Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili today met eight participants of Rustavi-2 TV's "The Barracks" reality show at the State Chancellery. Saakashvili decided to allow the winner of the programme, Levan Gavashelishvili, to enrol in the military officer training programme and granted the third-year student at Sukhumi State University a special exemption from the requirement that applicants must hold a university degree. He made this decision on the basis of the request of the other programme participants.

"True, only people with higher education degrees are allowed to enrol in the Military Academy, but since such a successful person wants to train to become an officer I will make a special exception so that we can open all paths for him," he said, going on to order Defence Minister Davit Kezerashvili to prepare a special directive that would allow Gavashelishvili to enrol.

The seven other "Barracks" participants who visited the Chancellery today also decided to sign four-year service contracts with the armed forces.

press Office
of the President of Georgia