Georgian PM accuses former UNM regime of betrayal for creating South Ossetia administration, says its legal remnants must be eliminated

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said that Georgia’s constitutional and territorial system was unlawfully altered when the so-called “South Ossetia administration” was established under the former United National Movement Government - an action he described as “an act of betrayal against the country”.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Kobakhidze noted that the upcoming decision to be made by the Georgian Parliament aims to align national legislation with constitutional requirements.

“With regard to the revision of our constitutional and territorial system, this happened in violation of the Constitution, precisely when the so-called South Ossetia administration was created. This was an act of betrayal against the country, and it did not pass without consequences”, the Prime Minister said.

He argued that this decision played a key role in the chain of events that ultimately led to the occupation of the historic region of Samachablo, the Tskhinvali region.

“These were deliberate actions. One of them was the encouragement by the then Saakashvili regime of the so-called presidential elections in the region - an alternative separatist election was held with the support of the regime. Later came the adoption of a law, a presidential decree, and the creation of the South Ossetia administration. That is exactly what they called it, and it is still referred to as such even in legislation”, he noted.

Kobakhidze added that the administration’s structure revived names and boundaries that had been abolished since 1990.

“Its department heads were called ministers, and its leader was called ‘president’. This was endorsed by the Saakashvili regime. They indirectly legitimised the separatist government, and this facilitated the processes that resulted in the occupation of this historic region of Georgia. It was betrayal”, Kobakhidze stressed.

The Prime Minister further emphasised that such consequences cannot remain reflected in Georgian law.

“This betrayal must be reversed. It is unacceptable for the effects of that betrayal to remain in our legislation. We must bring both our legislation and the factual reality into alignment with the Constitution. That is precisely the purpose of the unconditional decision that the Georgian Parliament must now adopt”, he concluded.