In a recently published New York Times article, Davit Razmadze, Georgian Dream chairman of the Gori Municipal Assembly (Sakrebulo), is quoted as blaming former President Mikheil Saakashvili for the August 2008 Russo-Georgian War and saying that Russians “came here as peacekeepers.” As the piece fueled public backlash, Razmadze denied the quotes.
“It was all Misha’s fault,” Razmadze said, reportedly, referring to Saakashvili. “He deliberately provoked the situation,” he added, blaming the former president and his government for starting the war – a stance in line with the ruling Georgian Dream party’s stated position.
Razmadze, who now represents the ruling party in Gori, which was shelled by Russian troops in 2008, called those troops “peacekeepers,” according to the New York Times.
“They came here as peacekeepers, and thank God they did, because Misha’s hooligans were looting across the city,” he said. “They even stole a priest’s car, if you can believe it. If the Russians hadn’t come, who knows how much more damage they would have caused.”
As the NY Times article drew public backlash, Razmadze denied the quotes, calling them “defamation” and “lies.”
“Never in my life have I said anything good about Russia,” Razmadze told TV Pirveli in an August 21 phone call, saying he never referred in the interview to “Saakashvili’s hooligans.” “I said that Saakashvili’s government left the town,” he added, noting he may file a lawsuit against New York Times journalist Scott Anderson, the article’s author. Razmadze also said he does not blame Saakashvili for “starting” the war, but for “supporting the annexation of Georgian territories.”
In the article, Razmadze is also quoted as saying he does not want Georgia to join the European Union, “and have them tell us what to do.” He also reportedly said, “Just as the Soviet Union collapsed, I now want to see the EU fall down because it’s against us.”
“The reason we have always been careful about joining the EU is because we know it is full of KGB agents.”
Razmadze denied making those remarks as well. “I am a Georgian Dream member. Is Georgian Dream saying we are against EU integration?!” he said.
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