Georgia Mulls Twofold Increase In Military Spending

Georgian soldiers in Iraq in October 2006 (epa)

May 3, 2007 -- Georgia's parliament is preparing a bill that would dramatically increase the country's military budget for 2007.

The bill plans to raise Georgia's defense spending this year to about $560 million, almost double the sum originally earmarked.

Defenders of the bill say the extra cash is needed to speed up military reforms that could help the former Soviet state join NATO.

(Reuters, Interfax)