Grigol Giorgadze, the Deputy Minister of Defence, told representatives of religious organizations in Georgia that the new Defence Code was addressing a legal loophole that had allowed individuals to “evade” compulsory military service with the use of a “clergyman’s certificate”.

According to Giorgadze, the new legislation - proposed by the Ministry in 2022 and expected to be approved by the Parliament in the spring - would see clergy from all religious organizations required to undergo the compulsory service, and condemned a scheme advanced by the “Girchi” in 2017 that enabled those called to the service to evade it by obtaining a religious title from an organization launched by the party.

At the meeting, the religious figures presented their feedback. They said could help further refine circumstances related to the matter in the new Code.

The new Defence Code also designates the Defence Ministry as the only body ensuring compulsory military service from 2025 - a task currently split between different state institutions - with the office offering six-, eight- and 11-month training programmes for recruits in accordance with their “career decisions”.