2008 war inquiry: Vice Speaker questions evacuation decision-making process

Georgian Parliament’s Temporary Investigative Commission examining alleged crimes committed by the former United National Movement Government between 2003 and 2012 on Friday reviewed the 2008 August War with Russia.

During a session, General Mamuka Kurashvili, the Head of the Peacekeeping Operations Headquarters at the time, said the decision to carry out an evacuation of civilians from the conflict zone required approval from the co-chairs of the Joint Control Commission.

“[The evacuation] required a decision by the co-chairs. [Temur] Yakobashvili [the then State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration] was the co-chair at the time, he had to come to Tskhinvali, convene a meeting, and make a joint decision to carry out such a measure. [The co-chairs] were Popov from the Russian side, and from [from Tskhinvali] Chochiev”, Kurashvili said.

The discussion during the Commission session proceeded in a question-and-answer format. The Commission's Chair Thea Tsulukiani pressed Kurashvili for clarification on why the Georgian side needed a tripartite format to decide on the evacuation of its citizens, while the other side managed to do so without it.

In response, Kurashvili stated that the other side “had the luxury” of doing so independently, while the Georgian side did not.

“They had the luxury of that, we did not have that luxury, they would not allow us to do that, to enter the conflict zone. To even pass the Meghvrekisi checkpoint, to go from Tirdznisi up to Eredvi, to move in a convoy, to conduct an organised withdrawal, they would not have allowed us, and this would have been perceived as the start of the war”, Kurashvili said.

Tsulukiani further inquired whether Kurashvili had formulated this explanation recently or if it was the stated reason at the time for not evacuating citizens. Kurashvili confirmed that this was his current assessment.

The parliamentary commission continues its work in examining the circumstances surrounding the 2008 August War, with testimonies from key figures involved during the conflict.