Georgia: war veterans demand not to send new troops to Afghanistan

Today in Georgia the organisation "Veterans for Veterans" and the initiative group "For Democracy and Normal Life" demanded to stop sending new Georgian military contingent to Afghanistan.

On June 5 President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili, speaking at the Munich security conference, announced that Georgia is ready to increase its military contingent in Afghanistan.

"The Georgian government is trying stubbornly to show off in front of the West and is ready to increase its contingent in Afghanistan. This policy does not help strengthen the country's defence capacity and, foremost, it is not worth the most expensive thing – a life of a military," declares the veterans' statement.

The Georgian army has lost already eight soldiers in Afghanistan.
According to the veterans, the Afghan operation serves "the corrupt interests of President Saakashvili and his family," the "Georgia Online" reports.

"The monthly wage of servicemen of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) countries is 3500 US dollars. Besides, for each day in the so-called "red zones", that is for participation in military operations, the military receive 350 US dollars. At the same time, our soldiers' wage is only 700 US dollars, independently on whether they go into the "red zones" or not. The remaining 2800 US dollars are deposited in the pockets of Saakashvili and his confidants," reported the statement.

The Georgian authorities made so far no comments on the veterans' statement.

For reference: Georgia's contingent in Afghanistan is the largest among the countries-members of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) and makes 937 soldiers. That of Armenia makes 40 soldiers, of Austria – , of Azerbaijan – 94, of Bosnia-Herzegovina – 55, of Finland – 156, of Ireland – 7, of Macedonia – 163, of Sweden – 500 and of Ukraine – 22 soldiers.