Chief of General Staff (Georgia)

Chief of General Staff of Defence Forces of Georgia
საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის უფროსი
Standard of Chief of General Staff
Incumbent
Brigadier general Joni Tatunashvili
since 9 July 2020
Ministry of Defence of Georgia
TypeMilitary department
Member ofGeneral Staff of Georgian Defence Forces
Reports toMinister of Defence
Chief of Defence
ResidenceTbilisi
AppointerMinister of Defence of Georgia
Formation1991
First holderJemal Kutateladze
Ministry of Defence headquarters in Tbilisi

The Chief of General Staff of Georgian Defence 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 Defence Forces of Georgia and is an ex officio Deputy Chief of the Defence Forces. The Chief is appointed by the Minister of Defence and reports to the Minister and Chief of Defence Forces.

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 Defence Forces, and performs other functions as defined by the military law.[1]

The Chief of General Staff is also a Deputy Chief of Defence Forces. They are appointed, with no term length, and released of the position by the Minister of Defence 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. It has undergone several name changes since then. Prior to the 2018 reforms, the Chief was appointed by the President of Georgia on the advice of the Minister of Defence 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

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. Portrait Chief of General Staff Took office Left office Time in office
1
Jemal Kutateladze
Kutateladze, JemalJemal KutateladzeAugust 1991December 19914 months
2
Avtandil Tskitishvili
Tskitishvili, AvtandilMajor general
Avtandil Tskitishvili
(1950–2013)		January 1992December 19931 year, 11 months
3
Guram Nikolaishvili
Nikolaishvili, GuramMajor general
Guram Nikolaishvili
(born 1952)		December 1993June 19946 months
4
Nodar Tatarashvili
Tatarashvili, NodarMajor general
Nodar Tatarashvili
(born 1941)		June 1994June 19962 years
5
Zurab Meparishvili
Meparishvili, ZurabMajor general
Zurab Meparishvili
(born 1934)		June 1996May 19981 year, 11 months
6
Joni Pirtskhalaishvili
Pirtskhalaishvili, JoniLieutenant general
Joni Pirtskhalaishvili
(born 1947)		May 1998September 20035 years, 4 months
7
Givi Iukuridze
Iukuridze, GiviGivi Iukuridze
(born 1956)		February 200425 August 20046 months
8
Vakhtang Kapanadze
Kapanadze, VakhtangMajor general
Vakhtang Kapanadze
(born 1960)		25 August 200418 February 20055 months
9
Levan Nikoleishvili
Nikoleishvili, LevanMajor general
Levan Nikoleishvili		18 February 20052 November 20061 year, 8 months
10
Zaza Gogava
Gogava, ZazaMajor general
Zaza Gogava
(born 1971)		2 November 20064 November 20082 years

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

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

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

No. Portrait Chief of General Staff Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
Vakhtang Kapanadze
Kapanadze, VakhtangMajor general
Vakhtang Kapanadze
(born 1960)		22 November 201322 November 20163 years, 0 days—
2
Vladimer Chachibaia
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. Portrait Chief of General Staff Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
Zaza Chkhaidze
Chkhaidze, ZazaMajor General
Zaza Chkhaidze
(born 1974)		20 December 201827 December 20191 year, 7 days-
2
Giorgi Matiashvili
Matiashvili, GiorgiBrigadier General
Giorgi Matiashvili
(born 1977)		27 December 20191 July 2020187 days[5]
3
Joni Tatunashvili
Tatunashvili, JoniBrigadier General
Joni Tatunashvili
(born 1976)		9 July 2020Incumbent4 years, 194 days-

References

  1. ^ a b საქართველოს თავდაცვის სამინისტროს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის დებულება [Statutes of the General Staff of the Defence Forces of Georgia] (Order of the Minister of Defence of Georgia №132) (in Georgian). 22 November 2013.
  2. ^ საქართველოს თავდაცვის სამინისტროს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის დებულება [Statutes of the General Staff of the Defence Forces of Georgia] (Order of the Minister of Defence of Georgia №298) (in Georgian). 13 December 2018.
  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.