Georgian Dream sets up commission to investigate Saakashvili's rule
Georgian Dream investigates Saakashvili’s rule
Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party has established a parliamentary commission to investigate the actions of the previous government. The body has been named the Temporary Parliamentary Investigative Commission on the Activities of the Regime and Political Figures of 2003–2012.
The commission was approved by 83 deputies in Georgia’s Georgian Dream-dominated parliament. The vote took place during a plenary session. The commission will operate for three months, with the possibility of extending its mandate to six months.
What will investigative commission examine?
Georgian Dream first announced the creation of the commission on 9 January 2025. Following its investigation, the commission will prepare a report, which parliament is set to review and approve during the first week of the September session.
According to Georgian Dream leader Mamuka Mdinaradze, the final report will include recommendations on political and legal measures against those deemed responsible, in line with Georgia’s constitution. Once approved by parliament, the findings will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office and other relevant authorities for further action and prosecution.
“The key systemic crimes committed by the [Saakashvili] regime between 2003 and 2012 are widely known. These include:
— Systematic torture in penitentiary facilities;
— Killings, violence, and invasion of privacy;
— Corruption and corporate pressure to seize assets and extort money;
— Illegal confiscation of media outlets from their rightful owners;
— Admission of responsibility for starting the 2008 war and accusing Georgian soldiers of war crimes
To prevent speculation, the ruling party stressed that military commanders and soldiers will not be the subject of the investigation into the 2008 war.
“The temporary investigative commission will summon and question officials from the former regime, as well as any other individuals who may have been involved in crimes committed by the regime or who may possess valuable information on these crimes,” Mdinaradze stated.
ВDuring the 2024 election campaign, Georgian Dream stated that it needed a constitutional majority in parliament to declare the United National Movement (which governed from 2004 to 2012) unconstitutional. However, the party failed to secure the required supermajority.
In October last year, United Neutral Georgia—a movement linked to Georgian Dream—proposed prosecuting not only members but also supporters of the United National Movement. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze later stated that Georgian Dream would not consider this proposal.
Georgian Dream investigates Saakashvili’s rule
