Ruling party head: Russia’s occupation of Georgian regions “outcome of betrayal” by UNM Gov’t

Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday alleged the ongoing occupation of 20 percent of Georgia’s territory by Russia was an “outcome of the betrayal committed” by the former United National Movement Government, in remarks over the 15th anniversary of the 2008 invasion of Georgia by Russia and the war between the two states.

Kobakhidze said Russia had “significantly expanded its influence” in Georgia in the period between 2004-2012 - during the former Government’s rule - a fact he said was manifested by the occupation of 20 percent of the country.

This was the result of the betrayal committed by the then Government. This betrayal had a continuous character. I can recall the law they passed on the so-called former South Ossetian Autonomous Region - on restoring the old Communist-era borders - which had been cancelled during the presidency of Gamsakhurdia [Georgia’s first President in the 1990s, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union]”, Kobakhidze said.

The ruling party head also alleged a resolution of the Council of Europe, signed by the UNM Government in 2008, had indicated the Georgian authorities had started the large-scale hostilities of the war with Russia, and said the document had been the “climax of the betrayal”.

[And] I am not [even] saying anything about the fact that the Georgian military was accused of war crimes. There is no greater treason than this, and this treason was committed by the then Government - Saakashvili's United National Movement regime”, he concluded.

Earlier today Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili accused the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili of having done “Russia’s job” by “failing to calculate risks” to prevent the armed conflict with Moscow in 2008.