**Former Georgian Prime Minister Implies Sabotage by Colleagues**
Giorgi Gakharia, the former Prime Minister of Georgia and current opposition party leader, has testified before the Tsulukiani Commission for a second time. He defended his decision to build a checkpoint near the Tskhinvali occupation line in 2019 and implied that other officials from the Georgian Dream (GD) government might have sabotaged the plan.
Gakharia was summoned by the Commission on July 2, after being questioned initially in mid-June. He offered to testify remotely since he was abroad. The Commission is investigating alleged crimes committed by former officials, and Gakharia’s testimony comes as part of a broader “sabotage” investigation into his handling of the Chorchana checkpoint.
**Gakharia Defends 2019 Decision**
During his two-and-a-half-hour questioning, Gakharia defended his decision to establish a police checkpoint near the Tskhinvali occupation line in August 2019. He claimed that the plan was necessary to ensure the free movement of Georgian representatives and EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) patrols without obstruction. Gakharia also stated that the original plan called for the creation of seven checkpoints, with the first one installed on August 24, 2019.
However, Russian forces established their own checkpoints at the same coordinates, contrary to the original plan. Gakharia implied that Vakhtang Gomelauri, who succeeded him as Interior Minister, and Grigol Liluashvili, the head of the State Security Service, might have intentionally sabotaged the plan.
**Commission Criticizes Gakharia’s Actions**
The Commission criticized Gakharia’s actions, accusing him of causing Georgia to lose control over certain territories. Tsulukiani demanded that Gakharia answer whether his “uncoordinated and reckless move” had led to Georgia losing its territory. Gakharia rejected the accusation, calling it “absolutely unacceptable” to involve local villagers in what he described as a politically motivated prosecution.
**Gakharia’s Legacy Revised**
The opening of the police checkpoint led to a flare-up of tensions with de facto authorities in Tskhinvali in August 2019. Some two weeks after the tensions, the Georgian Dream party endorsed Gakharia as prime minister. However, his legacy has since been revised by his former colleagues, who have accused him of substance abuse and foreign interference.
**Opposition Leaders Still at Odds**
Gakharia’s testimony comes as part of a broader investigation into alleged crimes committed by former officials. The Commission is still investigating opposition leaders, and tensions between the GD government and the opposition remain high.
As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen whether Gakharia’s implications of sabotage will have any significant impact on the Commission’s findings or the overall situation in Georgia.
