EU extended on Tuesday mandate of its monitoring mission in Georgia, deployed after the August 2008 war, for two years until December 14, 2016.

Previously mandate of the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) was usually extended for one year period.

The mission, which is mandated to monitor the compliance with the August, 2008 six-point ceasefire agreement, has around 200 unarmed monitors in Georgia. EUMM observers, however, are not able to carry out monitoring in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

“Through the EU Monitoring Mission, the EU is providing concrete support for peace and stability in the region. The EU continues to firmly support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders,” EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said in a statement on December 16.

EUMM has a budget of EUR 18.3 million available for the first year of its renewed mandate.