A report released on 16 February by a Georgian nongovernmental organization sharply criticized the Georgian government for serious shortcomings in its defense policy. The report was compiled by the Justice and Liberty group and stems from a one-year assessment of the state of military reform and defense policies. The report specifically cited the government\'s failure to implement an effective plan to reorganize the Georgian armed forces, noted a widespread misuse of defense funds, and criticized the frequent staff changes in the Defense Ministry and in the General Staff of the armed forces, which, it said, impeded military reform. Assessing the 3.6 million Lari ($1.9 million) training program for reserve forces, the report criticized the lack of an \"effective command structure\" for the reserves. Most notably, the report also documented a pattern of fraud and corruption, including the misuse of defense funds for the purchase of luxury cars and for the reconstruction of offices for senior Defense Ministry officials in 2004. (Civil Georgia)