The Chairman of the Parliament’s Defence and Security Committee, called “anti-state, misinforming and shameful” the claim by Teona Akubardia, MP from the Lelo, who said that the Georgian Defence Forces’ [GDF] non-involvement in NATO exercises was a “gift to the Kremlin, damaging our defence capabilities”.

Irakli Beraia criticized her claim and said that the Georgian authorities’ “political and practical” cooperation with NATO was “deepening and strengthening day by day”.

“NATO integration is our top foreign and security policy priority. In parallel to the increased threats in the region and Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, Georgia not only maintained the quality of practical cooperation with NATO, but this direction became even more intense.

The intensified links were confirmed by the further expansion of practical membership instruments by NATO and the unprecedented support steps taken within the framework of this expansion.

The Noble Partner multinational drills, hosted in Georgia in 2022 with over 2,400 servicemembers from NATO member and partner states. While hundreds of drills have been held between GDF and their counterparts from partner states, it may not be possible to participate in all manoeuvres considering the colossal costs.

The statements that are made and aim to prove the opposite are anti-state. Such statements, and the presence of irresponsible persons in the Georgian political space, are a gift to the enemy of our country”, - said Irakli Beraia.

NATO is currently holding the ORION multinational exercises in France, involving 12,000 French servicemembers and their 1,700 counterparts from Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, the UK and the US.