“In a very short time we did what the United National Movement couldn’t do for the nine years of their rule. We raised the wages of military personnel and increased social assistance for the families of fallen soldiers.”
On 26 July 2014, after presenting the new cabinet at the extra plenary session of the Parliament, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, addressed the MPs. While talking about various projects and reforms Mr Gharibashvili stated: “In a very short time we did what the United National Movement couldn’t do for the nine years of their rule. We raised the wages of military personnel and increased social assistance for the families of fallen soldiers.”
FactChecktook interest in the Prime Minister’s statement and verified its accuracy.
The wages of military personnel are regulated according to the 2007 Directive of the Minister of Defence of Georgia on the Social and Financial Assistance of the Military, Special Rank and Civilian Personnel of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia. According to the document, since 1 September 2014 the wages of the employees of the Ministry have consisted of:
a) Remuneration of military personnel;
b) For special ranking officials – remuneration and rank surpluses.
The chart below depicts the dynamics of military wages from 2004 to 2014.
The presented data reflect the total amounts of military wages and wage surpluses in 2004, 2007, 2012 and 2014. In addition, apart from the remuneration assigned by the Directive, over the years military personnel also received the surpluses determined by Appendix No. 6 according to the amount and scope of their work. The aforementioned appendix was abolished on 11 February 2013.
As is clear from the chart, the wages of military personnel have indeed increased since 2012; however, it should be pointed out that the wages also increased from 2005 to 2012. The average growth of military personnel wages was 490% in this time period. According to the decision of 15 January 2005, after the United National Movement assumed office, apart from the remuneration and rank surpluses, military personnel received wage surpluses as well.
After 2012, the growth also included the remuneration and rank surpluses of special ranking officials determined since 2011.
The wages of civilians appointed to military positions have also increased since 2012; however, the trend of growth was observed in the previous years as well. The chart below depicts the wages of civilians appointed to military positions in 2007, 2012 and 2014.
The 2013 annual report of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia also discusses the raise in the wages of military personnel. According to the document, the wages of military personnel were increased from January 2013. The wages of personnel participating in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission increased by USD 300 and by 25% for the rest of the military personnel.
As for social assistance for the families of fallen soldiers, according to the report of the Ministry, the families of soldiers who lost their lives in international peacekeeping missions will receive a one-time assistance of GEL 100,000 in accordance with recent legislative changes. The families of soldiers who lost their lives in international peacekeeping missions or while defending the independence and territorial integrity of Georgia will receive a monthly assistance of GEL 500, increasing to GEL 1,000 after 2015.
The assistance for families of fallen soldiers was also distributed before the aforementioned legislative changes and was calculated in accordance with the law. According to the report, free medical care is also available in the Gori military hospital to the families of the soldiers killed in the 2008 war.
Conclusion
The wages of military personnel and the amount of social assistance for the families of fallen soldiers has indeed increased since 2013. According to the 2013 annual report of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, the wages of the personnel participating in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission increased by USD 300 and by 25% for the rest of the military personnel. However, if we compare these data to the average growth from 2005 to 2012, as the Prime Minister does in his statement, we shall see that the average growth of the military wages was 490% in this time period.
FactCheck concludes that the Prime Minister’s statement: “In a very short time we did what the United National Movement couldn’t do for the nine years of their rule. We raised the wages of military personnel and increased social assistance for the families of fallen soldiers,” is MOSTLY FALSE.
