The article reports on a hearing at the parliamentary commission investigating the February 2021 events in Georgia, where former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and several other high-ranking officials were questioned. The focus was on two main issues: the establishment of a checkpoint on the occupation line with South Ossetia and the arrest of opposition leader Nika Melia.
Gakharia defended his decision to establish the checkpoint as a mistake, stating that it had backfired and prompted Tskhinvali (the capital of South Ossetia) to open additional checkpoints. He also claimed that this move was orchestrated by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a wealthy businessman and former Prime Minister.
Regarding Melia’s arrest, Gakharia maintained that he disagreed with his detention as it posed unacceptable risks. However, when questioned about meeting U.S. Ambassador Kelly Degnan to discuss the issue, he confirmed having met her but denied any suggestion from her to abstain from the special operation or secure him in the opposition.
Throughout the hearing, Tsulukiani repeatedly pressed Gakharia for answers on whether Ivanishvili had pushed him into the opposition and if there were foreign powers involved. Gakharia consistently denied these allegations, stating that he made decisions based on his own judgment as Prime Minister.
The article also touches on Ivanishvili’s decision to step down from politics in January 2021, which was seen by many as a maneuver to avoid accountability for the events unfolding at the time.
Key points:
* Gakharia defended his decision to establish a checkpoint on the occupation line with South Ossetia.
* He claimed that this move backfired and prompted Tskhinvali to open additional checkpoints.
* Gakharia maintained that he disagreed with Melia’s arrest but didn’t recall specific meetings with ambassadors, including Degnan.
* Tsulukiani repeatedly questioned Gakharia about foreign powers influencing the events.
* Gakharia denied any suggestions from U.S. Ambassador Degnan or involvement of foreign powers in the special operation.
The article is written in a neutral tone and provides context for the events unfolding at the time. The language used suggests that there are ongoing power struggles within the Georgian government, with figures like Bidzina Ivanishvili pulling strings from behind the scenes.