Georgia will train 20 000 reservists annually in order to have 100 000-strong reservists by 2012, Col. Nika Janjgava, Commander of the Georgian National Guard, told lawmakers from the parliamentary committee for defense and security on March 9.

Last year the Georgian Parliament approved a proposal on the creation of a system of compulsory army reserve service.

Col. Janjgava said the first training course will be launched in late March.

Service in the reserve troops is compulsory for every male between the ages of 27 and 40 and involves 18-days of training a year.

The training will be done at four training grounds: in Telavi, eastern Georgian region of Kakheti; Mukhrovani and Kojori, both near Tbilisi and in Senaki in western Georgian region of Samegrelo.

Three additional training grounds will be set up in Gori, Shida Kartli region; Batumi, Adjara Autonomous Republic and Kutaisi in the western region of Imereti.

In the period between 2004 and 2006 a total of 8 700 volunteers underwent training courses in the reserve troops. These reservists will again undergo training under the new system.

A person can avoid compulsory service in the reserve troops by spending 180 or 200 hours working in alternative service, according to the draft law. In case of evasion, a person will be fined GEL 1000. If the evasion is repeated a second time the person will be jailed for one year.

Service in the reserve troops is not compulsory for teachers, doctors, technical staff of the railway system, judges, diplomats, clergy and employees of the Defense and Interior Ministries, or those who have already served in the alternative services.