"Georgian provocation" - "Georgian Dream" on the August 2008 war
“Georgian Dream” on the August 2008 War
The ruling party, “Georgian Dream,” has released a statement reiterating that the war began not on August 7, but on August 8, and accused the previous government [Saakashvili] of causing Russia’s invasion of Georgia. According to “Georgian Dream,” the “treacherous” crime of the “National Movement” [Mikheil Saakashvili’s party] had the most dire consequences.
The ruling party also mentioned that after the elections, the August war will receive a “legal assessment.”
Additionally, “Georgian Dream” claims that after all international court cases ended in Georgia’s favor, there is no longer a risk of holding any Georgian “soldier” accountable, and “it is time for society to understand the whole truth and give a full legal evaluation of all the facts.”
What is stated in the declaration?
“Regarding the “crime committed in 2008” by the “National Movement,” there were previously only “hints” of some international responsibility. As is well known, international judicial processes have been ongoing in Strasbourg and The Hague for many years, which, through enormous efforts by our government, concluded with Georgia’s victory. Now that the theoretical risk of holding Georgia, the Georgian army, or even a single Georgian soldier accountable on an international level has passed, it is time for society to know the whole truth and give a full legal assessment of all the events.
The treacherous crime of the “National Movement” had the most terrible consequences. As a result of the 2008 war, we lost two historic regions, hundreds of soldiers and civilians were killed, and 30,000 people were forced to leave their homes. It is unacceptable for a crime of this magnitude to remain unpunished without a legal assessment.
For many years, the “National Movement” called August 8 the date the war began, and its official events were also held on that day. A few years ago, the radical opposition decided to change the date and declared August 7 as the start of the war. The only reason for this is that the “National Movement” is trying to hide its own crime and evade responsibility. However, now that all risks in international courts have passed, the artificial change of the war’s start date and such manipulations will not allow those responsible to avoid answering the most difficult questions.
No manipulations with dates can hide the actions and statements of former authorities, which indicate the contrary. Specifically, the first official statement by the then authorities that there were no Russian troops in the combat zone on August 7 appears in Presidential Decree No. 402.
The document, issued on August 9, 2008, states that Russian servicemen and military equipment entered Georgia through the Roki Tunnel on August 8. This document was followed by a reference by the “National Movement” to the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe dated October 2, 2008, which was one of the most treacherous steps in Georgia’s history.
The resolution stated that the escalation turned into open and full-scale hostilities following the unannounced bombing by the Georgian side on August 7. This action was assessed as the disproportionate use of armed forces by the Georgian side, violating international humanitarian law and Georgia’s obligations for the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
In this document, the Russian military intervention was assessed as a “counterattack.” Thus, two months after the war, in the first official international document, the “National Movement” confirmed its own severe crime, thereby placing the Georgian army, Georgian soldiers, and the country at great risk before international courts.
After the international acknowledgment of the grave crime and the start of the war, the then authorities prepared a propaganda film and reiterated their confessions through a high-ranking military official, the then Chief of the General Staff, Zaza Gogava.
In particular, in the propaganda film, Gogava states that the first phase of the military operation was supposed to be completed within 12 hours, as there was a risk that the “potential adversary”—Russia—might intervene in the conflict, and the Georgian army needed to meet Russia already positioned in the Tskhinvali region.
The “National Movement” committed many crimes against the country and the people, but the greatest and most severe crime was the adventure of 2008.
To ensure the irreversible development of our country and establish long-term peace in Georgia, it is crucial that these events receive proper legal assessment. We promise the public that this will definitely happen after the elections. We reiterate that since all risks in international courts have been removed, the events of August 2008 will definitely receive legal assessment.
The past two years, amid the Russian-Ukrainian war, have clearly shown how diligently the “National Movement” tried to draw Georgia into this military conflict and once again plunge our country into the flames of war.
This circumstance has further strengthened the conviction that in 2008, these people consciously organized the worst provocation and knowingly carried out an anti-state assignment from outside. From whom did this order come, and whose goals were the top government officials of that time fulfilling? We will not dwell on this question here deliberately, as everything will be revealed in a public trial.
We will be the plaintiff in this process, and the “National Movement” will have to bear collective responsibility for the treacherous crime committed against the country and the people.
We emphasize here that this does not mitigate either the crimes committed by Russia or the fact that the Russian Federation is responsible for the occupation of our country’s territories”.
“Georgian Dream” on the August 2008 War
On August 7, 2008, the long-standing conflict between Russia and Georgia escalated into open military aggression by Russia, resulting in hundreds of casualties, ethnic cleansing, and the occupation of two Georgian regions by Russia.
