person enrolled in a military academy.

7. The type of disciplinary liability provided for by:

a) paragraph 2(e) of this article shall not be imposed on a person in mobilisation reserve military service;

b) paragraph 2(h) of this article shall not be imposed on a military service person in the national military service of conscripts and a person in mobilisation reserve military service.

8. The type of disciplinary liability provided for by paragraphs 2(f) and (g) of this article shall be imposed only on a junker and an attendee with the status a military service person enrolled in a military academy.

9. A ground for expelling a junker or an attendee with the status of a military service person from a military academy, except as expressly provided for by the legislation of Georgia, shall be the use of all 100 disciplinary points.

10. During disciplinary proceedings, an official with the authority to impose disciplinary liability may remove the person who allegedly committed disciplinary misconduct from exercising his/her official powers.

11. A normative act of the Minister shall determine:

a) the official authorised to impose disciplinary liability;

b) the action for the commission of which a military service person may be subject to a type of disciplinary liability as provided for by this article.

12. A disciplinary point shall be awarded to:

a) a junker – during the period between the start of an academic year and the start of the next academic year; to a first-year junker – during the period between the day of his/her enrolment in a military academy and the start of the next academic year;

b) an attendee with the status of a military service person enrolled in a military academy:

b.a) during the period between the start of an academic year and the start of the next academic year;

b.b) during the period between the start of the Junior Officers’ Candidate Training Programme and its end, if he/she is taking that programme.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 139 – Circumstances excluding the imposition of disciplinary liability

1. A military service person shall not be subject to disciplinary liability if he/she committed disciplinary misconduct:

a) in a state of extreme necessity, when he/she caused harm to another person to avert a danger that threatened the service person himself/herself or the legal benefit of another person, if it was impossible to prevent that danger by any other means and the harm caused was of less significance than the harm averted;

b) in a state of necessary self-defence, when he/she caused harm to a wrongdoer during an illegal infringement to protect his/her or another person’s legally protected interests. A military service person shall have the right to self-defence, regardless of whether or not he/she is able to prevent infringement or seek assistance from another person. An excessive act of self-defence shall mean that the actions of the person acting in self-defence are clearly disproportionate to the character and threat of the unlawful act;

c) in a state of temporary mental disorder, when he/she was unable to appreciate the unlawfulness of the act committed;

d) in conditions of justified risk, where a military service person harmed legally protected interests to achieve a legitimate military goal. The risk shall be justified if the goal could not have been achieved without risk and if the military service person had taken all measures to prevent harm to legally protected interests;

e) in the presence of any other circumstances that comply with the conditions of lawfulness.

2. A military service person shall not be subject to disciplinary liability if:

a) disciplinary proceedings have not been initiated within 1 year after the disciplinary misconduct has been identified;

b) when called up by a commander during his/her time off, in the case of alarm, or due to official needs, and he/she reports for service under the influence of alcohol;

c) it is the first instance of disciplinary misconduct, which does not incur discharge from military service or expulsion from a military academy, and if the military service person immediately admits to the disciplinary misconduct and/or compensates for the damage caused (if any).

 

Article 140 – Term of validity of disciplinary liability

1. The term of validity of disciplinary liability shall run from the date of entry into force of the administrative act on its imposition.

2. The validity of:

a) disciplinary liability as provided for by Article 138(2)(a–d) of this Code shall be 3 months;

b) disciplinary liability as provided for by Article 138(2)(e) of this Code shall be the period with which the military service person was charged.

 

Article 141 – Lifting disciplinary liability

1. Disciplinary liability imposed on a military service person may be lifted early if he/she is granted an incentive during the term of the validity of that liability.

2. Disciplinary liability may be lifted by an official authorised to impose it.

3. Disciplinary liability shall be lifted upon the expiry of its term of validity.

 

Article 142 – Review of a disciplinary case

1. Disciplinary cases shall be reviewed in compliance with the General Administrative Code of Georgia and in accordance with the procedure established by this Code, except for the cases provided for by the international treaties of Georgia.

2. A military service person who is suspected of committing disciplinary misconduct shall be obliged to facilitate the review of the disciplinary case. This does not include the obligation to admit responsibility or to give explanations incriminating oneself.

 

Article 143 – Disciplinary proceedings

Administrative proceedings related to the imposition of disciplinary liability shall be initiated by drawing up a disciplinary protocol.

 

Article 144 – Disciplinary protocol

1. A disciplinary protocol is an objectively substantiated assumption on the committal of disciplinary misconduct as provided for by this Code by a military service person, which is based on the fact of the committal of disciplinary misconduct, the information provided by an interested person (except for anonymous information), or the materials of an inspection/internal audit.

2. A disciplinary protocol shall include:

a) the date, time and place of drawing up of the protocol;

b) the position, rank, name and surname of the official drawing it up;

c) the identification data on the military service person who is alleged to have committed disciplinary misconduct;

d) the date, time, place and nature of the corresponding disciplinary misconduct;

e) the norm which provides for the imposition of disciplinary liability for the committal of the relevant disciplinary misconduct;

f) the identification data (including the address) of a witness(es) or an interested person(s) (if any);

g) the explanation given by the person alleged to have committed disciplinary misconduct;

h) other circumstances significant for the disciplinary case.

3. A disciplinary protocol shall be drawn up by the official designated by a normative act of the Minister.

4. A disciplinary protocol shall be signed by:

a) the official drawing it up;

b) the military service person alleged to have committed disciplinary misconduct.

5. A disciplinary protocol shall be accompanied by information provided by a witness(es) and/or an interested person(s), the authenticity of which shall be certified by the signature of that person/those persons.

6. If a military service person alleged to have committed disciplinary misconduct refuses to sign a disciplinary protocol, the official drawing it up shall make an appropriate entry in the protocol. In this case, the service person shall have the right to submit comments and justify the reason for his/her refusal to sign the disciplinary protocol.

7. A disciplinary protocol shall immediately be transferred to the body/official authorised to review the disciplinary case.

8. The form of a disciplinary protocol shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

 

Article 145 – Disciplinary Council

1. The Disciplinary Council, which is the body carrying out disciplinary proceedings, shall review:

a) a draft individual administrative act on the discharge of a military service person from service, together with the materials of administrative proceedings;

b) an application of a military service person on the study of the lawfulness of the disciplinary liability (except for discharge from service) imposed on him/her within the limits of supervisory authority (revision of disciplinary liability).

2. The Disciplinary Council shall be authorised to:

a) review a disciplinary case and/or make a reasoned decision on the further investigation of the circumstances of a disciplinary case;

b) in the case provided for by paragraph 1(a) of this article, submit to the official authorised to impose disciplinary liability a recommendation regarding the imposition of disciplinary liability on a military service person;

c) in the case provided for by paragraph 1(b) of this article, submit a recommendation to the Minister regarding the decision determined by Article 147 of this Code.

3. The number, territorial jurisdiction and composition of the Disciplinary Councils shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

 

Article 146 – Revision of disciplinary liability

1. A military service person shall have the right to submit an application to the Minister to study the lawfulness of the disciplinary liability (except for discharge from service) imposed on him/her.

2. A military service person shall be obliged to submit the application provided for by paragraph 1 of this article within 3 working days after being notified of the individual administrative act on the imposition of disciplinary liability on him/her.

3. The effect of an individual administrative act on the imposition of disciplinary liability shall be suspended from the moment of registration of the application provided for by paragraph 1 of this article until a final decision is made on the above application.

 

Article 147 – Review of an application of a military service person

The Minister shall be authorised to:

a) fully satisfy the application of a military service person and recognise an individual administrative act on the imposition of disciplinary liability as invalid;

b) partially satisfy the application of a military service person and recognise that part of an individual administrative act on the imposition of disciplinary liability is invalid;

c) not satisfy the application of a military service person and leave an individual administrative act on the imposition of disciplinary liability in force;

d) issue a written instruction (assignment) regarding the elimination of deficiencies in an individual administrative act on the imposition of disciplinary liability or an action performed.

 

Article 148 – Execution of an individual administrative act on the imposition of disciplinary liability

1. The execution of an individual administrative act on the imposition of disciplinary liability shall start from familiarisation with it.

2. An appointment to extra duty shall be executed within 30 days after the entry into force of an individual administrative act on the imposition of disciplinary liability.

3. In the case of the simultaneous imposition of disciplinary liability in the form of a deduction from the salary relevant to the rank for the committal of various acts of disciplinary misconduct, or the repeated imposition of disciplinary liability during the period of validity of the deduction from the salary relevant to the rank, the total amount to be deducted from the salary shall be established. The amount subject to monthly deduction from the salary relevant to the rank shall not exceed 50% of the salary. Otherwise, the amount shall be distributed over the following month/months.

 

Chapter XIV – Material Support, Social Guarantees and Issues Related to Service

 

Article 149 – Material support and social guarantees

1. The issues of the material support and social security of the employees in the system of the Ministry shall be determined by this Code and relevant legal acts.

2. A military service person shall be provided remuneration in accordance with the salary corresponding to his/her military rank. The remuneration provided for a military service person may also include other components determined by a legal act of the Minister.

3. A normative act of the Minister shall determine:

a) the amount and components of, as well as the procedure and conditions for, the payment of remuneration provided for a military service person in the system of the Ministry, a person with a special state rank, and a civilian employed in the Defence Forces;

b) the issue of retaining remuneration and other payables for an employee of the Ministry’ system employed in an international organisation abroad;

c) for an employee in the system of the Ministry:

c.a) the rate of rations and general supplies, as well as the procedure for putting a service person on a rations and general supplies allowance and removing him/her from the said allowance;

c.b) the amount of compensation established in exchange for a rations allowance and the procedure for its payment;

c.c) the amount of incentives, monetary gifts, financial awards/support/bonuses, as well as the procedure and conditions for their issuance;

d) other additional guarantees of material support and social security for an employee in the system of the Ministry and a member of his/her family.

4. If it is established that an employee of the Ministry has sustained damage to health, or been wounded, maimed or assigned a disability status due to the performance of official duties, he/she shall be provided with a one-time allowance of up to GEL 20 000 from the State Budget of Georgia in accordance with the severity of the damage to health.

5. In the event of the death of an employee of the Ministry due to the performance of official duties, except for the case provided for by paragraph 6 of this article, a family member of the employee of the Ministry as determined by a normative act of the Minister shall be provided with a one-time allowance of GEL 30 000 from the State Budget of Georgia.

6. In connection with the performance of official duties, when performing a combat task, participating in a peacekeeping operation, in combat operations for the territorial integrity, freedom and independence of Georgia, during martial law and/or a state of emergency, in the event of death or death due to the damage to health of an employee of the Ministry, upon the recommendation of the Ministry and by a decision (decree) of the Government of Georgia, a member of his/her family as determined by the same decree shall be provided with a one-time allowance of GEL 100 000 from the State Budget of Georgia.

7. The following persons shall be subject to mandatory state health and life insurance at the expense of the State:

a) an employee of the Ministry and a member of the family of an employee of the Ministry as determined by an individual administrative act of the Minister;

b) a cadet;

c) a junker;

d) an employee in the system of the Ministry as determined by a legal act of the Minister;

e) family members of persons as determined by the individual administrative act of the Minister provided for by subparagraphs (b-d) of this paragraph.

8. Issues related to the healthcare of an employee in the system of the Ministry (including his/her rehabilitation), the medical services provided thereto and the relevant remuneration, as well as a period of leave due to his/her health status, shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

9. In accordance with the procedure and conditions established by the Minister, an employee in the system of the Ministry shall be provided with rations or compensation for the determined amount established in exchange for rations, as well as with general supplies, at the expense of the State.

10. The Ministry shall, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia and with co-financing, ensure the construction of residential spaces (apartments) for military service persons within the system of the Ministry every 3 years.

11. Residential spaces (apartments) shall be transferred into the ownership of military service persons within the system of the Ministry in accordance with the criteria and procedure established by the Minister.

12. In accordance with the criteria and procedure established by the Minister, an employee within the system of the Ministry, when performing official duties, shall be provided with fuel and/or talk time at the expense of the State if he/she uses a vehicle and/or a mobile phone in his/her personal use.

13. In the cases determined by the Minister, the social guarantees established by and on the basis of this Code, as well as by relevant legislative acts, may apply to:

a) persons employed within the system of the Ministry, who are not employees of the Ministry, as well as members of their families;

b) persons released/dismissed from the Ministry/system of the Ministry, as well as to members of their family;

c) based on the goals of the Ministry, persons who are not employees of the Ministry/in the system of the Ministry;

d) persons to be admitted to a general educational institution operating within the system of the Ministry;

e) persons conscripted to the national military service of conscripts, junkers, attendees, cadets or reservists within the system of the Ministry.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 150 – Work-related issues

1. An employee in the system of the Ministry shall:

a) be granted a one-time additional period of paid leave of 30 calendar days upon his/her return to Georgia after his/her rotation in a peacekeeping operation is finished;

b) be granted a one-time additional period of paid leave of not more than 15 calendar days after the completion of martial law and/or a state of emergency, or an emergency situation, when participating in the measures taken during that period.

2. An employee in the system of the Ministry shall be issued an official identification document in accordance with the procedure established by a normative act of the Minister.

3. The procedure for completing service by a military service person and a person employed within the Defence Forces shall be determined by the statute of the Defence Forces approved by a normative act of the Minister.

4. An employee in the system of the Ministry may be awarded a state award of Georgia and a service medal in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.

 

Article 151 – Uniform

1. A service person of the Ministry’s system, a cadet, a person enrolled for the Military Training Programme provided for by Article 41 of this Code, and a person enrolled in a military academy for an educational programme for training in the Georgian language shall have the right to wear a uniform under the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.

2. The uniform established within the system of the Ministry, the insignia of the uniform and the procedure for wearing it, shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

3. After the dismissal of a person from service, the issue of letting him/her retain the right to wear the uniform with insignia established in the system of the Ministry shall be resolved by the Minister.

4. The illegal wearing of uniforms with insignia as established in the system of the Ministry shall result in the liability of the person in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Chapter XV – Coercive Measures and the Right to the Application Thereof

 

Article 152 – Coercive measures and the right to the application thereof

1. A coercive measure is the use of physical force, special equipment and firearms by an employee in the system of the Ministry (hereinafter, an employee for the purposes of this chapter) within and for the implementation of the powers determined thereof by legal acts.

2. An employee shall have the right to apply appropriate coercive measures proportionally, only if necessary and with due intensity to perform the duties assigned to him/her, in order to achieve a legitimate purpose.

3. An employee shall have the right to use special equipment and firearms if he/she has completed special training.

4. An employee shall notify a person in advance about the use of physical force, special equipment and firearms and give that person a reasonable time to comply with his/her lawful demands, except when the delay may cause damage to the life and/or health of a person and/or the employee or other grave consequences, or when such notification is unjustified or impossible under the existing circumstances.

5. The type of coercive measure and the intensity of its application shall be determined through the due consideration of the specific situation, the nature of the offence and the individual characteristics of the offender. In addition, when applying coercive measures, the employee should try to make the damage minimal and proportionate.

6. The employee shall provide first (emergency) aid to a person injured as a result of the application of coercive measures.

7. The employee may not use such means that cause the severe mutilation of a person, are associated with unjustified risk, or are prohibited by the legislation of Georgia.

 

Article 153 – Right to use physical force

1. An employee shall have the right to use physical force, including special fighting techniques, to ensure his/her own safety and/or the safety of others, to prevent a crime and/or an administrative offence, or to detain a person committing a crime and/or an administrative offence, if he/she cannot ensure the fulfilment of the duties assigned to him/her by the legislation of Georgia by using non-violent methods.

2. An employee shall notify his/her immediate superior and a prosecutor immediately about any damage caused to a person due to the use of physical force, and if notification is impossible, is associated with special difficulties, or it may interfere with the performance of his/her duties, at the earliest possible opportunity.

3. In the event of the use of physical force against an undefined group of people, the leading official shall immediately notify his/her immediate superior and a prosecutor.

Law of Georgia No 698 of 24 June 2025 – website, 25.6.2025

 

Article 154 – Right to use special equipment

1. Only a military police officer shall have the right to use the special equipment provided for by this article.

2. A military police officer shall have the right to use passive and active special equipment to protect legal order.

3. Passive special equipment shall ensure the protection of the life and health of the military police officer and/or a person to be protected by him/her. Passive special equipment shall be body armour, a helmet, a shield, a gas mask and other special equipment to protect the body.

4. Active special means temporarily make a person unable to resist the military police officer, and/or assist the military police officer in performing the function assigned to him/her. Active special equipment shall be handcuffs and other means of restraint, a special baton, tear gas, pepper gas, an acoustic device, a non-lethal weapon (including non-lethal projectiles), a light and sound device for psychological influence, means of forcibly stopping transport, means for destroying barriers, a water cannon, an armoured vehicle and other special vehicles, special paint, a service dog and a service horse, an electroshock device and a net gun. The above special equipment shall be used as follows:

a) handcuffs and other means of restraint – against a person who has committed a crime or an act posing public danger, who is resisting or may resist a military police officer or is trying to escape; while escorting a detained or arrested person; against a person who may pose a threat to himself/herself and others through his/her dangerous actions;

b) special baton – to repel an attack on a person, a military police officer and/or a protected facility; when detaining a person who has committed a crime or violated legal order, if he/she does not comply with the lawful request of a military police officer; to suppress a mass and collective violation of legal order;

c) tear gas, pepper gas, acoustic device and non-lethal weapons (including non-lethal projectiles) – to repel an attack on a person, a military police officer and/or a protected facility; to prevent a mass and collective violation of legal order; when detaining a person who has committed a crime or an act posing public danger, or in order to coerce him/her to leave the area he/she is occupying, a vehicle, or a building or structure that he/she is using as a shelter;

d) a light and sound device of psychological influence – to repel an attack on a state facility and/or a public facility, a person and/or a military police officer; to detain a person showing armed resistance; to force out a criminal or a person who has committed an act posing public danger from a building or structure, a plot of land or a vehicle that he/she has invaded; to release a person illegally deprived of liberty;

e) means of forcibly stopping transport – to forcibly stop a vehicle if the driver does not comply with the request of a military police officer to stop and his/her actions pose a threat to human life and health, or if the use of means of forcibly stopping transport is required to secure a proportionate legally protected interest;

f) means for destroying barriers – when detaining a person who has committed a crime or an act posing public danger; to release a person illegally deprived of liberty from a closed space;

g) water cannon, armoured vehicle and other special vehicles – to prevent a mass violation of legal order; to repel a collective attack on a state facility and/or public facility; to forcibly stop a vehicle if a driver does not comply with the demands of a military police officer to stop; to detain an armed criminal;

h) special paint – to identify a person who has committed a crime;

i) service dog – to suppress a mass violation of legal order; when pursuing and detaining a person who has committed a crime or an act posing public danger; when escorting a detained or arrested person; to repel an attack on a person and/or a military police officer;

j) service horse – when pursuing and detaining a person who has committed a crime or an act posing public danger; during patrol; to suppress a mass violation of legal order;

k) electroshock device – to repel an attack on a person, a military police officer and/or a protected facility;

l) net guns – when pursuing an offender; to repel an armed attack; to seize an attacker.

5. A military police officer shall notify his/her immediate superior and a prosecutor immediately about any injury or damage caused to a person due to the use of special equipment, and if notification is impossible, is associated with special difficulties, or may interfere with the performance of his/her functions, at the earliest possible opportunity.

6. In the event of the use of special equipment against an undefined group of people, the leading official shall notify his/her immediate superior and a prosecutor.

7. The procedure for the storage, carriage and usage of special equipment at the disposition of the military police shall be determined by legal acts of the Minister.

Law of Georgia No 698 of 24 June 2025 – website, 25.6.2025

 

Article 155 – Right to use firearms

1. Within the competence granted to him/her by the legislation of Georgia, a service person shall have the right to:

a) store, carry and use service pistols;

b) carry and use military weapons.

2. The passive use of firearms shall be defined as a demonstration of a weapon by a service person for a legitimate purpose.

3. The active use of firearms shall be defined as the intentional firing of a weapon by a service person.

4. A service person shall be authorised to use firearms as a last resort:

a) in the case of the unauthorised entry of a person into a protected facility within the system of the Ministry;

b) for his/her own protection and/or the protection of other persons when their life and/or health is endangered;

c) to release a person illegally deprived of liberty;

d) to prevent the escape of a person detained for committing an act of violence or an especially grave crime, about whose escape the service person had previous knowledge;

e) to suppress a violent crime if a person shows resistance to the service person;

f) when repelling an attack on a protected facility, a state body and/or a public organisation;

g) to protect a person from an attack by a dangerous animal;

h) to damage a vehicle in order to stop it, if the actions of the driver pose an actual threat to the life and/or health of people and the driver does not comply with the repeated demands of the service person to stop the vehicle, except for the firing at a moving vehicle from a moving vehicle.

5. The active use of firearms against a person must be preceded by a verbal warning – ‘Stop, I'll shoot!’ and then a warning shot shall be fired. A warning shot may not be fired if necessity dictates so.

6. The use of firearms without warning shall be permitted:

a) during an armed attack, during an unexpected attack with military equipment or any kind of vehicle or mechanical means;

b) in the case of escape with a vehicle of a person detained or arrested for committing an especially grave crime, about which the service person had previous knowledge;

c) when a person shows armed resistance;

d) to send an alarm signal or to call for reinforcements;

e) to prevent the seizure of firearms;

f) to terminate the life of an animal with fatal injuries or an infected animal when it is obvious that the problem cannot be resolved in any other way.

7. If there is a threat of fatal injury to a person, a service person may use firearms only where it is necessary to repel an attack and/or in the case of extreme necessity.

8. A service person may not use firearms against a person in places where there is a danger of causing harm to other persons, as well as in flammable or explosive places, except where it is necessary to repel an attack and/or in the case of extreme necessity.

9. A service person shall notify his/her immediate superior and a prosecutor immediately about the active use of a firearm.

10. The procedure for the storage of firearms and ammunition in the possession of the Ministry shall be approved by a normative act of the Minister.

Law of Georgia No 698 of 24 June 2025 – website, 25.6.2025

 

Article 156 – Restriction of application of coercive measures

1. The use of physical force, special equipment and firearms against people with obvious signs of pregnancy, of a young age, with disabilities, or of an old age shall be prohibited, except for the cases where they are armed or are carrying out a collective attack, showing armed resistance to a service person, or threatening the life and/or health of other people or the service person, and where it is impossible to repel such an attack and/or resistance by other means.

2. A case where the non-use of physical force and special means makes it impossible for a service person to perform the tasks assigned to him/her shall constitute an exception as regards paragraph 1 of this article.

 

Chapter XVI – Martial Law

 

Article 157 – Martial law

1. Martial law entails the declaration of special rules to ensure the protection of the defence interests of the country in the event of an armed attack on Georgia or an immediate threat thereof.

2. Martial law shall be declared according to the Constitution of Georgia and this Code and it shall aim at ensuring the protection of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and state and public security.

 

Article 158 – Notification of the declaration and revocation of martial law

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia shall immediately notify the Secretary General of the United Nations of a declaration and a revocation of martial law.

 

Article 159 – Declaration of martial law

1. Martial law shall be declared by the President of Georgia upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Georgia. The edict of the President of Georgia on the declaration of martial law shall be immediately submitted to the Prime Minister of Georgia, who shall make a decision, immediately after the receipt of the edict, on the countersignature of the edict. The edict of the President of Georgia on the declaration of martial law countersigned by the Prime Minister of Georgia shall be immediately declared and shall enter into force upon declaration. The President of Georgia shall immediately submit the edict on the declaration of martial law countersigned by the Prime Minister of Georgia to the Parliament of Georgia for approval. The Parliament of Georgia shall approve the above edict upon its assembly. If the Parliament of Georgia does not approve the edict on the declaration of martial law following a vote, it shall become null and void.

2. The motives for the declaration of martial law shall be indicated in the edict of the President of Georgia on the declaration of martial law.

3. After the entry into force of the edict of the President of Georgia on the declaration of martial law, the text of the edict shall be broadcast during the entire day and shall be made public using all available mass media.

4. A decision on the revocation of martial law shall be made in accordance with the procedures established for the declaration of martial law and the approval of the relevant order.

 

Article 160 – Decree of the President of Georgia issued during martial law

1. During martial law, the President of Georgia shall, upon recommendation by the Prime Minister of Georgia, issue decrees that have the force of organic law. The decree of the President of Georgia shall immediately be submitted to the Prime Minister of Georgia, who shall make a decision to countersign the decree immediately upon the receipt thereof. The decree countersigned by the Prime Minister of Georgia shall enter into force upon its issuance and shall be valid until the revocation of martial law. The decree related to the authority of the National Bank of Georgia shall be issued upon the consent of the President of the National Bank of Georgia and shall enter into force upon its issuance. The decree shall be immediately submitted to the Parliament of Georgia for approval. The Parliament of Georgia shall approve the decree upon assembly. If the Parliament of Georgia does not approve the decree following a vote, it shall become null and void.

2. A decree issued during martial law by the President of Georgia and countersigned by the Prime Minister of Georgia that restricts the rights listed in Articles 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 26 and suspends the validity of Article 13 (2-6), Article 14(2), Article 15(2), Article 17(3, 5 and 6), Article 18(2) and Article 19(3) of the Constitution of Georgia throughout the country or in certain parts thereof, shall be immediately submitted by the President of Georgia to the Parliament of Georgia for approval. The countersignature of a decree on the restriction of rights by the Prime Minister of Georgia shall be deemed the issuance of the said decree and it shall enter into force from that moment. A decree on the suspension of provisions shall enter into force upon the approval thereof by the Parliament of Georgia. After its entry into force, the text of a decree shall be broadcast during the entire day and shall be made public using all available media.

3. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia shall immediately notify the Secretary General of the Council of Europe about a decree issued by the President of Georgia on the restriction of basic human rights.

 

Article 161 – Use of the Defence Forces during martial law

A decision on the use of the Defence Forces during martial law shall be made by the Prime Minister of Georgia. The decision shall not require the approval of the Parliament of Georgia. During martial law, the merging of bodies responsible for state and public security with the Defence Forces shall be permitted by a decree.

 

Article 162 – Powers of the supreme state authorities of Georgia during martial law

1. During martial law, the supreme authorities of executive power of Georgia shall have the right to carry out the following measures within their competence, taking into consideration the specific circumstances, in accordance with the requirements of the legislation of Georgia:

a) to strengthen the protection of public order and facilities that ensure the activities of the population and the operation of the economy;

b) to temporarily evacuate people from districts dangerous for living. In addition, it is necessary for the said authorities to provide these persons with permanent or other temporary dwellings;

c) to introduce for citizens a special regime of entry in and exit from the areas under martial law;

d) if necessary, to restrict the right of free movement for citizens and stateless persons and prohibit them from leaving their places of residence or other locations without relevant permission;

e) for the purposes of defence and crime prevention, to temporarily seize from citizens firearms, cold weapons and ammunition owned by them, and training military equipment, explosives, radioactive substances and materials, and potent chemical and poisonous substances from enterprises, institutions and organisations;

f) to prohibit the arrangement of gatherings, meetings, street processions and demonstrations, as well as entertainment, sports and other mass events;

g) to make changes to the plans of state enterprises and organisations for the production and supply of products, resolve other issues related to their economic activities, establish a special regime of operation for public institutions, as well as legal entities under public and private law (including enterprises);

h) based on the needs related to martial law, temporarily, during the period of martial law, to dismiss from offices the managers of state enterprises, institutions and organisations of strategic and vital importance for the population and appoint their substitutes; to temporarily prohibit the voluntary resignation of the employees of such enterprises, institutions and organisations, except for resignation for a good reason. Temporarily dismissed persons shall immediately, upon the revocation of martial law, be reinstated to their positions, if a legal basis for their dismissal from office does not exist;

i) in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, to use resources received from public institutions, as well as legal entities under public and private law (including enterprises) to prevent and eliminate the consequences of military actions; to use, for the same purposes, the property and tangible assets owned by other natural and legal persons, but only for appropriate compensation that shall be paid after the revocation (end) of martial law;

j) to prohibit strikes;

k) to involve working-age citizens in the work of enterprises, institutions and organisations in exchange for remuneration, as well as in the liquidation of the consequences of martial law, and ensure safe working conditions for them;

l) to restrict or prohibit trade in weapons, and potent chemical and poisonous substances, as well as spirit drinks and substances containing spirit;

m) to introduce quarantine measures and implement other mandatory sanitary and anti-epidemic measures;

n) to establish control over mass media in accordance with the legislation of Georgia;

o) to introduce special rules for the use of the means of communication;

p) to restrict the movement of vehicles and inspect them;

q) to check documents at places of mass gatherings of people, and if there are proper grounds, arrange a personal search of citizens, as well as their belongings and vehicles;

r) to impose a curfew.

2. (Deleted – 26.6.2025, No 801).

3. (Deleted – 26.6.2025, No 801).

4. (Deleted – 26.6.2025, No 801).  

5. The supreme authorities of executive power of Georgia may, during martial law, annul any decision of subordinate bodies.

6. The Parliament of Georgia may, during martial law, change in certain places the territorial jurisdiction established by civil and criminal laws.

7. If the state authorities fail to ensure the due performance of their functions in the areas under martial law, the president of Georgia may, in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, establish a provisional government by a decree countersigned by the Prime Minister of Georgia before the revocation of martial law, thereby imposing an obligation on the Government of Georgia to form, by an ordinance, an ad hoc body to carry out governance, or appoint an official and determine his/her powers.

8. In the case provided for by paragraph 7 of this article, the powers of municipal bodies shall be temporarily suspended, and the power to perform their functions shall be transferred to an ad hoc body carrying out governance established by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia or an appointed official who, in accordance with the requirements of the legislation of Georgia and within the scope of his/her competence, shall have the right to:

a) implement the measures provided for by paragraph 1 of this article;

b) temporarily perform the functions of municipal bodies;

c) submit proposals to the supreme state government bodies of Georgia regarding issues of the State, and economic and social development;

d) subordinate state enterprises, institutions and organisations located in respective areas, in accordance with the procedure established by the Government of Georgia.

9. The measures for the prevention and liquidation of the consequences of martial law shall be coordinated by the Government of Georgia.

10. Using the Defence Forces and involving them in the elimination of the consequences of martial law and ensuring public safety shall be carried out in accordance with the Constitution of Georgia.

11. The State shall provide dwellings to the citizens affected by recovery operations carried out during martial law, or during operations for the prevention of martial law, or for the elimination of the consequences thereof, shall compensate material damage incurred, and shall help citizens with employment and provide other assistance. The conditions and procedure for providing citizens with dwellings, compensating material damage incurred and providing other necessary assistance shall be determined by the Government of Georgia in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.

12. Any violation of the requirements provided for by paragraph 1 (c, d, f, j) and (l-p) of this article shall lead to the liability of the person responsible under the legislation of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 801 of 26 June 2025 – website, 30.6.2025

 

Article 163 – National Defence Council

1. The National Defence Council, an advisory body, shall be set up during martial law, which shall be chaired by the President of Georgia.

2. The members of the National Defence Council shall be the President of Georgia, the Prime Minister of Georgia, the Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia, the Minister and the Chief of the Defence Forces. By a decision of the President of Georgia, individual members of the Parliament of Georgia and the Government of Georgia may be invited as members of the National Defence Council.

3. The National Defence Council shall, within the framework of constitutional power, review the issues arising in the country during martial law and make recommendations and proposals regarding the organisation of the defence of the country and the needs during martial law.

4. The President of Georgia shall convene a meeting of the National Defence Council in agreement with the Prime Minister of Georgia. Meetings of the National Defence Council shall be held as appropriate.

5. As a rule, a meeting of the National Defence Council shall be closed. By a decision of the President of Georgia, a meeting of the National Defence Council may be declared open.

6. The administration of the President of Georgia shall notify the members of the National Defence Council of the time and place of a meeting of the National Defence Council.

7. The administration of the President of Georgia shall make arrangements for holding a meeting of the National Defence Council.

8. The President of Georgia shall, in agreement with the Prime Minister of Georgia, determine the agenda of a meeting of the National Defence Council.

9. The minutes of a meeting of the National Defence Council shall be drawn up by the administration of the President of Georgia.

10. The minutes of a meeting of the National Defence Council shall be kept in the administration of the President of Georgia.

 

Article 164 – Elimination of the consequences of martial law

1. The Government of Georgia may be required by a decree of the President of Georgia that is countersigned by the Prime Minister of Georgia to establish, by ordinance, ed hoc bodies on the spot and/or appoint a representative of the Government of Georgia and/or a commandant and determine the powers thereof for the coordination of the actions, management and interaction of the forces allocated to eliminate the consequences of martial law.

2. The representative of the Government of Georgia or the commandant shall issue orders which shall regulate the issues relating to the promotion of the regime of martial law within the frameworks of this Code.

3. Specialists from Georgia or foreign countries with the relevant education and experience may, by a decision of the governmental institution determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia, be invited during martial law to help with the elimination of the consequences of martial law.

 

Article 165 – Rights and duties of natural and legal persons during martial law

1. In order to ensure the protection of the defence interests of the country during martial law, the heads of legal entities may temporarily transfer the employees of these legal entities, without their consent, to work under a regime which is not provided for by their relevant employment agreement.

2. During a curfew, citizens may not stay in the streets or other public places, or leave their places of residence, without officially issued permits and their identity documents.

3. Persons violating the provisions of paragraph 2 of this article shall be detained by the police or patrol until the end of the curfew, and persons who have no documents with them shall be detained until their identity is established, but for not more than 72 hours. Personal inspection, as well as the inspection of the belongings, of detained persons may be conducted.

4. Any violation of the requirements provided for by paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article shall incur liability in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.

 

Chapter XVII – Volunteering in the Field of Defence

 

Article 166 – Volunteering in the field of defence

1. Volunteering in the field of defence (volunteering) shall entail the voluntary, unpaid training of an individual in matters of defence and security, and the use of the skills related thereto in the field of defence as appropriate, within the frameworks of the organisational arrangements established by this Code and the relevant legal acts.

2. Volunteering does not entail the replacement of paid work and should not be used as a source of cheap workforce. Volunteering activities may be used to avoid labour relations.

3. The State shall promote the organisation of volunteering. Issues related to the organisation of volunteering shall be determined by the Minister.

4. During martial law, a state of emergency or an emergency situation, volunteers shall be used in the field of defence in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.

 

Article 167 – Status of volunteers in the field of defence

1. Volunteers in the field of defence (volunteer) shall be persons who have attained the age of 18.

2. The Ministry shall make a decision on the granting/suspension/termination of the status of a volunteer with due consideration of the principle of priority of the defence and security interests of the country and in accordance with the procedure established by the Minister.

3. A person, except for the cases provided for by paragraph 4 of this article, shall be granted the status of a volunteer if he/she meets all the following requirements:

a) is a member of a volunteer organisation;

b) has completed an appropriate training to be specified by a legal entity under public law provided for by Article 169(1) of this Code;

c) has been registered in the register of volunteers and has concluded a volunteer agreement.

4. A person may be granted the status of a volunteer:

a) if he/she is a veteran of war and the Defence Forces and meets the condition provided for by paragraph 3(c) of this article;

b) by a decision of the Ministry, regardless of the requirements provided for by paragraph 3 of this article.

5. The status of a volunteer shall be suspended:

a) on the basis of a personal application;

b) in the case of the initiation of proceedings against him/her related to the termination of his/her status of a volunteer;

c) in the case of conscription into the national military service of conscripts – for a period he/she has been conscripted into the service.

6. A decision on the suspension of the status of a volunteer shall be revoked if a decision on the termination of the status is not made.

7. The status of a volunteer and a volunteer agreement of a person shall be terminated upon his/her removal from the register of volunteers .

8. The suspension of the status/termination of the status/liquidation of a volunteer organisation shall not lead to the termination of the status of a volunteer.

9. In the event of the existence of any of the conditions provided for by paragraph 8 of this Article, the activities of volunteers shall be coordinated and managed by the Legal Entity under Public Law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 168 – Volunteer organisations

1. A non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity shall be entitled to carry out volunteer activities if it meets the following conditions:

a) its founder/member of a managing body is a legal entity under public law provided for by Article 169(1) of this Code;

b) it meets the criteria determined by the Ministry;

c) it is granted the status of a volunteer organisation.

2. An entity (candidate for a volunteer organisation) shall apply to the Ministry to obtain the status of a volunteer organisation. If the Ministry makes a positive decision, the entity shall be granted the status of a volunteer organisation.

3. The decision to grant/suspend/terminate a status of a volunteer organisation shall be made by the Ministry taking into account the principle of the priority of the defence and security interests of the country.

4. The criteria and procedure for granting/suspending/terminating a status of a volunteer organisation shall be determined by the Minister.

5. A status of a volunteer organisation shall be terminated:

a) if the organisation does not fulfil or improperly fulfils the rights and duties determined by the agreement;

b) no longer meets the criteria for granting the status of a volunteer organisation;

c) in other cases determined by a legal act as provided for by paragraph 4 of this article.

6. The status of a volunteer organisation shall be suspended in the case of the initiation of proceedings against the organisation related to the termination of its status.

7. The decision to suspend the status of a volunteer organisation shall be revoked if the decision to suspend the status of that organisation is not made.

Law of Georgia No 3815 of 30 November 2023 – website, 19.12.2023

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 169 – Powers of the State with respect to volunteering

1. In order to coordinate and control the implementation of volunteering activities by a volunteer organisation/entity with the status of a candidate for a volunteer organisation, a legal entity under public law shall be established within the system of the Ministry by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

2. The Ministry shall be authorised to:

a) issue a grant to a legal entity under public law/volunteer organisation as determined by paragraph 1 of this article to achieve a specific goal;

b) grant the right to the legal entity under public law/volunteer organisation/entity with the status of a candidate for a volunteer organisation/a volunteer determined by paragraph 1 of this article to use the property held on the balance sheet of the Ministry in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;

c) within the allocations under the annual budget law:

c.a) provide medical services and rehabilitation to volunteers if the health status of a volunteer deteriorates during an event organised by the Ministry or the legal entity under public law determined by paragraph 1 of this article;

c.b) ensure the operation of sports and training areas, and the planning of educational courses in the educational units of the Ministry for the development of the volunteer system;

c.c) if necessary, provide food, medical services, accommodation, appropriate property/equipment/techniques and transportation to persons engaged in a relevant event.

3. The legal entity under public law determined by paragraph 1 of this article, in agreement with the Ministry, shall:

a) be authorised to:

a.a) support the legal entity under private law in the promotion of military service;

a.b) ensure the planning/implementation of patriotic, marching, cultural and cognitive events, and of military-training events, within the scope of its competence;

b) conclude an agreement with a volunteer organisation/an entity with the status of a candidate for a volunteer organisation;

c) conclude a volunteer agreement with a volunteer;

d) issue a certificate confirming volunteer status;

e) plan and/or carry out events related to volunteering that are planned by the Ministry;

f) be entitled to receive grants, have income and/or other financing in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;

g) ensure the implementation of this Code and the agreement concluded with a volunteer organisation and a volunteer by them, as well as the use of the property and the spending of financial resources received by them.

4. The legal entity under public law determined by paragraph 1 of this article shall participate in the management of the volunteer organisation in accordance with the procedure established by the agreement concluded.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 170 – Volunteer organisation and an entity with the status of a candidate for a volunteer organisation

1. The activities of a volunteer organisation/entity with the status of a candidate for a volunteer organisation shall be coordinated by a legal entity under public law established within the system of the Ministry.

2. To ensure coordination as provided for by paragraph 1 of this article, an agreement shall be concluded between the legal entity under public law established within the system of the Ministry and a volunteer organisation/an entity with a status of a candidate for a volunteer organisation.

3. In agreement with the legal entity under public law provided for by Article 169(1) of this Code, the volunteer organisation shall:

a) cooperate with a municipality, a legal entity under private law, a non-governmental organisation, or other state agencies to achieve the goals of volunteering;

b) if necessary, use the property in the ownership of a legal entity under public law established within the Ministry/the system of the Ministry in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;

c) ensure the planning of the relevant training programme, course, or event.

4. The volunteer organisation shall:

a) attend to raising the qualifications of members of the organisation/volunteers;

b) explain their rights and duties to the members of the organisation/volunteers;

c) compensate for any damage caused to a third person by an unlawful act during the performance of an event planned by the organisation;

d) compensate for any damage caused to a member of the organisation/a volunteer due to the deterioration of health while carrying out an event planned by the volunteer organisation or volunteer activities, as well as for the expenses of any necessary medical services;

e) transfer the grants and/or other funds received for achieving the goals of volunteering to the legal entity under public law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code;

f) submit to the legal entity under public law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code information on implemented/planned activities, and the frequency thereof;

g) comply with the requirements of this Code, and the terms of the agreement, as well as the legal requirements of the Ministry and the legal entity under public law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code.

 

Article 171 – Member of a volunteer organisation

1. Persons who have attained the age of 18 may become members of a volunteer organisation.

2. Persons under the age of 18 may become members of a volunteer organisation with the consent of their legal representative or custodian/guardianship authorities if the membership of a volunteer organisation does not compromise their best interests, or prejudice their moral, physical or mental development, or limit their right and opportunity to acquire compulsory basic and primary education.

 

Article 172 – Register of volunteers

1. The registration and removal from the registration of a person in the register of volunteers shall be ensured by the legal entity under public law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code.

2. The register of volunteers shall be kept via the electronic system of volunteers.

3. To register volunteers, the following information (data) related to the person shall be entered into the electronic system of volunteers:

a) identification data of the person – name, last name, personal number, gender, date of birth, place of birth, legal address, actual address, contact information, photograph, and information on his/her citizenship;

b) information on the physical characteristics of the person (blood group, height, weight, foot size, head size);

c) information on the education, qualifications, skills, special talents and work experience of the person, on the specific activities and the employment thereof;

d) information on the completion of military service, reserve military service, or alternative non-military labour service by the person, as well as on his/her participation in combat operations and peacekeeping operations and on the granting of a status of a veteran thereto;

e) information on the health status of the person.

4. The procedure for the registration of a person in the register of volunteers and his/her removal from registration shall be determined by a normative act of the Minister.

5. A volunteer organisation shall contribute to the formation of the register of volunteers. A volunteer organisation may become familiar with the register of volunteers in accordance with the normative act of the Minister provided for by paragraph 4 of this article.

6. The personal data provided for by this Chapter shall be processed in compliance with the requirements of the Law of Georgia on Personal Data Protection, solely to ensure the registration, call-up, and training of volunteers, and to keep statistics to the extent necessary for the achievement of a legal purpose.

7. The information in the register of volunteers is the intra-agency information of the Ministry and the legal entity under public law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code and shall not be deemed public information.

 

Article 173 – Rights and duties of a volunteer and the social protection thereof

1. This Code does not limit the right of a volunteer to enjoy the rights and freedoms granted to him/her by the legislation of Georgia.

2. A volunteer shall have the right to:

a) benefit from the social guarantees determined for him/her by this Code and other legal acts;

b) use the relevant property.

3. A volunteer shall:

a) carry out his/her activities, as well as any activity/event connected to volunteering in agreement with the legal entity under public law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code, taking into consideration legal and ethical principles and the terms of the concluded agreement;

b) provide the legal entity under public law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code/volunteer organisation with timely information regarding dangers or risks that may be caused by the implementation of the activities provided for by the concluded agreement;

c) take care of the property that he/she uses in the course of his/her activities;

d) report in a timely manner on any deterioration in the state of health or other such situations which might hamper the implementation of the activities provided for by the concluded contract.

4. In the case of the wounding/maiming or death of a volunteer during the implementation of measures planned by the Ministry/a legal entity under public law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code, the social guarantees established for a military service person in such cases under this Code and other legal acts shall apply to the volunteer/a member of his/her family.

5. The State shall compensate for the damage caused by the actions of a volunteer unless the actions were committed intentionally or by gross negligence. A volunteer shall be obliged to compensate for the damage caused intentionally or by gross negligence.

6. Upon request, a legal entity under public law provide for by Article 169(1) of this Code shall issue a certificate about the volunteer, which contains information about the activities carried out by the volunteer and the duration thereof. On the basis of a submitted certificate, the time-off of a volunteer of not more than 10 calendar days per year shall be considered excusable by an academy/employer and the volunteer shall retain his/her remuneration/scholarship.

7. While volunteering, a person shall retain the status of an unemployed person. He/she shall be authorised to use the benefits and allowances provided for by the legislation of Georgia for unemployed people.

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 174 – Reimbursement of the expenses necessary for volunteering

1. The Ministry/a legal entity under public law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code shall be entitled to reimburse the expenses necessary for carrying out volunteering incurred by a volunteer, including:

a) expenses of consular services (registration for a relevant visa, extension of a visa);

b) travel expenses;

c) expenses of rental (booking and living);

d) food, communications and daily expenses.

2. The obligation to reimburse the expenses provided for by paragraph 1 of this article for the members of the organisation/volunteers rests with the volunteer organisation if the relevant event has been planned by the organisation.

3. The reimbursement of expenses under this article does not alter the selfless nature of volunteering.

 

Article 175 – Ensuring the safety of members of a volunteer organisation/volunteers

The Ministry/legal entity under public law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code/a volunteer organisation/an entity with the status of a candidate for a volunteer organisation shall:

a) provide a safe environment for a member of the organisation/a volunteer during volunteering, take all other reasonable measures to ensure the safety of the member of the organisation/the volunteer and to protect his/her life and health;

b) provide a member of the organisation/a volunteer with complete and impartial information on all the factors affecting his/her life and health in a timely and understandable manner, within a reasonable period; if necessary, provide a member of the organisation/volunteer with personal protective equipment.

 

Article 176 – Volunteer agreement

1. A volunteer agreement shall be concluded with a volunteer after he/she is registered in the register of volunteers.

2. A volunteer agreement determines the issues and conditions related to the implementation of volunteering, as well as the rights and obligations of the parties.

3. A voluntary agreement shall be concluded in writing, for a definite period, and in a language understandable to the parties. The agreement can be concluded in several languages. If the agreement is concluded in several languages, it shall contain a clause specifying the language of the agreement to prevail in the case of a discrepancy between the provisions of the agreement.

4. The legal entity under public law determined by Article 169(1) of this Code shall approve a volunteer agreement and conclude it with a volunteer in agreement with the Ministry.

 

Article 177 – Implementation of volunteer activities in the field of public safety

1. A volunteer may perform volunteer activities in the field of public safety.

2. The activities provided for by paragraph 1 of this article shall be carried out by mutual agreement between the Ministry and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.

3. To implement the activities provided for by paragraph 1 of this article, the Ministry and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall jointly carry out the relevant activities.

 

Chapter XVIII – Transitional and Final Provisions

 

Article 178 – Military service during the transitional period

1. Until 1 January 2025, the time frame for the national military service of conscripts shall be 12 months.

2. To complete the national military service of conscripts (including in the form of contract-based military service) in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Special Penitentiary Service, a state subordinate institution within the system of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, the State Security Service of Georgia, the Intelligence Service of Georgia, or the Special State Protection Service a person shall be accepted before 1 January 2025.

3. 4 years of uninterrupted service of a conscript appointed/conscripted to the agency determined by paragraph 2 of this article before 1 January 2025 shall be considered as the completion of the national military service of conscripts.

4. After the expiration of the term of service determined by paragraph 1 and/or paragraph 3 of this article, a person with no military rank shall be awarded the military rank of a Private under an order of the head of the relevant agency and shall be enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces.

5. Persons conscripted to the national military service of conscripts for a period of 12 months before 1 January 2025 shall complete the said service after the expiration of the above period. In addition, the persons shall complete the national military service of conscripts in the agency where they were conscripted, except for the case when they were transferred to another agency to complete the national military service of conscripts.

6. The requirements of the relevant agency for conscription into the national military service of conscripts before 1 January 2025 shall be determined by an ordinance of the Government of Georgia.

7. The procedure for completing the national military service of conscripts in the agencies determined by paragraph 2 of this article shall be approved by a normative act of the head of the relevant agency. In the Special State Protection Service, this issue shall also be regulated by the Law of Georgia on the Special State Protection Service.

8. Article 83 of this Code shall not apply to a military service person who, before the entry into force of this Code, has been appointed to a position lower than his/her actual military rank and who does not have the education, skills and/or experience relevant to that actual rank.

9. After the entry into force of this Code, the procedure for granting the next military rank, one rank only, to certain military service persons shall be carried out according to the time frames specified by paragraph 10 of this Article, and granting of the following next military rank shall be exercised under Article 44 of this Code.

10. Based on paragraph 9 of this article, the following time frames of military service shall be established for granting the next military rank:

a) from Junior Sergeant to Sergeant – 2 years;

b) from Sergeant to Senior Sergeant – 3 years;

c) from Captain to Major – 3 years;

d) from Major to Lieutenant Colonel – 4 years;

e) from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel – 5 years.

11. A person who has been awarded a military rank and serves in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Special Penitentiary Service, a state subordinate institution within the system of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, the State Security Service of Georgia, the Intelligence Service of Georgia, the Special State Protection Service or other relevant agency, may serve in military service up to 1 January 2025 in compliance with the terms established for awarding the next military rank provided for by this Code and the requirements of special legislation determined by the head of the relevant agency.

12. After 1 January 2025, the military ranks in the agency determined by paragraph 11 of this article shall be equated to the corresponding special state ranks under the order of the head of that agency.

13. For a person discharged from military service, who was enlisted in a high readiness mobilisation reserve after the entry into force of this Code, the period between the discharge from military service and enlistment in the above reserve shall be included in his/her length of service in the high readiness mobilisation reserve.

14. After the completion of the basic combat training before 1 January 2025, a military service person enlisted in the national military service of conscripts shall, upon request, be given paid leave of not more than 15 calendar days and leave due to family circumstances for 10 calendar days during the national military service of conscripts.

15. Before 1 January 2025, in order to meet the needs of the service, the head of the relevant agency may decide on the transfer of a military service person to the position in the relevant duty/branch. Compliance with that decision shall be mandatory for the above military service person. The head of that specific agency shall determine the procedure for the official transfer of a military service person/other cases.

16. A military service person serving in the national military service of conscripts in the form of contract-based military service, in the case of termination of the contract on his/her initiative, arbitrarily or through guilt before 1 January 2025, shall be enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces, if at the time of termination of the contract he has served 12 months.

17. Article 35(5-9) of this Code shall also apply to violations of a contract concluded with the Ministry prior to the entry into force of Article 35 of this Code for the purpose of completion of military service, as well as to the financial responsibilities determined by Chapter XVIII of the statute on the Military Service approved by the Ordinance No 238 of 18 March 2014 of the Government of Georgia on the Approval of the Statute of Military Service.

18. Article 65(1)(d.b) of this Code shall not apply to persons who, in accordance with the said subparagraph, cannot enjoy the right to defer conscription into the national military service of conscripts due to their studies in a higher education programme in the form of distance learning, if they obtained the status of a student before 1 January 2024.

19. Persons who, before 1 January 2025, completed the higher education programme of a higher educational institution of Georgia recognised in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia or a higher education programme of a foreign higher educational institution recognised in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of a foreign country, in the case of conscription into the national military service of conscripts shall be entitled to choose and complete the military training programmes determined by Article 41 or one of the types (time frames) of the national military service of conscripts provided for by Article 72(2) of this Code at their discretion. In addition, if that person completes the military training programmes determined by Article 41 of this Code, the regulatory norms of liability determined for a military service person provided for by the legislation of Georgia shall apply.

Law of Georgia No 3815 of 30 November 2023 – website, 19.12.2023

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 179 – Special ranks in the system of the Ministry

1. After the entry into force of this Code, a person shall be awarded the primary special state rank and/or appointed with a special state rank only to the General Inspection of the Ministry, the Military Police or the Military Intelligence Department of the Ministry.

2. An employee within the system of the Ministry who has been granted a special state rank (except for an employee of a structural unit of the Ministry as provided for by paragraph 1 of this article), after the entry into force of this Code, shall retain that special state rank and shall not be granted the next special state rank.

 

Article 180 – Military registration of citizens, organisation of the national military service of conscripts and reserve military service during the transition period

1. Until 1 January 2024:

a) the powers determined by this Code and the relevant legal acts related to military registration and associated measures, the national military service of conscripts (organisation of conscription, call-up, conscription, exemption from conscription or deferral of conscription), and mobilization reserve military service (enlistment, call-up, conscription, exemption from conscription or deferral of conscription), shall be carried out by the mayor of the municipality/the district head of Tbilisi municipality, the structural unit established within the municipality city hall/the structural unit of the administration of Tbilisi districts; and for internally displaced persons, IDPs, from the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia (except for the IDPs displaced from Azhara Municipality of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia), by the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia; and for internally displaced persons, IDPs, from the Azhara Municipality of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, by the Azhara Municipality;

b) the powers determined by this Code and the relevant legal acts for the relevant agency/body/educational institution/employer related to military registration and associated measures, the national military service of conscripts (organisation of conscription, conscription, exemption from conscription or deferral of conscription), and mobilisation reserve military service (enlistment, call-up, conscription, exemption from conscription or deferral of conscription) shall be carried out in relation to the mayor of the municipality/district head of Tbilisi municipality/the structural unit established within the municipality city hall/structural unit of the administration of Tbilisi districts and/or the Ministry; and for internally displaced persons, IDPs, from the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, (except for the IDPs displaced from Azhara Municipality of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia), in relation to the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia; and for internally displaced persons, IDPs, from Azhara Municipality of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, in relation to the Azhara Municipality.

2. Until 1 January 2024, a person shall report to the structural unit established within the municipality city hall/structural unit of the administration of Tbilisi districts to fulfil the obligations related to military registration, the national military service of conscripts and reserve military service.

3. The powers determined for a municipality under this Code shall be the powers delegated thereto by the State.

4. The State shall carry out sectoral supervision of the powers delegated to a municipality by the State in accordance with the Organic Law of Georgia Local Self-Government Code:

a) for 30 calendar days from the entry into force of this Code: the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia;

b) after 30 calendar days from the entry into force of this Code up to 1 January 2024: the Ministry.

5. The powers provided for by Article 55(7), Article 60(3), Article 63(3)(a), Article 68(3), Article 69(3), Article 70(5) and Article 105(2) of this Code shall be exercised by the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia for 30 calendar days from the entry into force of this Code.

6. In order to exercise the powers delegated to a municipality by the State, a corresponding structural unit shall be established in the municipality city hall (in Azhara municipality of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, Tigva, Kurd, Eredvi, Akhalgori municipalities: administrations), and for Tbilisi: in the administration of Tbilisi districts.

7. The conscription commission of a municipality will be established before 1 January 2024 for the conscription into the national military service of conscripts and the conscription commission of the district of Tbilisi municipality shall be established in the district of Tbilisi municipality. The composition of the conscription commission of a municipality shall be approved by the mayor of the relevant municipality and the composition of the conscription commission of the district of Tbilisi municipality shall be approved by the district head of Tbilisi municipality. The representatives of the Ministry, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the State Security Service of Georgia, and if necessary, employees of a municipality city hall/administration of Tbilisi districts shall have the status of a member of the conscription commission.

8. After the Conscription Commission makes a decision on the conscription of a conscript to the national military service of conscripts before 1 January 2024, the delivery of the conscript to the assembly and distribution centre for conscripts and his return, as well as rations during the above period (if necessary), shall be provided by a municipality/a district of Tbilisi municipality. This obligation shall be fulfilled voluntarily by Tbilisi municipality, except for the case when the reporting site of a person conscripted to the national military service of conscripts is beyond the administrative boundaries of Tbilisi municipality.

9. Before 1 January 2024, the structural unit established within a municipality city hall/the structural unit of the administration of Tbilisi districts shall provide statistical data on military registration and conscription into the national military service of conscripts, and information on the progress and results of the conscription into the Ministry upon request, and the Ministry shall submit that data and information to the Administration of the Government of Georgia in a consolidated form.

10. (Deleted – 2.11.2023, No 3656).

11. The powers of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia in the area of military registration and conscription of internally displaced persons, IDPs, from the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia shall correspond to the powers delegated to municipalities by the State under this Code.

12. The Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia may, if necessary, set up several conscription commissions and determine their composition.

13. To ensure the implementation of the measures provided for by this article, the relevant provisions of this Code related to military registration, the national military service of conscripts and reserve military service shall be applied.

14. If a person is enlisted in the mobilisation reserve before the entry into force of this Code, the relevant authorised entity shall ensure the implementation of appropriate measures for the registration thereof in the appropriate category within 6 months after the entry into force of this Code.

15. A person who, before the entry into force of this Code, expressed a wish and paid the fee for the deferral of compulsory military service, may enjoy the right to defer compulsory military service for a period of 18 months from the payment of the fee, until reaching the age of 25.

16. Until 1 January 2024, a Legal Entity under Public Law called the Regulation Agency for Medical and Pharmaceutical Activities under the state control of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia shall provide information on declaring a citizen as a person with disabilities, as well as on the expiration of the disability status of a citizen and the verification thereof:

a) for 30 calendar days from the entry into force of this Code: to the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia;

b) after 30 calendar days from the entry into force of this Code: to the Ministry.

17. Until 1 January 2024, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia shall ensure the establishment of an electronic database of information (data) provided for by Article 71(4) and Article 98(1)(d) of this Code.

18. Until 1 January 2025, a working group set up by the members of the Central Conscription Commission at the assembly and distribution centre for conscripts shall determine the agency in which a conscript shall complete the national military service of conscripts.

19. Until 1 January 2025, the amount of the fee for deferral of conscription into the national military service of conscripts by 1 calendar year shall be GEL 2 000. A person may exercise the right to payment of a fee for deferral of the conscription into the national military service of conscripts until reaching the age of 25.

20. An entity carrying out military registration shall ensure:

a) recording of a person, who is enlisted or to be enlisted in the reserve before this paragraph becomes effective, in an appropriate category of the reserve, and awarding of a military rank to him/her (if he/she has no such rank);

b) recording of a person in an appropriate category of the reserve, who has done compulsory military service before coming of this Code into effect in the form of contract military service, for not less than 12 months, and whose contract has been terminated.

Law of Georgia No 3656 of 2 November 2013 – website, 13.11.2023

Law of Georgia No 713 of 24 June 2025 – website, 26.6.2025

 

Article 181 – Granting a military rank to a person who failed to complete the special programme for granting a military rank

1. A former student of a higher educational institution, who passed the state entrance exams of a higher educational institution and was not granted a military rank before 1 September 2009, shall be awarded the military rank of a Private and be enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, if:

a) before the abolition of the military department or the department of military training of the Legal Entity under Public Law called the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, he completed a full course of studies in that department and passed the state exams of the military department;

b) by the time of the abolition of the military department or the department of military training of the Legal Entity under Public Law called the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, he was in the final year of studies in that department;

c) before the abolition of the military department or the department of military training of the Legal Entity under Public Law called the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, he completed a full course of studies in that department and was unable to pass the state exams of the military department due to the abolition thereof.

2. A graduate of the Legal Entity under Public Law called the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, who was not granted a military rank before 1 September 2009, shall be awarded the military rank of a Private and be enlisted in the reserve of the Defence Forces in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, if:

a) before the abolition of the department of military training of the Legal Entity under Public Law called the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, he completed a full course of studies in that department and passed the state exams of the military department;

b) by the time of the abolition of the department of military training of the Legal Entity under Public Law called the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, he was in the final year of studies in that department;

c) before the abolition of the department of military training of the Legal Entity under Public Law called the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, he completed a full course of studies in that department and was unable to pass the state exams of the military department due to the abolition of that department.

 

Article 182 – Equating military ranks

1. After the entry into force of this article, the military ranks of persons in the reserve of the Defence Forces shall be equalised in the following manner:

a) Gefreiter and Gefreiter Second Class shall be equated to Private;

b) Seaman, Senior Seaman and Seaman Second Class – to Marine Private;

c) Gefreiter First Class – to Private First Class;

d) Seaman First Class – to Marine Private First Class;

e) Battalion Sergeant and Staff Sergeant – to Master Sergeant;

f) Warrant Officer of the Ship and Staff Warrant Officer – to Master Warrant Officer;

g) Brigade Sergeant – to Sergeant Major;

h) Junior Lieutenant – to Lieutenant.

2. As of the date of entry into force of this article, the military ranks of active military service persons and persons in the reserve of the Defence Forces shall be equated in the following manner:

a) Marine Private shall be equated to Private;

b) Marine Private First Class – to Private First Class;

c) Marine Corporal – to Corporal;

d) Marine Corporal Specialist – to Corporal Specialist;

e) Junior Warrant Officer – to Junior Sergeant;

f) Warrant Officer – to Sergeant;

g) Senior Warrant Officer – to Senior Sergeant;

h) Master Warrant Officer – to Master Sergeant;

i) Chief Warrant Officer – to Sergeant Major;

j) Lieutenant – to Lieutenant;

k) Senior lieutenant – to Senior Lieutenant;

l) Captain Lieutenant – to Captain;

m) Captain III Rank – to Major;

n) Captain II Rank – to Lieutenant Colonel;

o) Captain I Rank – to Colonel;

p) Rear Admiral – to Brigadier General;

q) Vice Admiral – to Major General;

r) Admiral – to Lieutenant General.

3. The relevant authorised agency shall ensure the change of the registration data of the active military service persons and the persons in the reserve of the Defence Forces in order to equate the military ranks in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article.

 

Article 183 – Legal acts to be adopted/issued with regard to the entry into force of this Code

1. The Government of Georgia shall:

a) within 12 months after the entry into force of this Code, approve:

a.a) the text of the military oath;

a.b) the procedure for reimbursement of damage caused to another person by an employee of an entity participating in an international exercise;

a.c) the procedure for reimbursement of expenses of a business trip of an entity participating in a peacekeeping operation and the amount of compensation;

a.d) the procedure for reimbursement of damage caused to another person by an employee of an entity participating in a peacekeeping operation;

b) before 1 January 2025, approve the procedure of conscription on the basis of the random selection principle.

2. Within 12 months after the entry into force of this Code, the Minister shall determine:

a) issues related to the healthcare of an employee in the system of the Ministry (including his/her rehabilitation), medical services provided thereto and the corresponding remuneration, as well as leave due to health conditions;

b) the rules and procedure for the promotion in the rank of a military service person, as well as the rank categories of those military service persons whose promotion in rank shall be centralised and conducted by a decision of the Selection Board;

c) the procedure for the suspension of official powers of a service person in the system of the Ministry employed in an international organisation abroad and maintaining the remuneration thereof;

d) the procedure for creating a military medical commission, organising and carrying out medical examinations/expert examinations by the commission and the list of relevant diseases/injuries;

e) organisational issues of the manning and business trips of military personnel participating in peacekeeping operations, as well as the organisational issues of business trips of non-military personnel;

f) an action for which a military service person may be subjected to disciplinary liability and/or issues associated with that action.

3. The Government of Georgia and the relevant agencies shall, within 12 months after the entry into force of this Code, ensure the compliance of the relevant subordinate acts with this Code.

 

Article 184 – Validity of legal acts adopted/issued before the entry into force of this Code

1. Legal acts regarding issues related to the activities of the Ministry and the military service adopted/issued on the basis of legislative acts declared invalid as determined by Article 185 of this Code, as well as actions carried out on the basis of those legislative acts declared invalid before the entry into force of this Code and after its entry into force, shall retain legal force until the adoption/issuance of the relevant legal acts provided for by this Code.

2. The legal acts determined by paragraph 1 of this article shall be valid/shall apply before the adoption/issuance of the relevant legal acts provided for by this Code.

 

Article 185 – Legislative acts to be declared invalid regarding the entry into force of the Code

Upon the entry into force of this Code, the following shall be declared invalid:

a) Law of Georgia of 17 September 1997 on Military Duty and Military Service (Parliamentary Gazette, No 41, 8.10.1997, p. 16);

b) Law of Georgia of 31 October 1997 on Martial Law (Parliamentary Gazette No 45, 21.11.1997, p. 82);

c) Law of Georgia of 31 October 1997 on the Defence of Georgia (Parliamentary Gazette, No 45, 21.11.1997, p. 86);

d) Law of Georgia of 25 June 1998 on the Status of a Servicemember (Parliamentary Gazette NN 25-26, 15.7.1998, p. 14);

e) Law of Georgia of 22 July 1999 on Participation of Defence Forces of Georgia in Peacekeeping Operations (Legislative Herald of Georgia, No 39(46), 1999, Art. 196);

f) Law of Georgia of 21 June 2002 on Fees for Deferral of Compulsory Military Service (Legislative Herald of Georgia, No 21, 12.7.2002, Art. 82);

g) Law of Georgia of 28 April 2006 on Defence Planning (Legislative Herald of Georgia, No 15, 16.5.2006, Art. 107);

h) Law of Georgia of 8 June 2007 on Military Police (Legislative Herald of Georgia, No 22, 19.6.2007, Art. 205);

i) Law of Georgia of 7 March 2018 on the Reserve of the Defence Forces and the Military Reserve Service (Legislative Herald of Georgia (www.matsne.gov.ge), 26.3.2018, registration code: 120260000.05.001.018787).

 

Article 186 – Entry into force of the Code

1. This Code, except for Article 27(2), Article 32(7), Article 41(2), Article 43(1)(e), Article 57(1), Article 63(3)(b) and 63(4), Article 65(1)(w), Article 66(3-5), Article 67(1) and (2), Article 71(4), Article 72(1-6), Article 73(5), Article 94(5), Article 97(2) and (3), Article 98, Article 99(5), Article 100(1), Article 149(10), and Articles 166-177 shall enter into force upon its promulgation.

2. a) Article 57(1), Article 67(1) and (2), Article 71(4), Article 94(5), Article 97(2) and (3), Article 98, Article 99(5), Article 100(1), Article 149(10) and Articles 166-177 shall enter into force from 1 January 2024;

b) Article 27(2), Article 32(7), Article 41(2), Article 43(1)(e), Article 63(3)(b) and 63(4), Article 65(1)(w), Article 66(3-5), Article 72(1-6) and Article 73(5) shall enter into force from 1 January 2025.

 

 

President of Georgia                                                     Salome Zourabichvili

 

Tbilisi,

21 September 2023

N o 3500-XIII მს -X მპ