TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgia’s defense ministry says the current twelve month service length is not enough to properly prepare persons called up for compulsory military service. It is now asking parliament to increase the length of service to 15 months.

The bill is certain to be passed, since parliament always fulfills the government’s wishes.

Georgia currently has a combination of the two kinds of military service; voluntary service and conscription. When the army was partly transformed to the voluntary system, there was given a promise that in the near future, the Georgian army would be transformed entirely into this system; however this promise has not yet been fulfilled.

As part of the bill, the reservist system is changed in different ways.

According to the bill, in certain cases specified by the president, the Defense Ministry can call up reservists. Currenly, this is carried out by local government bodies.

In addition, the bill says that persons will be able to voluntarily join the reserve after reaching 18 years of age.