Parliament Committee Chair claims UNM Gov’t “allowed” Russia to carry out aggression against country in 2008

Irakli Kadagishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules, on Wednesday claimed actions of the United National Movement Government had allowed Russia to carry out aggression against the country in 2008.

Kadagishvili said the war in 2008 had marked “occupation and aggression” from Russia, but added “there is another side - the actions of the then-Government, which were of a criminal nature”.

Following the [the Government’s] bombing of [city of] Tskhinvali [in the now-occupied region of the same name] and the attacks on [Russian] peacekeepers, Russia, as they themselves noted, was given a legitimate right to invade Georgia”, Kadagishvili said.

“This is the most serious and grave action committed by the previous Government, and unfortunately, Saakashvili's Government itself had signed and acknowledged this both in the [international investigative commission Head Heidi] Tagliavini Commission’s conclusions and the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe”, he added.

The Political Council of the ruling Georgian Dream party on Tuesday said it was “vital” to conduct a “public legal process” over the 2008 war and ensure the domestic public “learns who committed a grave treason against the country and its citizens” during the time of the conflict, for the purpose of “establishing a long-term peace and stability” in Georgia.