TBILISI. Dec 3 (Interfax-AVN) - The Georgian Coast Guard Service needs USD5-6m annually to meet NATO standards, chief of the naval department in the Georgian State Border Guard Department headquarters Captain Ramaz Papidze told Interfax- Military News Agency on Tuesday.
"Underfinancing may impede the adoption of NATO standards and bring about total loss of competent specialists," Papidze said.
He stressed that "the service's needs for procuring fuel and repairing vessels are not taken into account." "Moreover, the naval guards' social security level is very low, they are paid only GEL100-110 (USD46.18-50.8) per month, which often makes competent specialists who have been trained abroad unwilling to continue service," Papidze noted.
Georgia manages to maintain patrol and guard boats in combat readiness only due to the financial aid from the United States, he added.
The Georgian Coast Guard Service was established in 1996. It consists of two battalions based in the Adzharian autonomous region and the port of Poti. The battalions operate 35 patrol, rescue and guard boats. Germany, Great Britain, Turkey, the United States and Ukraine are providing aid to Georgia in the sphere of coast guard development and personnel training.