How Georgia’s opposition shifted August War timeline

Over the past few years, the opposition has shifted the observed date of the August War. Through 2013, they commemorated the anniversary on August 8. However, following the change of government, they moved the date to August 7.

Notably, then-President Saakashvili stated in an August 9 decree that hundreds of Russian military personnel and equipment entered Georgia via the Roki Tunnel specifically on August 8.

“At a certain point, it was clarified that the intervention actually began on August 7. I cannot speak to Saakashvili’s account. A large number of [Russian] troops entered, meaning the scale was broader on August 8”, said Gigi Tsereteli, Chair of European Georgia.

“I don’t care at all what is written in Saakashvili’s decree, because it is a historical fact that Russia crossed Georgia’s state border on August 7”, noted opposition politician Teona Akubardia.

“I am not interested in official decrees. Today, as this war is already a historical event, we must evaluate it based on historical documentation. This war is quite well-documented, and the combat operations - the attacks on Georgian military units - began on this day”, stated Tazo Datunashvili, a member of Lelo for Georgia.