Chief of General Staff (Georgia)

The Chief of General Staff of Georgian Defense Forces (Georgian: საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის უფროსი, romanized: sakartvelos tavdatsvis dzalebis generaluri sht'abis uprosi) is a high-ranking officer in the military of Georgia, who heads the General Staff of the Defense Forces of Georgia and is an ex officio Deputy Chief of the Defense Forces. The Chief is appointed by the Minister of Defense and reports to the Minister and Chief of Defense Forces.

Chief of General Staff of Defense Forces of Georgia
საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის უფროსი
Standard of Chief of General Staff
Incumbent
Major General Zaza Chkhaidze

since December 2018
Ministry of Defense of Georgia
TypeMilitary department
StatusActive
Member ofGeneral Staff of Georgian Defense Forces
Reports toMinister of Defense
Chief of Defense
ResidenceTbilisi
AppointerMinister of Defense of Georgia
Term lengthNo fixed term
Formation1991
First holderJemal Kutateladze
Ministry of Defence headquarters in Tbilisi

From its introduction in 1999 until the military reforms in 2018, the Chief of General Staff was appointed by the President of Georgia and served as the chief military adviser to the President and wartime commander of the Georgian military.

Overview

The Chief of General Staff exercises overall leadership of the General Staff and directs its day-to-day activities. The Chief is responsible for the proper execution of the tasks saddled on the General Staff, supervises planning of military operations, oversees coordination among the staffs of various units of the Defense Forces, and performs other functions as defined by the military law.[1]

The Chief of General Staff is also a Deputy Chief of Defense Forces. They are appointed, with no term length, and released of the position by the Minister of Defense of Georgia.[1]

History

The office of the Chief of General Staff was introduced in Georgia following its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The position had its precursor—the Commander–in-Chief of the Army—in the Democratic Republic of Georgia from 1918 to 1921. It has undergone several name changes since 1991. Prior to the 2018 reforms, the Chief was appointed by the President of Georgia on the advice of the Minister of Defense for a three-year term, with the possibility of extension for one year. The Chief was the highest-ranking military officer in the Georgian military, chief military adviser to the President, and wartime commander of the Armed Forces of Georgia.[2]

List

Commanders-in-Chief of the Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918–1921)

No. Commander in ChiefTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Kvinitadze, GiorgiMajor general
Giorgi Kvinitadze
(1874–1970)
26 May 191813 December 19202 years, 201 days
2
Odishelidze, IliaGeneral of the army
Ilia Odishelidze
(1865–1924)
13 December 192016 February 192165 days
(1)
Kvinitadze, GiorgiMajor general
Giorgi Kvinitadze
(1874–1970)
16 February 192117 March 192129 days

Chief of General Staff of Georgian Armed Forces (1991–2008)

For period from 1921 to 1991, see Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet Union.

No. Chief of General StaffTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Kutateladze, JemalJemal KutateladzeAugust 1991December 19914 months
2
Tskitishvili, AvtandilMajor general
Avtandil Tskitishvili
(1950–2013)
January 1992December 19931 year, 11 months
3
Nikolaishvili, GuramMajor general
Guram Nikolaishvili
(born 1952)
December 1993June 19946 months
4
Tatarashvili, NodarMajor general
Nodar Tatarashvili
(born 1941)
June 1994June 19962 years
5
Meparishvili, ZurabMajor general
Zurab Meparishvili
(born 1934)
June 1996May 19981 year, 11 months
6
Pirtskhalaishvili, JoniLieutenant general
Joni Pirtskhalaishvili
(born 1947)
May 1998September 20035 years, 4 months
7
Iukuridze, GiviGivi Iukuridze
(born 1956)
February 200425 August 20046 months
8
Kapanadze, VakhtangMajor general
Vakhtang Kapanadze
(born 1960)
25 August 200418 February 20055 months
9
Nikoleishvili, LevanMajor general
Levan Nikoleishvili
18 February 20052 November 20061 year, 8 months
10
Gogava, ZazaMajor general
Zaza Gogava
(born 1971)
2 November 20064 November 20082 years

Chief of Joint Staff of Georgian Armed Forces (2008–2013)

No. Chief of Joint StaffTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Chachibaia, VladimerMajor general
Vladimer Chachibaia
(born 1971)
4 November 20085 March 2009121 days
2
Chankotadze, DeviMajor general
Devi Chankotadze
(born 1961)
5 March 20098 October 20123 years, 217 days
3
Kalandadze, GiorgiBrigadier general
Giorgi Kalandadze
(born 1980)
8 October 201211 November 201234 days
-
Kapanadze, VakhtangMajor general
Vakhtang Kapanadze
(born 1960)
Acting
11 November 20124 December 201223 days
4
Dzneladze, IrakliColonel
Irakli Dzneladze
(born 1968)
4 December 201222 November 2013353 days

Chief of General Staff of Georgian Armed Forces (2013–2018)

No. Chief of General StaffTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef
1
Kapanadze, VakhtangMajor general
Vakhtang Kapanadze
(born 1960)
22 November 201322 November 20163 years, 0 days
2
Chachibaia, VladimerMajor general
Vladimer Chachibaia
(born 1971)
22 November 201620 December 20182 years, 28 days[3][4]

Chief of General Staff of Georgian Defence Forces (2018–present)

No. Chief of General StaffTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef
1
Chkhaidze, ZazaMajor General
Zaza Chkhaidze
(born 1974)
20 December 201827 December 20191 year, 7 days-
2
Matiashvili, GiorgiBrigadier General
Giorgi Matiashvili
(born 1977)
27 December 2019Incumbent1 year, 34 days[5]

References

  1. "საქართველოს თავდაცვის სამინისტროს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის დებულება" [Statutes of the General Staff of the Defense Forces of Georgia]. Order of the Minister of Defense of Georgia No. №132 of 22 November 2013 (in Georgian).
  2. "საქართველოს თავდაცვის სამინისტროს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის დებულება" [Statutes of the General Staff of the Defense Forces of Georgia]. Order of the Minister of Defense of Georgia No. №298 of 13 December 2018 (in Georgian).
  3. "President appoints new Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces". Agenda.ge. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  4. "General Chachibaia promoted to chief of the Georgian Army General Staff - Democracy & Freedom Watch | Security | Democracy & Freedom Watch". dfwatch.net. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  5. "New Chief of General Staff Appointed". Civil Georgia. 27 December 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
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