Georgian Government abolishes Diplomatic Institute, NATO and EU Information Center

Effective from July 1, the Georgian government has decided to abolish the Levan Mikeladze Diplomatic Training and Research Institute under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The decision, signed by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the ruling Georgian Dream government, was published officially.

According to the decree, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will become the legal successor of the dissolved institute. All documentation belonging to the institute will be transferred to the Ministry, based on a handover protocol.

Earlier it was announced that the government has decided to close the NATO and EU Information Center in Georgia from July 1. The decision, also signed by Prime Minister Kobakhidze, was recently published in the official gazette, Matsne.

Employees of the NATO and EU Information Center were notified “one month in advance” about their impending dismissal. The Center was established in 2005 with the mission of providing the Georgian public with comprehensive and objective information about the country’s integration into NATO, thus fostering informed support for Euro-Atlantic aspirations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to take over this responsibility, though it remains unclear how many staff members will lose their jobs.