Utilisateur:AlexandreAssatiani/Brouillon

Mikheïl Saakachvili
Saakachvili s'adressant au congrès du PPE de 2017.
Fonctions
Président du Comité exécutif du Conseil national des réformes d'Ukraine
7 mai 2020 – 29 septembre 2021 (1 an, 4 mois et 22 jours)
Président	Volodymyr Zelensky
Prédécesseur	vacance
Successeur	vacance
Gouverneur de l'oblast d'Odessa
30 mai 2015 – 9 novembre 2016 (1 an, 5 mois et 10 jours)
Président	Petro Porochenko
Prédécesseur	Ihor Palytsia
Successeur	Solomiia Bobrovska
Conseil international consultatif des réformes d'Ukraine
13 février 2015 – 30 mai 2015 (3 mois et 17 jours)
Président	Petro Porochenko
Prédécesseur	création
Successeur	dissolution
Président de Géorgie
20 janvier 2008 – 17 novembre 2013 (5 ans, 9 mois et 28 jours)
Élection	5 janvier 2008
Premier ministre	Lado Gourguenidzé Grigol Mgaloblichvili Nikoloz Guilaouri Vano Merabichvili Bidzina Ivanichvili
Prédécesseur	Nino Bourdjanadzé (par intérim)
Successeur	Guiorgui Margvelachvili
25 janvier 2004 – 25 novembre 2007 (3 ans et 10 mois)
Élection	4 janvier 2004
Premier ministre	Zourab Jvania Zourab Noghaïdeli Lado Gourguenidze
Prédécesseur	Nino Bourdjanadzé (par intérim)
Successeur	Nino Bourdjanadzé (par intérim)
Premier ministre de Géorgie (par intérim)
3 février 2005 – 17 février 2005 (14 jours)
Président	Lui-même
Prédécesseur	Zourab Jvania
Successeur	Zourab Noghaïdeli
Membre du Parlement de Géorgie
6 novembre 2001 – 22 novembre 2002 (1 an et 16 jours)
Élection	21 octobre 2001
Circonscription	Vaké (Tbilissi)
Législature	5e convocation
Coalition	« Les Réformeurs »
Prédécesseur	vacance
Successeur	vacance
20 novembre 1999 – 2 mars 2001 (1 an, 3 mois et 10 jours)
Élection	31 octobre 1999
Circonscription	Vaké (Tbilissi)
Législature	5e convocation
Prédécesseur	Irakli Batiachvili
Successeur	vacance
25 novembre 1995 – 31 octobre 1999 (3 ans, 11 mois et 6 jours)
Élection	5 novembre 1995
Coalition	Union des citoyens de Géorgie
Ministre de la Justice de Géorgie
12 octobre 2000 – 19 septembre 2001 (11 mois et 7 jours)
Président	Edouard Chevardnadze
Prédécesseur	John Khetsuriani
Successeur	Roland Guiligachvili
Président du Conseil municipal de Tbilissi
14 juin 2002 – 25 janvier 2004 (1 an, 7 mois et 11 jours)
Élection	2 juin 2002
Prédécesseur	Lado Kakhadzé
Successeur	Zaza Bagachvili
Biographie
Date de naissance	21 décembre 1957
Lieu de naissance	Tbilissi ( RSS de Géorgie)
Parti politique	Union des citoyens de Géorgie (1995-2002) Mouvement national uni (depuis 2002) Mouvement des nouvelles forces (depuis 2017)
Père	Nikoloz Saakachvili
Mère	Guiouli Alassania
Conjoint	Sandra Roelofs
Enfants	2
Diplômé de	Fondation René-Cassin Université George-Washington Columbia Law School Université nationale Taras-Chevtchenko de Kiev
Profession	avocat
Religion	Église orthodoxe géorgienne
Présidents de Géorgie

Vie personnelle

Famille

• His father, Nikoloz Saakashvili, is a physician who practices medicine in Tbilisi and directs a local Balneological Center.
• His mother, Giuli Alasania, is a historian who lectures at Tbilisi State University.
• Saakashvili is married to Dutch linguist Sandra Roelofs, whom he met in Strasbourg in 1993. The couple have two sons, Eduard and Nikoloz.[148]
• Son père, Nikoloz Saakachvili, né Sahakov, dont le propre père était d'origine arménienne, est un médecin encore en activité à Tbilissi, qui dirige un centre de balnéothérapie local.
• Sa mère, Giuli Alasania, est historienne et enseigne à l'université d'État de Tbilissi.

• Nikoloz Saakashvili is the director of the Tbilisi Balneological Center and a full-time professor at the Tbilisi Medical University (https://www.ambebi.ge/article/151230-misha-arasodes-damituksavs-ratom-ar-kidebs-mixeil-saakashvilis-mama-kabinetshi-shvilis-potos/)
  • He has had very few contacts with Mikheil since his departure. The media has noted some distance between the two.
  • Nikoloz has admitted being a womanizer
  • While some have claimed his father was Saakov, Nikoloz has strongly denied this.
  • His father was named director of the Medical Institute in 1951
  • He has said he would not move to Ukraine to join his son.

• Giuli Alasania's average salary is around 10,000 USD a month. (https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/30579018.html)
  • She was under scrutiny for allegedly financing the construction of a house for her son in Kyiv, which some in the Ukrainian media alleged was much beyond her financial capabilities.

• Some genealogical experts disagree with the claim that Saakashvili is of Armenian descent, instead stating that the Saakashvilis are a Georgian peasant name that can be found as early as the 17th century. They eventually became Catholic. (https://mikheilsaakashviligenealogy.wordpress.com/about/)
  • His grandfather was Mikheil Saakashvili.
  • Giuli was vice-rector of IBSU
  • Her ancestors include members of the Bagrationi royal family

• His grandfather Mikheil was the founder of TMU and its rector (http://plus.kvira.ge/%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%AE%E1%83%94%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A-%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%90%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%E1%83%A8%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%93%E1%83%95/)
  • One version of the Saakashvili origins (based on the etymology of the last name) is that it is of Hebrew origin and that they arrived in Georgia from Iran nearly 400 years ago.
  • One version claims that Mikheil I Saakashvili was really a Saakov who changed his name for career purposes in Georgia.
  • Some claim that Giuli's parents were Armenian and Turkish.

• Saakashvili took a genetic test in 2019 with 23andme and claims the answer was "99% Georgian and 1% Greek". (https://reginfo.ge/people/item/12565-genetikuri-testi-gaviare-%20da-xveti-sisxli-araa-chemshi-araqartuli-%E2%80%93-mixeil-saakashvili)

• Temur Alasania is one of the wealthiest men of Georgia is brother of Giuli (https://georgianjournal.ge/society/35104-5-the-richest-families-in-georgia.html)
• During Saakashvili's presidency, he worked as a counselor at the MFA (http://www.humanrights.ge/index.php?a=main&pid=14322&lang=eng)
  • He worked for a long time as a Soviet diplomat in the United Nations and claims to have been in charge of disarmament issues. He claims having headed the Department for Disarmament and Peace Issues.
  • He worked for three years as SG of the UN Special Conference during which it creatd the Document on Child Protection
  • Georgian media reported that in 2005, the state company Madneuli and its subsidiary Kvartsiti (gold deposits) were bought by a Russian-British equity group associated with Alasania.
  • Alasania has long business dealings with Russian tycoons.
  • Alasania has been accused of being a KGB officer.
  • His name has also been tied with the death of Zurab Zhvania.
  • US journalist Jeffrey Silverman showed connections between Victor Bout and Temur Alasania in arms trafficking. Silverman claims Alasania used his influence under Saakashvili to facilitate the weapons trade through Georgia. The trade was to Africa and Asia.
  • According to Global Research, the Georgian NSC cannot make decisions without the consent of Alasania.
• In the wake of the 2020 Georgian parliamentary elections, Ukrainian media revealed an alleged audio recording of Alasania instructing Gubaz Sanikidze of creating an alternative government for the opposition, which led to a SUSI investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/381063)
• According to Cornell University professor Irakli Kakabadze, Alasania became a KGB spy in Canada and the US during Andropov's time as head of intelligence. (https://arcade.stanford.edu/blogs/privatized-death-machine)
  • It seems his time working for disarmament at the UN is when he became wealthy.
• An audio recording in 2018 allegedly hears TA offer 1 million USD to any sniper who kills BI, a claim he denies. (https://1tv.ge/news/temur-alasania-mkvlelobebs-saertod-ar-vukvetav-mit-umetes-telefonit/)

• Him being identified as a Jew has been tied to Russian propaganda (https://civil.ge/archives/100116)

• Eduard Shevardnadze is probably the namesake of his first son (Zourabichvili, p. 19)

• Sandra Roelofs
  • They married on 17 November 1993 in New York (29)
  • Giuli Alasania was an invited lecturer at Columbia (38)
  • She was a professor of medieval studies and the Byzantine Empire (39)
  • His parents divorced when MS was still a toddler and Giuli remarried a couple of years later to Zuriko Kometiani, head of a laboratory in the physiological institute (39)
  • MS is Giuli's only son (39)
  • Giuli was the descendant of the owners of the Chiatura manganese mines, one of the most lucrative businesses in the South Caucasus and was friends with Stalin (40)
  • MS's father Nika is an endocrinologist. He remarried and had two sons, David (lawyer) and Giorgi (doctor). (40)
  • Temur Alasania had lived in NYC since the 1970s (42)
  • She would receive the Georgian citizenship in January 2008 (291)

• He claims coming from a middle-class family (https://civil.ge/archives/105124)
• As President, he said, "When I was in opposition, I said it and I’ll say it again and again: for those people, who hate Armenians in Georgia, I will be Armenian; for those who hate Azerbaijanis, I will be Azerbaijani. Recently, someone said I was Ossetian, which I take as a compliment. Of course, it would be a great honour for me to be Jewish" (https://civil.ge/archives/112438)
• In 2004, Temur Alasania was arrested by the MIA for bribery but Okruashvili was ordered by MS to free him (https://civil.ge/archives/113097)
• When Ilia II and the opposition called for a constitutional monarchy, he said his grandmother was a Bagration (https://civil.ge/archives/113248)

• Glucksmann
  • His family was well-off but not very rich and was part of the classical intelligentsia (55)
  • Temur Alasania allegedly spoke constantly against the Soviet regime during his childhood (55)

• The Force Awakens
  • His father built a clinic from nothing (43)
  • His father in law is Zurab Kometiani (43)
  • Zurab Kometiani was a physicist (43)
  • Tamar Abashidze, great-grand mother, worked at the Bacteriophage Institute (43)
  • Tamar Abashidze saved him once as a kid with bacteriophages (43)
  • Grandmother Mzia Tsereteli worked at the Professional Infectious Institute (43)
  • Giuli's grandfather was repressend and lived for 10 years in Siberia (35)
  • Giuli's mother's grandfather was one of the directors of Chiatura Manganese, close with Stalin who financed the left-wing during the Russian Empire (35)
    • That same ancestor helped Stalin evade Russian guardsmen (35-36)
  • He had problems with his father when he refused to privatize his clinic to him (86)
  • When his brother won a case in front of the Supreme Court, he got him to close his law firm (86)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/President/Biography
  • He's the oldest of three brothers

Jeunesse

• Saakashvili was born to a Georgian family in Tbilisi on 21 December 1967, capital of the then Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic in the Soviet Union.
• Mikheil Saakachvili est né à Tbilissi, en République socialiste soviétique de Géorgie en Union soviétique, d'une famille de l'intelligentsia géorgienne.
• En 1984, Mikheil Saakachvili est diplômé de l'école secondaire de Tbilissi no 51.

• He stated he got into two fights against students of the 53rd School during his youth (https://www.allnews.ge/politika/157473-%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%AE%E1%83%94%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A-%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%90%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%E1%83%A8%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98-%E1%83%9B%E1%83%94-%E1%83%95%E1%83%A1%E1%83%AC%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%9A%E1%83%9D%E1%83%91%E1%83%93%E1%83%98-51-%E1%83%94-%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%A8%E1%83%A3%E1%83%90%E1%83%9A%E1%83%9D-%E1%83%A1%E1%83%99%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9A%E1%83%90%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98-%E1%83%93%E1%83%90-%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%AF%E1%83%94%E1%83%A0-%E1%83%95%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0-%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%A7%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A4%E1%83%98-%E1%83%9B%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A1%E1%83%AC%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%9A%E1%83%94%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C-%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A9%E1%83%94%E1%83%95%E1%83%90%E1%83%96%E1%83%94.html)
  • He says that these fights traumatized him and he vowed to fight the "street academy" (https://www.timer.ge/mikheil-saakashvili-51-e-sashualo-skolashi-erth-erthi-chkhubis-dros-pekhi-gamichkhapnes-e-ts-shpicith/)

• During his presidency, his former teacher Karala Chkhaidze sent him a collection of his writings. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/print.aspx?t=1&i=2891)
  • He was the editor of an English-language school newspaper in which he once predicted the USSR's defeat in Afghanistan

• Zourabichvili
  • MS claims having been raised in a patriotic and intelligentsia family (279)

• Glucksmann
  • He was heavily influenced by his uncle Temur Alasania who allegedly constantly talked against the Soviet regime (55)
  • He lived with his great grandfather who told him stories of the First Republic (55)
  • He dreamed of being a politician since his Soviet childood (55-56)
  • He set his goal to join the Soviet diplomatic world like his uncle (56)
  • He had an idyllic vision of the West (56)
  • At 13 years old, he posed as a foreign tourist to buy a copy of Le Monde, his first Western literature at the Intourist of Moscow (57-58)
  • At age 13, he spoke French fluently (58)
  • Shortly after the coup of Jaruzelwski of Poland, he bought a copy of the Financial Times that was radically censured. He filled the white pages with anti-Soviet messages (58-59)
  • He learned English at age 5 (59)
  • He learned French at age 8 (59)
  • His French teacher, who taught him not only the language but also culture and literature, was 70-year-old Mara Chavchavadze (59)
  • Chavchavadze gave him to read clandestinely La Cuisiniere et le Mangeur d'hommes of Andre Glucksmann (60)
  • At age 10, he was listening to songs of Yves Montand and Gilbert Becaud (61)
  • He was 14 when he met his first westerner, chatting with a Canadian tourist in Saint-Petersbourg (61-62)
  • His family had a house in St Petersbourg (62)
  • He grew up fond of Sakharov, Solzhenytsine, Bukovski who he called heroes. He read Solzhenytsine's Le Pavillon des cancereux clandestinely (62-63)

• The Force Awakens
  • He was raised by his mother, his grandparents and his great-grandmother (16)
  • He was an A student and received a gold medal in high school (16)
  • At 4, he started learning English with a private tutor, from 9 - French and from 14- Spanish (39)
  • One of his other teachers (maybe English) was Gela Charkviani (39)
  • Gela was the son of Candid Charkviani and was allegedly a strong proponent of liberal ideals, always keeping American newspapers (40)
  • Mara Chavchavadze gave him illegal books and warned him to hide from his family (40)
  • With Gela Charkviani as a kid, they would publish an anti-Soviet newspaper illegally once a week, allegedly (40)
  • He grew up cultivating a strong political humor and carried foreign magazines as much as he could (17)
  • He was 2 years old when his parents split (35)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/President/Biography
  • He was born on 21 December 1967 in Tbilisi

• He went to Experimental School N.1, which he called the "school of his dreams" and was organized with sport and art infrastructures. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4953&i=1)

• His first teacher was Nineli Tatarashvili, with whom he kept ties as President (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/LettersAndAddresses?p=5977&i=1)

Éducation et début de carrière

• During university, he served his shortened military service in 1989–1990 with the Soviet Border Troops' checkpoint unit in the Boryspil Airport in Ukraine (then as Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, also a part of the Soviet Union).
• Saakashvili graduated from the Institute of International Relations (Department of International Law) of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (in then independent Ukraine) in 1992.
• At this university, he was friends with later President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.
• While in Ukraine Saakashvili participated in the October 1990 student protest known as the "Revolution on Granite".
• Saakashvili briefly worked as a human rights officer for the interim State Council of Georgia following the overthrow of President Zviad Gamsakhurdia before receiving a fellowship from the United States State Department (via the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program).
• He received an LL.M. from Columbia Law School in 1994 and took classes at the School of International and Public Affairs and The George Washington University Law School the following year.
• In 1995, he also received a diploma from the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France.
• Il poursuit ses études en Ukraine, études menées en langue russe, et obtient son diplôme de l'Institut des relations internationales (droit international) de l'université d'État de Kiev (Ukraine) en 1992.
• Il travaille brièvement comme chargé de mission pour les droits de l'Homme pendant l'intérim du Conseil d'État de Géorgie qui suit la démission du président Zviad Gamsakhourdia, avant de recevoir une bourse du département d'État des États-Unis (via le programme de partenariat de diplômés du FSA d'Edmund Muskie).

• A Ukrainian documentary about his life in Kiev and entitled "Misha" and partially funded by Tetrebi claims that he actually spend 8 years in the Ukrainian education system instead of 3 and was expelled from the Kiev University and from the Communist Party for making pornographic films. (https://www.interpressnews.ge/ka/article/128884-ukrainelebi-saakashvilis-kievshi-cxovrebis-periodze-dokumentur-pilms-igeben/)
  • He was reinstated in the CP thanks to his uncle and started a compulsry military service in the security forces.

• Norwegian Institute of Human Rights in Oslo before Tbilisi (http://intermedia.ge/%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%98%E1%83%90/11232-%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%AE%E1%83%94%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A-%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%90%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%E1%83%A8%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98/91/)

• He claims having been almost arrested in 1985 when he started studying in Ukraine for listening to Chris de Burgh, a claim that would later be refuted and questioned by the media (https://www.kvirispalitra.ge/public/4662-kris-de-burgis-gamo-aravis-itcerdnen.html?all=0&add_new=1&reply=0&rnd=1607151924.0736)

• Zourabichvili
  • MS and Bezhuashvili became friends in Kyiv both as students (74)
  • SZ sees it interesting that MS's family was incapable to pay the usual bribe necessary for Soviet recruitment avoidance and was sent to the special foces HQ in Kyiv (280)
  • The Kyiv post was highly coveted and was not something one just went through for mandatory service (280)
  • It is likely that Temur Alasania secured his position as he was already at the UN (280)
  • His attribute to study in Kyiv and to learn several languages and to study foreign affairs are all potential signs to KGB affiliation. (281)
  • Even though all foreign trips and scholarships and studies were highly controlled by the KGB, he received scholarships to study in Strasbourg and then in America. (281-282)
  • His time at the George Washington University is almost unknwon, so is what he studied there. It has been assumed that he was recruited by American services during that time (283)

• As a member of the Human Rights Committee of Georgia he secured prisoner exchange agreements between Georgians and Abkhazs and also between Armenians and Azeris captured in the fighting for Nagorno-Karabakh (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/President/Biography)
  • In 1992 at the Norwegian Institute of Human Rights, he organized a conference between Georgians and South Ossetians, which led to the first signed ceasefire agreement.

• Sandra Roelofs
  • They met in Strasbourg in 1993 (16)
  • He was supposed to leave two weeks later to America to study in a one-year Master of Law postgraduate course at Columbia, but delayed his departure to stay with her, crossing the border of Germany (his flight was Tbilisi-Frankfurt) in her car boot (17)
  • In his youth, he directed and acted in a movie with his friend in which he played the role of a city council member in Naples killed by the mafia in a battle over the sewage system. The movie was inspired by Damiano Damiani (227)

• Gamsakhurdia
  • In 1991, he criticized Gamsakhurdia's policy toward ethnic minorities and proposed in an article for Kartia-91 as constitutional solutions either the creation of a federal state or the creation of a separate legislative body, a State Council, that would represent ethnic minorities, a position criticized by the nationalist groups (238-239)
  • While working in Oslo, he was an interviewed by a Polish newspaper in which he called Gamsakhurdia in 1992 the "Saddam Hussein of the Caucasus" (239)

• He claims that the US Congress funded his education abroad (https://civil.ge/archives/105124)

• Glucksmann
  • He was studying at the Institute of International Relations of Kyiv when the perestroika began (64)
  • During his Kyiv life, the KGB launched an investigation on him after he spoke against the USSR at a dinner with an Algerian friend (65)
    • That investigation lasted three months and every one of his friends and relatives were questioned (66)
  • Another KGB investigation that led to his arrest was only solved when his family's close ties to the KGB intervened (67-68)
    • Moscow had given the order to free him (69)
  • In 1989, he won a contest organized by the Komsomolskaia Pravda on the workings of the UN with a first prize a trip to The Hague (70)
    • The Ukrainian KGB blocked his departure for five months but a Politburo member intervened for him (70)
    • He went to The Hague for five days (70)
  • In 1991, he was invited to study for two months at the Institut des droits de l'homme de Strasbourg (71)
    • As Kyiv KGB continued to block him, he went to the newly-independent Georgia to get a Soviet passport from the MFA (71)
    • In Strasbourg, in the summer of 1991, he studied for a month and a half and did an internship at the Council of Europe (71)
    • He was the first Soviet-origin intern at the CoE (71)
  • In 1993, he returned to the Institut des droits de l'homme where he met Sandra (72)
  • He then returned to Tbilisi (72)
  • And then he received a US Congress-funded scholarship to study at Columbia (72-73)
  • On his way to New York, he had a layover in Frankfurt where he met with Sandra, who smuggled him to Holland by hiding him in the bathroom of the train at the Belgium border (73)
  • In New York, he first lived with Sandra (whom he had married) in a small poor apartment of Harlem (74)
  • Three years after his arrival, he was working at the Patteson Belknap Webb and Tyler law firm and the couple moved to a large apartment next to Central Park (75-76)

• The Force Awakens
  • He moved to Ukraine when he was 17 years and lived there for 7 years (16)
  • He applied but was rejected from the Moscow Institute of International Relations. he blamed corruption for his rejection (16)
  • He was accepted by TSU in 1985 and TSU sent him to study international relations at Shevchenko University (16)
  • He was almost arrested as a first-year student for anti-Soviet criticism (16)
  • In May 1988, there was the first Chavchavadze Society protest, 1,000 people showed up. He was there (45)
  • After one year in university, he did a 2-year military service at the border military: one in Chop (Ukraine) and one in Borispol (17)
  • After his military service, in 1988, he befriended the wealthy Lana Kasiani, daughter of Vasil Kasiani, and her husband and moved into their home (18)
  • He worked at the Human Rights Committee of Georgia after finishing his studies (18)
    • This time coincided with the beginning of the war in Abkhazia (160)
    • He was accepted by Harvard University at the time but declined the offer because of the war (160)
    • He worked at the time on the exchange of prisoners in Abkhazia (160)
    • He tells an episode when he had to fly from Sokhumi to Gagra, and the flight was stopped short by Russian forces and him and his team were arrested, allegedly on violations of negotiations. He was placed in jail along with other Georgian negotiators. Russians did not know whether to free them or hand them over to the separatists. A Russian commander finally told them to return to Tbilisi (their plane would have been shot down if they headed to Sokhumi). They boarded a Yak-40 and flew to Batumi. (160-161)

• He allegedly was asked to pay 25,000 rubles to enter the Tbilisi university and 50,000 in Moscow, hence his choice of Kyiv (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6876&i=2)

• He graduated from Columbia with honours (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6902&i=1)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/President/Biography
  • Graduated with honors from the Kyiv University Institute of International Relations
  • When he worked at the Human Rights Committee, he secured prisoner exchange agreements between Tbilisi and Abkhaz separatists.
    • He also secured prisoner exchanges between Armenians and Azeris during the Nagorno-Karabakh war
  • In 1992, he organized a conference between Georgians and South Ossetians at the Norwegian Institute of Human Rights, which led to the first signed ceasefire agreement.

À l'étranger

• Saakashvili interned at the United Nations.
• After graduation, he was on internship in the New York law firm of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler (until early 1995)

• When he first came to America in the early 1990s, Saakashvili lived with Uncle Temur, who apparently arranged a job for the future president at the law firm of Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler in New York. (https://arcade.stanford.edu/blogs/privatized-death-machine)

• He would remain friend with PBWT partner Scott Horton who traveled to Tbilisi for the 2004 inauguration (https://www.pbwt.com/news/mikheil-saakashvili-new-president-of-georgia-is-an-alumnus-of-the-firm/)
• He served as an associate in 94-95 (https://www.pbwt.com/news/firm-honors-foreign-statesman-mikheil-saakashvili-president-of-georgia/)
  • Once becoming President in 2004, he was hosted for a dinner in his honor at the firm in NYC

• It was believed that the Georgian government may have had a chance in a campaign to send young Georgians to NYC as part of the "New Faces" campaign, including Saakashvili who ended by at the law firm with the influence of his uncle. (https://for.ge/view/33523/sikvdilis-win-gaxsenebuli-warsuli.html)
  • He would eventually claim serving as a lawyer and being paid tens of thousands of dollars.
  • He would likely only work as a law clerk and was paid an intern's salary.
  • He only worked there for a few months before Georgia.

• Sandra Roelofs
  • They moved to the NYC together, although Sandra continued to travel at first between NYC and Holland. They lived first in a cheap hotel for two weeks and then in a basement apartment (25-26)
  • Sandra and MS often spent time with Temur Alasania (28)
  • One of his courses at Columbia was under David Aptsiauri (31)
  • Sandra was the main bread-earner (31)
  • He often wrote for daily newspaper Sakartvelo (32)
  • He made comments on the Georgian service of VOA (32)
  • He publicly criticized the Shevardnadze policy toward Russia (32)
  • He maintained ties with the Georgian diaspora (32)
  • In the winter of 1993, he moved into a nice apartment on West End Avenue and 110th Street (32)
  • He once interviewed US Ambassador Jack Matlock for Sakartvelo (35)
  • MS was a Fulbright scholar (36)
  • He graduated on 19 May 1994 (41)
  • In 1994, he met Jaba Ioseliani who was a member of the Georgian delegation at the UN (43)
  • He was offered a paid traineeship as a beginning international lawuer with an American solicitors' firm at Rockefeller Plaza (48)
  • The firm would make him closer to Georgia, although it's not clear how (48)
  • Zurab Zhvania visited in December 1994 the Saakashvilis in NYC (68)
  • He abandoned his Bar Exam studies to join Georgian politics in April 1995 (75)

• The Force Awakens
  • He often traveled between the United States and Ukraine during these years (19)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/President/Biography
  • Attended Columbia University as an Edmund S. Muskie Fellow and received a Master's in Law in 1995
  • Studied law at the doctoral level at The George Washington University National Center of Law in 95-96
  • Admitted to the New York Bar in 1995 and practiced commercial law for a year at Patterson, Belknap, Webb and Tyler in NYC
  • Became the first former Soviet citizen to obtain a diploma in comparative law of human rights from Strasbourg Human Rights International Institute

Carrière politique

Saakachvili, la star montante

• he was approached by Zurab Zhvania, an old friend from Georgia who was working on behalf of President Eduard Shevardnadze to enter politics.
• He stood in the December 1995 elections along with Zhvania, and both men won seats in parliament, standing for the Union of Citizens of Georgia, Shevardnadze's party.
• Saakashvili was chairman of the parliamentary committee which was in charge of creating a new electoral system, an independent judiciary and a non-political police force.
• Opinion surveys recognised him to be the second most popular person in Georgia, behind Shevardnadze.
• He was named "man of the year" by a panel of journalists and human rights advocates in 1997.
• In January 2000, Saakashvili was appointed Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

• He praised Shevardnadze as someone who had his opinions but did not interfere with the works of the government or parliament in 1997 (Shevardnadze, p. 302)

• Zourabichvili
• Shevardnadze guided his first steps in politics, which is probably why he named his first son after him (19)

• Sandra
  • They were close friends with the Zhvanias and his wife Nino from the beginning (77-78, 89)
  • He also befriended Gia Baramidze, his son's godfather (91)
  • He foud a job for Sandra at the Red Cross (97)
  • As an MP, he supported legal reforms and transparency (98)
  • He participated in Hanover in the 1997 negotiations over the status of Abkhazia (103)
  • A panel of journalists selected him as "Man of the Year 1997" (118)
  • MS and MP Gia Baramidze were key in removing the Georgian Ambassador to Italy because of a car swindle (118-119, 142)
  • His fight for legal reform was supported by American David Bronheim, who would die in a car accident (125)
  • In 1998, the Ministers of Justice and Communication were brought to Parliament to answer questions about bribery, which would ultimately lead to their dismissal (142)
  • He was a strong supporter of abolishing the death penalty (142)
  • He was nicknamed the "father of legal reforms of Georgia" (143)
  • He was also a supporter of the establishment of a Council of Ministers with a PM to promote separation of powers (143)
  • At the end of July 1998, he was asked to be the guest editor of the Monday edition of Shanshi. It included dozens of interviews of young people with the theme being "Give the Young Generation a Chance". The edition would sell out on the first day (143)
  • At the end of the summer of 1998, he became leader of CUG (143)
  • He had a direct line with Shevardnadze (144)
  • He entered in cooperation with the American Bar Association to launch examinations for judges which involved knowledge of new legislation, conventions, and treaties of Georgia. During exams, observers were in every corner to avoid cheating, including in the bathroom (151)
  • He was faced with "budgetary opposition" when he tried to reform the prosecutor and the security service. (151)
  • He threated to create an opposition party ahead of the 1999 parliamentary elections (151)
  • In 1999, he was invited by the World Bank to tour Asia to look at success reforms in countries like Japan and Malaysia (152)
  • During the 1999 parliamentary elections, he was accused of corruption, of owning large properties, and that his campaign was funded by his father-in-law for business interests (154)
  • In 1999, he was an independent candidate for Vake majoritarian (70,000 residents) (155)
  • His campaign was focused on the poorer residents of this elitist district (155)
  • His office on Chavchavadze was the first one to feature large pictures of the candidate (155)
  • His slogan was "Georgia without corruption" (155-156)
  • He campaign on a platform of returning property illegally acquired by the State if they could not prove the origin of their capital (156)
  • He took journalists on tours of suburbs where public officials had palaces lined up (156)
  • During the campaign, he entered in conflict with the Head of the Forestry Department over illegal logging activities in Tskneti. He asked for his resignation, which lead to an incident where he launched his dogs against journalists. (156)
  • His campaign was also one of the first grassroots one, distributing leaflets all across the district (156-157)
  • Mr. Salaridze was his rival, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs during Soviet Georgia and now a high police official, with a 10 point lead in early polls (157)
  • MS made several accusations against Aslan Abashidze of financing his opponent and of being at the center of corruption in Georgia (157)
  • In early October, MS's car was hit by a small truck with no license plate, the driver would never be discovered (157-158)
  • Sandra was convinced that their phone was tapped (158)
  • Sandra was intimidated by a Dutchman who was married to a relative of Abashidze (158)
  • A couple days after the truck incident, Sandra's car, which she had sold but not changed the license plates, was hit again while parked. (158-159)
  • It was the day after they were assigned securty guards at home and at the campaign office (159)g,
  • MS's influence grew highly after his victory in Vake. Shevardnadze removed the Minister of Fuel Provisions and Energy Affairs after MS accused him of being incompetent (164)c
  • On 10 December 1999, he was assaulted near his house after making critical statements against the leader of the NDP (167)
  • On 25 January 2000, he was elected VP of PACE (172)
  • In APril 2000, he was named by Dutch journalist Wierd Duk as one of the young reformers of Georgian politics who tried to change the tide while having Shevardnadze as their mentor (197)
  • But he publicly would say in foreign media that Shevardnadze was not strong enough against the Untouchables (198)
  • As leader of the CUG, MS campaigned for ES in the 2000 presidential election (199)
  • In September 2000, he scored a victory by pushing successfully for Parliament to reduce the 150 GEL cost of technical inspections of cars down to 50 GEL. The opposition left the floor ahead of the vote in a boycott as some opposition MPs had business interests (203)

• In 1997, while he was chair of the legal affairs committee, he was one of the initiators of judicial reform, including the passage of a law on common courts enabling video coverage of court proceedings (https://civil.ge/archives/112704)
• In the 1999 Vake elections, his campaign manager was Levan Gachechiladze (https://civil.ge/archives/113826)

• Glucksmann
  • Zhvania came to visit MS in New York and stayed at his apartment, where he asked him to follow him to Georgia and take part in the changes (77)
  • MS at first was hesitant to join the Shevardnadze team, but Zhvania convinced him that reforming forces were taking over (77)
  • He at first believed in Shevardnadze as a leader capable of transforming softly the Soviet society to a liberal European one (79)
  • He was opposed to Shevardnadze's policy of playing on ethnic divisions and clan rivalries, but saw him as the least of evils (79)
  • MS saw in Zhvania a man who was strongly in favor of bringing Georgia into the European world (80)
  • MS was elected into Parliament on Zhvania's list (80)
  • When elected as committee chair in Parliament, MS wanted to split from Shevardnadze, but was convinced otherwise by Zhvania (80-81)
  • MS still distanced himself, trying not to appear in public appearances with Shevardnadze (81)
  • It took him a year and three months to finally meet Shevardnadze (81)
  • During their meeting, Shevardnadze backed formally Saakashvili's push for reforms, although Saakashvili eventually saw this was not formal (81)`
  • In Parliament, he imposed a unique exam for all judges that was held at Parliament, in front of television cameras with questions prepared under his authority (84)
  • With the backing of Shevardnadze and the opposition of many judges, he passed a bill requiring such exam for all judges (84)
    • At the first exam, only young judicial candidates came to the hearing for the exam in front of the supervisory commission of MPs and academicians (84)
    • When old judges refused to show up at the second and third hearings as well, they were threatened with firing (84-85)
    • Old judges appeared at the fourth hearing and knew all the answers, which led to questions by MS that questions were leaked to them (85)
    • In response, MS locked without phones all his academician and MP partners in the exam set-up in his room overnight to draft up new questions. When the judges came at the next morning's hearing and found out about the new questions, they left in protest (85)

• The Force Awakens
  • He arrived in Georgia in November 1995 (46)
  • In December 1995, he was elected as Chair of the Judicial and Constitutional Affairs Committee (46-47)
  • He was often visited by people who wanted favors with the courts (47)
  • His vice-chair was Nino Burjanadze (47)
  • To draft bills, he sought to hire special young groups with low salaries (50 USD) (47)
  • Zurab Adeishvili was hired as one of those youth groups, who became one of his closest allies (47)
  • Also hired was Giorgi Papuashvili (47-48)
  • As MP, he created the Council of Justice, of which he was a member (49)
  • He was granted carte blanche by Shevardnadze to reform the entire system (49)
  • Shevardnadze backed the exam reform (49)
  • 30 academicians were hired to draft the exam (49)
  • The exams were printed and sent from Great Britain to avoid corruption (49)
  • The exams were televised live (49)
  • The exam was the biggest victory of the Reformers (50)
  • The hearing in which judges knew all the answers, it's possible that MoJ Lado Chanturia either willingly or unwillingly leaked the questions to his vice-minister Taliashvili, who passed them on to judicial candidates (50)
  • In that hearing, every judge received 98 or more out of 100 (50)
  • But when the second round of questions came, he went to Lado Chanturia and told him that new questions needed to be written. They spent all night writing and external communication was not allowed (50)
    • The next morning, he announced that questions were simplified which led to walk-outs by a majority of judges (51)
  • As a result of this reform, 90% of judges were replaced (51)
  • In 1999, he took part in negotiations that led to the financing by the EU of several buildings (maybe judicial). He traveled to Brussels, where he noted that the procurement process was corrupt there too. This happened just before the resignation of the Santer Commission because of corruption charges (51)

DELFOS JEWELLRY

• • His judicial reform was brandished by some as one of the deepest in the post-Soviet world (52)
  • Although most of these reforms did not last the system (52)
  • World Bank President James Wolfhenson invited him to Washington for lectures and he became a world star, when he 29 (52)
  • In Parliament, he actively worked with NGOs, including the Society of Landowners' Rights, chaired by Vano Merabishvili (54)
  • In 1998, Rustavi 2 was created. Soon, authorities confiscated it from its owners, Rustavi-based businessmen, who reached out to MS for help (55)
    • MS, who was helped by Zhvania, won the Rustavi 2 case (55)
  • In 1997, civil society named him Man of the Year (55)
  • In 1998, the NYT published an article on Georgia that predicted he would become President of Georgia (56)
    • This article angered Shevardnadze, which led MS to believe Shevardnadze was afraid of him (56)
  • Zhvania and Saakashvili were considered to be leaders in that Parliamentary Convocation and the reformers were nicknamed "Zhvania-Saakashvili Group" (56)
  • In 1998, he took part in Shevardnadze's official visit to Ukraine, during which he met Kuchma privately (19)
  • In 1995, when he moved back to Georgia, armed men entered the apartment complex of his mother and set up camp in the lobby, where they expelled local residents with arms and opened businesses. He went to the police and discovered that the group belonged to Emzar Kvitsiani, with whom he met. Saakashvili and Kvitsiani held secret negotiations out of which Kvitsiani agreed to leave the place and give 1500 USD in compensation to each. (116)
  • He was also a contributor to Voice of America during that time (116)
  • He engaged in a heated debate with Targamadze organized by VoA on police corruption, in which Targamadze justified police confiscation of store produce (116)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/President/Biography
  • He initiated Georgia's first ever merit-based selection of judges

Ministre de la Justice

• On 12 October 2000, Saakashvili became Minister of Justice for the government of President Shevardnadze.
• He initiated major reforms in the Georgian criminal justice and prisons system.
• This earned praise from international observers and human rights activists.
• But, in mid-2001, he became involved in a major controversy with the State Security Minister Vakhtang Kutateladze and Tbilisi police chief Ioseb Alavidze, accusing them of profiting from corrupt business deals.
• Saakashvili resigned on 5 September 2001, saying that "I consider it immoral for me to remain as a member of Shevardnadze's government."
• He declared that corruption had penetrated to the very center of the Georgian government and that Shevardnadze lacked the will to deal with it, warning that "current developments in Georgia will turn the country into a criminal enclave in one or two years."

• He called for a "real activation of the Law on Bankruptcy" to be used on public companies. He also criticized the illegal privatization of state resources. (https://civil.ge/archives/184870)
• He was praised by Walter Schwimmer, the SG of the CoE as a reformer. (https://civil.ge/archives/184874)
  • He wrote a bill to simply the process to get the Georgian citizenship in 2001, which would grant it to anyone born in the country or living here for 5 years (as opposed to 10 years before it), opening the doors of citizenship to 1.5 potental citizens living abroad.
• In July 2001, he accused the MIA of having deals with criminals and accused the government of negotiating with criminal organizations in Pankisi. (https://civil.ge/archives/100147)
• He posed himself as an enemy of Kakha Targamadze, MIA and Shevardnadze protege, while allying himself with Giorgi Baramidze (MP) and Elene Tevdoradze (MP) (https://civil.ge/archives/184883)
• His ministry refused to register Mkhedrioni, calling it a criminal organization (https://civil.ge/archives/184894)
• In January 2001, the Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation of DM Okruashvili over an intercation he had with the police. (https://civil.ge/archives/100194)
  • MS believed that this was an attack against the MOJ. He said it was a corrupt attempt at discrediting him for his attempts to speak the truth.
  • IO hired lawyer Eka Beselia against the MIA.
• He wrote a bill in August 2001 to nationalize properties believed to have been illegally sold, arguing that this had been the source of an unfair accumulation of wealth and a dire corrupt situation. ((https://civil.ge/archives/100206))
  • According to the bill, a state official not showing the origin of property in an official declaration would automatically be dispossessed by the state.
  • The bill was accused of being Bolshevik by pro-government supporters.
  • During a government session in August, several hours of criticism were followed by a widespread accusation by Saakashvili, who showed photos of large homes owned by public officials and named them, including Vano Chkhartishvili (Minister of Economics, Trade and Industry), Vakhtang Kutateladze (Minister of State Security) and Soso Alavidze (Head of Tbilisi Police HQ)
  • This was seen as a move organized with the help of Zhvania, whose group in Parliament had been seen as launching a fight against corruption.
  • It seems he was allied with the Finance (MMikheil Machavariani) and the Tax Income Ministers (Zurab Noghaideli).
• The bill was called "Transmitting (Returning) Illegal and Groundless Property to the State" (https://civil.ge/archives/100207)
  • He was also allied with MP Vano Merabishvili, head of the Committee on Economic Policy, who said the bill was not against entrepreneurs.
  • Merabishvili stated that 500 public officials were targeted.
• The Government meeting of 8 August 2001 was very tense (https://civil.ge/archives/184903)
  • In a primary version of the bill, every citizen was allowed to appeal to the court. Another version only granted this right to the state.
  • Chkhartishvili called it populism and a threat to investments.
  • Saakashvili criticized cheap privatizations.
  • Targamadze called it unconstitutional.
  • Saakashvili said that anti-corruption laws, already weak, were not enforced.
  • The bill was seen as an open confrontaton between the reformers and the conservatives.
  • The bill was heavily criticized by Governors Temur Shashiashvili (Imereti) and Levan Mamaladze (Kvemo Kartli)
  • He also sponsored a bill to simplify the entrepreneurial license system
• Machavariani of the Reformers' team left four days later.
  • The Reformers were led by Zhvania and won Western support and investors.
• Saakashvili was chairman of the Reformers' faction in 1999. (https://civil.ge/archives/100213)
  • He backed constitutional amendments that gave more powers (and liability) to the President
• He seems to be ally with MPs Koba Davitashvili, Elene Tevdoradze, Kote Kemularia, Vasil Maghlaperidze, Zurab Adeishvili and Vano Merabishvili. (https://civil.ge/archives/100220)
• He publicly supported the system of juries (https://civil.ge/archives/184909)
• He also called for the appointment of independent prosecutors and jury trials for high-profile corruption cases. (https://civil.ge/archives/100221)
  • He criticized law enforcement for not acting as corruption.
  • Should be noted he avoided criticism of Shevardnadze.
• IO resigned on 11 September 2001, as a protest against the government, while continuing to support Saakashvili. (https://civil.ge/archives/100234)
  • Saakashvili refused the resignation (https://civil.ge/archives/100244)
  • It is believed that as DMOJ, he blocked several government-sponsored bills that would have allowed financial machinations.
• In September 2001, he started laying the groundwork for a "Georgia without Corruption" social moveement with Beso Jugeli (chairman of Liberal-Economic Party)
• In September 2001, he inaugurated a new prison in Rustavi which took years of construction after delays when it was under MIA responsibility. The MOJ had a construction budget of 700,000 GEL by selling scrap metal from other prisons.
  • He here again criticized the MIA Kakha Targamadze of corruption in the construction problems. (https://civil.ge/archives/109487)
• On 15 September 2001, his house was broken into and his computer files were accessed, while on a visit to Greece. (https://civil.ge/archives/100262)
• His controversial bill was supported by 20 MPs and Lord Russell Johnston (PACE) however the bill was ill-fated following his resignation (https://civil.ge/archives/100273)
• His successor Roland Giligashvili was a compromise between opposition and ruling team (https://civil.ge/archives/100282)
• Shevardnadze purged the MOJ from Saakashvili's allies (https://civil.ge/archives/185445)
• He opposed during his time as MOJ an MIA bill that would give the government the right to listen to potential criminals without court orders (https://civil.ge/archives/100331)
• His resignation was a symbol of the loss of power of the Reformers in the executive branch, which had previously managed to control some parts of the government. Noghaideli was the last remaining after Saakashvili left (https://civil.ge/archives/100575)
• He would later be accused by his successor of deteriorating the conditions in the penitentiary system by appointing unqualified officials to high positions (https://civil.ge/archives/100934)
• The Chamber of Control eventually made a report accusing MS of misusing 105,000 GEL and of lobbying for the interests of Davit Bezhuashvili, at the time president of Sakgazi (https://civil.ge/archives/102253)
• His 2000-2001 reform of the penitentiary system, which made it independent from the MIA, is said to have caused an increase in jailbreaks (https://civil.ge/archives/103611)
• It seems Saakashvili as Minister was involved in trying to implement the Soros anti-corruption reforms that Shevardnadze took credit for, although in vein (https://civil.ge/archives/112313)

• Sandra
  • His predecessor was ousted because of a prisoner escape (204)
  • He sacked his vice ministers and appointed two new faces (205)
  • He focused on reforming the prison system (205)
  • He spent many days and nights in prisons and penal colonies, meeting with wardens, eating lunch with prisoners (205)
  • He was credited for cleaning up the entire system, from parcel delivery to prisoners to the installation of a hotline (205)
  • With drugs and weapons seized in special raids, prison directors were fired across the coutry (205)
  • He showed prison directors' homes to the press (205)
  • The number of prison escapes decreased considerably (205)
  • Prisoners were given books and sanitary conditions were improved (205)
  • He collected the scrap metal laying around in prisons and sold it to Turkey for millions of USD, which gave him enough funds to build a new penal colony in Rustavi (205-206)
  • In February 2001, there were calls for him to be appointed prosecutor (212)
  • He organized book drives and visits of schools to prisons (213)
  • He also opened the Museum of the Death Penalty (213)
  • He announced his resignation on Rustavi 2, which had become the lantern of freedom since the recent murder of Sanaia. He addressed the people of Georgia instead of Shevardnadze. He spoke against a background of the five-cross flag and the EU flag (220)

• Glucksmann
  • MS was appointed Minister of Justice by Shevardnadze when the latter saw that he could not be controlled in Parliament any longer, becoming minister in October 2000 (86)
  • His predecessor was fired after a mass prison escape of mafia gangs (86)
  • One of his first decisions in the Ministry was to fire old bureaucrats and replace them with young people. ages 22 to 30 (86)
  • He passed a law on the control of property of public servants, up to the President (87)
  • His law on the public control of ministers' real estate was met with large opposition from the cabinet (87)
  • The episode where he convoked cameras and showed everyone pictures of some ministers' palaces was the 19th hearing (87)
  • He was in an open clash with the MIA (87)
  • He resigned and joined the opposition on 5 September 2001 (87)

• The Force Awakens
  • One of the highest sources of corruption under Shevardnadze was the ferro-alloy business, which always evaded taxation. Exports required the signing of the Minister of Justice (58)
  • He not only refused to sign export decrees, he also sent a letter to customs control announcing an official blockade. (58)
    • For this, he was summoned by Shevardnadze, whose relative was in charge of the business. But despite the pressure, he refused to sign the decrees and after this, Shevardnadze's government sought ways to continue without his approval (58-59)
  • After this battle, pressure began on MS from all state-affiliated media and groups. (59)
    • When he wrote a book (?), he was sued over it over use of state funds (59)
  • Once, Shakro Kalashov (Russian thief in law) sent him through Dudu Dadiani a gold watch worth 20,000 USD, to which he refused (119)
  • He was a witness to how Chibirov was begging Shevardnadze to agree to a federal system of governance, ready to share power in SO (161)
  • It was during his time as minister that he first met Sarkozy, who was at the time MIA of France (184)

• He was the first Minister of Justice to address prison reform (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6902&i=1)

Dans l'opposition

• Having resigned from the government and quit the Shevardnadze-run Union of Citizens of Georgia party, Saakashvili founded the United National Movement (UNM) in October 2001, a center-right political party with a touch of nationalism, to provide a focus for part of the Georgian reformists leaders.

• Member of the Parliament of Georgia of the 5th convocation (06-11-2001 - 22-11-2002)
  • Vake Majoritarian
  • UCG

• He announced his candidacy for Vake majoritarian on 21 September 2001, two days after his resignation as MOJ. (https://civil.ge/archives/100291)
  • However, the government tried to block him. Shevardnadze did not immediately accept his resignation and it took MS the threat of lawsuit.
• He ran against Irina Sarishvili, who was seen as being backed by Shevardnadze (https://civil.ge/archives/185445)
• During the campaign, he accused the MIA of trying to provoke conflict in Abkhazia to cause a war and use that as an opportunity to take over power (https://civil.ge/archives/100331)
• His supporting ranks would soon increase to MPs Davit Maghradze and Zaza Davalishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/100335)
• During his campaign, he was seen as a strong pro-western political figure and his election was seen as a catalyst for strengthening the reformist wing. (https://civil.ge/archives/100491)
  • Sarishvili was head of the NDP
  • He was also challenged by Jaba Ioseliani, at the time connected with an increase in tensions in Abkhazia
• The election was held on October 23. The CEC announced 64% for Saakashvili. 9.7 for Sarishvili. (https://civil.ge/archives/100492)
  • On ED, there were stolen ballot boxes which led to thoughts that the CEC would cancel the electoral results.
• Irina Sarishvili accused Saakashvili of vote-rigging and of partnering with Mayor Vano Zodelava (who feared Saakashvili would run for mayor) (https://civil.ge/archives/100494)
  • Saakashvili supporter MP Kote Kemularia was beaten up
  • Sarishvili was accused of stealing the boxes
• On 1 November, the government resigned following the Rustavi 2 scandal. Saakashvili was one of the protest leaders. Zhvania also resigned as promised. The goal was the resignation of Kakha Targamadze and Prosecutor Gia Meparishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/100580)
  • Saakashvili was also demanding the resignation of Shevardnadze (https://civil.ge/archives/184945)
  • On 2 November, he asked the protesters to stand down and let Shevardnadze appoint a new government for the moment, while remaining critical. He called on students to organize (https://civil.ge/archives/100588)
  • Saakashvili was considered as one possible replacement of Zhvania as Speaker (https://civil.ge/archives/100598)
• His election in Vake was an indication that the reformers were on the rise (https://civil.ge/archives/328647)
• At a rally in Zugdidi, pro-government protesters clashed with his activisits, causing an unknown number of deaths (https://civil.ge/archives/100601)
• He had started calling for snap parliamentary and presidential elections the day before (https://civil.ge/archives/100602)
• During the election for Speaker, he accused pro-government Vazha Lortkipanidze (running against reformer coalition candidate Nino Burjanadze) of colliding with Patarkatsishvili to buy votes (https://civil.ge/archives/100646)
• He led the fight that led to the resignation of Shota Meparishvili, Chairman of the Forestry Service (https://civil.ge/archives/100693)
• On 30 November 2001, his speech in Parliament against the appointment of Avtandil Jorbenadze as Minister of Health forced the vote to be postponed (https://civil.ge/archives/100765)
• On 7 December, a faction of the National Movement was created in the Tbilisi Sakrebulo (https://civil.ge/archives/100786)
• The parliamentary faction Movement for Democratic Forces was created on 17 December, chaired by Kote Kemularia and inc. MS (10 members) (https://civil.ge/archives/100831)
• Although officially still a member of CUG, he did not attend party business (https://civil.ge/archives/100866)
• On 11 December, he introduced as an MP his illegal property bill (https://civil.ge/archives/100928)
  • Shevardnadze was accused of obstructing the bill (https://civil.ge/archives/100948)
• It was announced that Levan Berdzenishvili (director of the National Library) and Revaz Shavishvili (former head of the Control Chamber) would become the co-chairs of the National Movement (https://civil.ge/archives/100936)
• In January 2002, the National Movement was created. Meanwhile, Zhvania's centrist reformists took control of the CUG (https://civil.ge/archives/100974)
• MS was seen as the informal leader of the NM faction while Kemularia was its chair (https://civil.ge/archives/185017)
• In January 2002, the Movement for Democratic Reforms gathered parliamentary petitions for snap elections but only 36 signed, following which MS launched a public petition to seek a parliamentary debate (https://civil.ge/archives/101015)
• In February, he launched talks with members of the academic field to get teachers and students involved, a move criticized by government (https://civil.ge/archives/185041)
• He visited the US in Feb 2002 as part of an opposition delegation that was advocating reforms against corruption with Zhvania (https://civil.ge/archives/101143)
  • He was invited by NDI and held meetings with representatives of the State Department. (https://civil.ge/archives/101161)
• On March 11 2002, Parliament voted against putting his draft law on corruption on the agenda. He accused Burjanadze of hindering it and posed himself against other MPs like Levan Gachechiladze (https://civil.ge/archives/101388)
  • After his complaint, the draft was placed on the agenda (https://civil.ge/archives/101393)
  • In parallel, the Justice Ministry prepared an alternative bill that removed the right of citizens to sue and made it a lot less powerful (https://civil.ge/archives/101417)
• On 25 March, he announced the formation of a "Democratic Coalition" along with the Republican Party and Zviadists (https://civil.ge/archives/101494)
• On 3 April, a Saakashvili rally in Samegrelo was dissolved by armed groups, accused of being tied to Shevardnadze. MS accused the government of trying to destabilize the regional situation in order to delay the local elections (https://civil.ge/archives/101553)
• During the local elections, he pledged that if his party failed to fulfill campaign promises, elected officials would resign (https://civil.ge/archives/101618)
• His New National Movement slogan was "Tbilisi without Shevardnadze" during the 2 June local elections (https://civil.ge/archives/101670)
• MP Elene Tevdoradze claimed cars were following MS. MP Giorgi Baramidze claimed that the government was planning provocations (https://civil.ge/archives/101703)
• Shevardnadze stated that MS damaged the image of Georgia by traveling abroad and complaining about the government (https://civil.ge/archives/101728)
• On 1 June, he called for a delay of the elections because he claimed there was a discovery of voter fraud plans (https://civil.ge/archives/104257)
• Zhvania ran separately in the local elections in the Christian-Conservative Party after being denied the right to run under the CUG. The fact that he ran separately from MS led to rumors of a split, but Zhvania endorsed MS nonetheless in Tbilisi.
• His campaign was populistic, often using public transportation and even being the first one to record messages in ethnic minority languages (https://civil.ge/archives/101836)
• “Election Bloc “National Movement-Democratic Front” – 23.75% – 14 seats. (number two in Tbilisi) https://civil.ge/archives/101843)
• In Rustavi, Saakashvili's party won a majority of seats and refused to join the call by other parties for a cancel of the results (https://civil.ge/archives/104307)

• He was joined in the opposition by the conservatives and the republicans (AD, p. 470)
• He criticized often ES for failing to control Abashidze (474)

• Khatuna Gogorishvili was a close ally of Zhvania at the time and was already known as the queen of election fraud (Zourabichvili, 35)

• Sandra Roelofs
  • The cry MI-SHA MI-SHA was first heard during the Rustavi 2 protests (225)
  • He launched a nationwide campaign for the National Movement in April ahead of the June 2002 municipal elections (234)
  • Arriving for a public rally in Zugdidi, he was met by a group of 30 men shooting guns in the air, preventing him from holding the rally (234)
  • He refused to go to a planned trip to Moscow where he was supposed to hold a press conference after information that a plane of 100 supporters of Abashidze had arrived in Moscow from Batumi (234-235)
  • In the election, he announced his ambition to become council chairman, which led other parties to field strong candidates on their lists as a balance (238-239)
  • On election night, he participated in a lively debate on television where he condemned election fraud. ES called the hotline to accuse MS of lies (239)

• Stent
  • Ambassador Miles was wary of MS for several reasons, including his close relationship with Shevardnadze and the nationalistic approaches of MS, who himself went over Miles to talk directly to US officials (109)

• Glucksmann
  • After leaving the ministry, he joined a group of young people to lead his campaign for MP (89)
  • He prepared his campaign like a military operation (89)
  • Shots fired in the middle of the city were frequent (89)
  • There were some terrorist attacks (89)
  • Once elected, he created the UNM (89)

• The Force Awakens
  • Nino Burjanadze was a compromise Speaker candidate for the Reformers (led by Zhvania and MS) and Shevardnadze, being an ally of reform and the daughter of Shevardnadze's friend (60-61)
  • Zhvania contributed 20,000 GEL to the founding of the National Movement (61)
  • The National Movement started by launching protests against illegal constructions, illegal forest cutdowns and against local clan leaders (61)
  • The original group of supporters was 500 retired people, not young people at first (61)
  • Many in society called the NM a sect (61)
  • He first met Yushchenko during a post-Soviet right-wing party congress organized by Boris Nemtsov in 2001 (19)
  • During the Sakrebulo elections, Jaba Ioseliani's people (he was a candidate) were posted in precincts and scared people with weapon, injuring even Kote Kemularia (117)
  • Ioseliani allegedly threatened Saakashvili with death in a phone conversation (118)

Président du conseil municipal de Tbilissi

• In June 2002, he was elected as the Chairman of the Tbilisi Assembly ("Sakrebulo") following an agreement between the United National Movement and the Georgian Labour Party.
• This gave him a powerful new platform from which to criticize the government.

• On 3 June, he led protests calling for the CEC to cancel the results despite the fact that the Labor Party and his own were leading in the polls (https://civil.ge/archives/185138)
• On 5 June, the CEC decided to recount the votes, which led Natelashvili to accuse Saakashvili and Zhvania of being allies of Shevardnadze (https://civil.ge/archives/185142)
• On 14 June, the Labor Party made a surprise offer to endorse MS as Sakrebulo chairman. (https://civil.ge/archives/101873)
  • This came as a surprise because of their different positions and their bitter rhetoric.
  • But the offer was made in an unfriendly manner.
  • Before, Levan Gachechiladze of the New Rights was expecting that support.
  • Together, MS and SN had 29 votes - an absolute majorty.
  • He resigned as an MP to join the Sakrebulo
• The Natelashvili offer turned out to be a big setback for Shevardnadze. (https://civil.ge/archives/101902)
  • MS called for capitalistic reforms while Natelashvili had a more populistic campaign.
  • MS used the position to build support for the 2003 parliamentary elections.
  • He also indicated ambitions for th 2005 presidential election.
  • The executive branch of Tbilisi was led by the Mayor, a presidential appointee.
• The CEC at first agreed to recount the votes, before canceling that decision, which made MS go to the Supreme Court. On 20 June, the Tbilisi District Court ruled that the CEC had to recount the votes (https://civil.ge/archives/101903)
• He led a ppular campaign against Levan Mamaladze, who was accused of rigging the votes in Kvemo Kartli (https://civil.ge/archives/102013)
• When Shevardnadze pardoned some Mkhedrioni militants that were involved in the murder of Chanturia, some of them pledged they would work against MS (https://civil.ge/archives/102060)
• He accused the Georgian government of fabricating the Kodori crisis since October 2001 to distract the population from internal problems (https://civil.ge/archives/102206)
• On 15 November 2002, the Sakrebulo cast a vote of no confidence against mayor Vano Zodelava. (https://civil.ge/archives/102470)
  • On 15 November, after the Sakrebulo made accusations of corruption, most members of the city government resigned. The Sakrebulo removed those who did not resign.
  • The Council lacks the legal power to dismiss the mayor and called for electoral mayors.
  • Zhvania was secretary of the Sakrebulo
  • Levan Gachechiladze was the nominal opposition to the Labor-Nationalist alliance.
  • Shevardnadze stod with Zodelava.
• Among the opposition, Zhvania's leftist positions made him increasingly popular while Saakashvili, who did not make calls for a minimum wage, dropped. (https://civil.ge/archives/106962)
• Saakashvili accused Russia of annexing Abkhazia by refusing to remove peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/102736)
• On 4 February 2003, MS accused Avtandil Jorbenadze (State Minister) and other members of government of planning a coup against Shevardnadze, a claim that would be repeated by Gachechiladze. Shevardnadze ordered the Prosecutor's Office to investigate. (https://civil.ge/archives/102830)
  • MS would be questioned by the Prosecutor's Office. Many believed this was fake news (https://civil.ge/archives/102887)
• He sent a letter to the US administration asking for financial assistance to the Georgian energy system (https://civil.ge/archives/102847)
• He also accused the Police of not fighting against crime (https://civil.ge/archives/102990)
• In the budget adopted in March 2003 of the Sakrebulo, there was an increase of 3 laris in pensions for Tbilisi residents (https://civil.ge/archives/103039)
• He opposed the war in Iraq, claiming it would weaken America's stance in the world (https://civil.ge/archives/103053)
• He was opposed by the Labor Party in his efforts to privatize Vake Park, a proposal that was supported by the central government but was met with public protests (https://civil.ge/archives/103301)
• In August, he called for the nationalization of strategic facilities, condemning the privatization of the Ferro Alloy Plant in Zestaponi, the Poti Port, the communications systems and warning against the deal between U.S. company AES and Russian Unified Energy Systems (https://civil.ge/archives/103818)
• He hung the UNM flag on City Hall and the Control Chamber accused him of spending funds to purchase multiple flags (https://civil.ge/archives/104200)

• Sandra Roelofs
  • Leo-Luca Orlando, former mayor of Palermo famous for his battle against the mafia, visited him in Tbilisi (227)
  • When he was elected as council chairman in a deal with Natelashvili, the council meeting to elect him kept being delayed in fabricated ways (239)
  • When the day came for the session, a bailiff came with a judicial order to stop the meeting, but MS's partisans intervened and pushed him out before he could show the paper (239)
  • He used city budget to build dozens of playgrounds in a short amount of time and rebuilt roofs and handled elevator repairs (250)
  • He also led an unpopular campaign against illegal street trading, which led to a lot of income loss and the relocation of street traders outside of town (250)
  • He was accused of populism and demagogery (250-251)
  • He purchased thousands of school textbooks. The Ministry of Education refused to distribute them, accusing MS of political games ahead of the October parliamentary elections. He tried to distribute them himself in public but a military parade was scheduled at the last moment. In September, the MOE was forced to distribute the books (256-257)

• Glucksmann
  • In June 2002, he won a majority with the Labor Party of the Tbilisi City Council (90)
  • The Constitution granted no power to the City Council, making it only ceremonial (90)

• The Force Awakens
  • Under his chairmanship, the City's coffers had less than a fourth of what the Budget allocated it (59)
  • He once refused to give a permit for a gas station in downtown Tbilisi to a businessman who offered him 400,000 USD (63)
  • As Chairman, he controlled 15% of the city's budget (63)
  • One of the first things he did with that budget was the renovation of apartment complexes (63)
  • He also built playgrounds across the city, many of which would be vandalized (63)
  • He distributed free textbooks to the school's first grade classes (63)
  • The authorities arrested a Sakrebulo member from his party, the one who thought of the textbook distribution program, and the textbooks weren't distributed (64)
  • The Sakrebulo proclaimed the crossed flag as the Flag of Tbilisi and flew it on top of City Hall (64)
  • From 16 UNM Sakrebulo members (out of 49), his Sakrebulo fraction grew to 40 members (64)
  • He called his Sakrebulo administration an "alternative, smaller government" (64)

Révolution des roses

• Georgia held parliamentary elections on 2 November 2003 which were denounced by local and international observers as being grossly rigged.
• Saakashvilli claimed that he had won the elections (a claim supported by independent exit polls), and urged Georgians to demonstrate against Shevardnadze's government and engage in nonviolent civil disobedience against the authorities.
• Saakashvili's UNM and Burdjanadze-Democrats united to demand the ouster of Shevardnadze and the rerun of the elections.
• Massive political demonstrations were held in Tbilisi in November, with over 100,000 people participating and listening to speeches by Saakashvili and other opposition figures.
• The Kmara ("Enough!") youth organization (a Georgian counterpart of the Serbian "Otpor!") and several NGOs, like Liberty Institute, were active in all protest activities.
• After an increasingly tense two weeks of demonstrations, Shevardnadze resigned as President on 23 November, to be replaced on an interim basis by parliamentary speaker Nino Burjanadze.
• While the revolutionary leaders did their best to stay within the constitutional norms, many called the change of government a popular coup dubbed by Georgian media as the Rose Revolution.
• Saakashvili's "storming of Georgia's parliament" in 2003 "put U.S. diplomats off guard... [Saakashvili] ousted a leader the U.S. had long backed, Eduard Shevardnadze."

• On January 20 2003, Zhvania and him proposed a broad coalition of the opposition to fight together in the parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/102741)
• His call for Jumber Patiashvili to join the coalition raised eyebrows (https://civil.ge/archives/102774)
• In February 2003, he warned that "War and Peace", a militia of 500-600 men controlled by Mamaladze and another one by Kakha Targamadze were training to thwart the parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/102816)
• The Labor Party refused to join the opposition coalition (https://civil.ge/archives/185253)
• There was a feud between Zhvania and Saakashvili on who would lead the coalition, but Zhvania backed down in April (https://civil.ge/archives/185259)
• He called for the inclusion of the OSCE and COE on the CEC board (https://civil.ge/archives/103302)
• Already in May 2003, western diplomats urged Shevardnadze to hold free elections (https://civil.ge/archives/103316)
• In the months before the election, there were several protests and tensions, including a fistfight between activists of both sides in May in Gori during a visit of Jorbenadze (https://civil.ge/archives/103420)
• After the failure by political parties (pro and anti gov) to reach an agreement on electoral legislation, Saakashvili launched a tour of every municipality to rally supporters on 30 May (https://civil.ge/archives/103432)
• On 2 June, MS, ZZ and Davit Gamkrelidze (New Rights) held a closed meeting with Jorbeladze to reach a deal over the composition of the CEC. Jorbeladze wanted a CEC chair appointed by the President (refused by the opposition) while every party having cleared the 7% barrier in the 1999 parliamentary elections would appoint reps in the CEC. https://civil.ge/archives/103450
• By June, the New Rights had joined the opposition. Gachechiladze organized protests in Kutaisi while Misha orgamized them in Mingrelia and Tbilisi on 3 June (https://civil.ge/archives/103453)
• On June 26, the National Movement Party of MS launched its electoral campaign.
• James Baker visited in July to ensure the holding of free and fair elections, and met with MS (https://civil.ge/archives/103642)
• The "Baker Plan" on CEC composition, which would have granted both Zhvania and MS's parties reps at the CEC, was voted down by the pro-governmental factions in parliament
• He met in July with the British Ambassador Deborah Barnes Jones (https://civil.ge/archives/103808)
• He met in August with US Ambassador Richard Milnes https://civil.ge/archives/103854
• Another attempted rally in Zugdidi was broken down when pro-Shevardnadze activisits started a fight in August (https://civil.ge/archives/103901)
• Another clash happened in Tbilisi the same month between pro-Saakashvili and Abashidze's Revivalists (https://civil.ge/archives/103918)
• In September, the CEC gave control to 70 out of 75 DECs to pro-Shevardnadze individuals (https://civil.ge/archives/104053)
• On 29 September, a clash led to shooting and dozens injured in Bolnisi, where MS was prevented from entering by Shevardnadzists (https://civil.ge/archives/104094)
• MS accused the government of deploying the police against the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/104112)
• MS was not in the party list, choosing to stay in the City Council. The list was headed by Koba Davitashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/104129)
  • Out of 22 parties, he was the only opposition leader not present in the lists (https://civil.ge/archives/104350)
• He accused beforehand the government of planning massive voter fraud in polling stations abroad (https://civil.ge/archives/104189)
• In Adjara, his slogan was "Adjara without Abashidze" (https://civil.ge/archives/104227)
• In Adjara, Abashidze claimed that MS wanted to conspire to murder or oust him. Tensions grew high in the region, where MS announced he wanted to "rock Batumi". On October 23, clashes between UNM and pro-Abashidze groups left dozens injured (https://civil.ge/archives/104396)
• On Election Day, MS did not vote. He claimed not being present in voter lists. Media reported this was false and he did not enter the voting precinct at all (https://civil.ge/archives/104424)
• MS started celebrating on election night before the resutls were announced because of his first-place showing in exit polls (https://civil.ge/archives/104434)
• In ISFED's PVT, he came out in first place with 26.6% of the vote (https://civil.ge/archives/104443)
• MS called on opposition leaders to meet on 4 November to discuss next steps while Burjanadze refused to recognize the election results (https://civil.ge/archives/185298)
• At the 4 November meeting, the opposition announced non-stop rallies (https://civil.ge/archives/104448)
• MS, NB and Jumber Patiashvili announced an alliance on 4 November (https://civil.ge/archives/104456)
• They called on Shevardnadze to either recognize the opposition's victory or resign (https://civil.ge/archives/104460)
• Deputy State Minister Anzor Baluashvili said that authorities were ready to keep order to prevent destabilization (https://civil.ge/archives/104458)
• He addressed the crowd from the Tbilisi City Hall balcony calling on Shevardnadze to resign (https://civil.ge/archives/104464)
• On November 5, MS went to Rustavi and NB to Kutaisi. The New Rights and Labor refused to join them (https://civil.ge/archives/104469)
• On November 6, 6,000 protesters in front of the CEC demanded the results in Adjara and Kvemo Kartli to be cancelled (https://civil.ge/archives/104477)
• In Adjara, Abashidze received 95% of the vote. Protests began on November 6 in Zugdidi, Poti, Zestaponi and Gori. (https://civil.ge/archives/104487)
• As Revival came out on top officially, it held a celebratory rally in Tbilisi on November 7 (https://civil.ge/archives/104478)
• The same day, a rally in Zugdidi ended up with a shootout and one woman injured. (https://civil.ge/archives/104495)
• Shevardnadze called for dialogue in a live television address the same day (https://civil.ge/archives/104502)
• Security forces were put on high alert on November 8 (https://civil.ge/archives/104507)
• One woman was injured on November 8 in Sagarejo by a police shot (https://civil.ge/archives/104509)
  • The same day, people starting coming to Tbilisi from the region
• On November 9, Shevardnadze came to the crowd in front of Parliament but was met with calls of "Go, Resign". When MS tried to address him on his way out, his bodyguards pushed him out. But ES areed to a meeting with opposition leaders. (https://civil.ge/archives/104508)
  • MS, NB and ZZ met ES at the Krtsanisi residence (neutral territory) on Nov 9 (https://civil.ge/archives/104515)
• The meeting was fruitless and ended in confrontation. ES argued he did not have the right to set a new election or cancel the results. (https://civil.ge/archives/104517)
  • MS left the meeting after a fight when he said ES would resign like Milosevic
  • ES had previously talked to Putin and med the Russian ambassador
• Abashidze threatened to deploy its military and even promised Russian military intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/104529)
  • These fears grew as Abashidze visited Armenia, which also led to fears about Samtshe-Javakheti (https://civil.ge/archives/104535)
• On Nov 12, the US ambassador ensured talks between the gov and the opposition. At the time, ES had offered the opposition three extra mandantes, but MS refused and the opposition refused to meet with him (https://civil.ge/archives/104547)
• On 11 Nov, he met with Abtandil Jorbenadze in secret without telling his other opposition leaders (https://civil.ge/archives/104551)
• On 13 Nov, he started collecting signaturs demanding Shevardnadze's resignation. He collected 4,000 on the first day (https://civil.ge/archives/185300)
• On 14 Nov, 35,000 led by MS started a "peaceful siege" of the State Chancellery (https://civil.ge/archives/104572)
• The same day, the opposition announced civil disobedience and MS said he stopped recognizing ES as President (https://civil.ge/archives/104574)
  • He urged public employees and school teachers to go on strike (https://civil.ge/archives/104576)
• Lynn Pascoe, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, arrived on Nov 18 and held talks with ES and opposition leaders (https://civil.ge/archives/104600)
• ES and AA supporters called MS a fascist and a Nazi (https://civil.ge/archives/104602)
• Demonstrations extended to Rustavi, Akhaltsikhe, Poti, Telavi, Zestaponi, Zugdidi, Abasha, Chkhorutsku and Samtredia on 19 Nov while the US called for a quick resolution of the crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/104611)
• Starting on Nov 21, thousands of cars, buses and minibuses full of protesters headed toward Tbilisi. MS was at its head, 100 km from Tbilisi. (https://civil.ge/archives/104634)
  • At the same time, Revival protests were taking place in Tbilisi with hundreds of protesters coming from Batumi.
• They arrived in the evening (https://civil.ge/archives/104636)
• On Nov. 21, MS, after arriving in Tbilisi with 5,000 people, announced a "peaceful, democratic, gentle revolution." (https://civil.ge/archives/104639)
• On November 22, Tedo Japaridze (Secretary of the NSC) and Levan Aleksidze (Adviser to ES) blamed ES for fraudulent elections. The same day, 25,000 protesters gathered on Freedom Square. MS called on the police to side with the people. A little before, the head of Public TV resigned in protest (https://civil.ge/archives/104637)
• Igor Ivanov arrived on Nov 22 (https://civil.ge/archives/104657)
• On 22 November, protesters had taken the State Chancellery and Parliament without a single shot being fired. (https://civil.ge/archives/104655)
  • ES was taken out of Parliament by his bodyguards and declared a state of emergency, but that needed parliamentary confirmation.
  • NB proclaimed herself interim president.
  • ES was addressing the first session of the new Parliament.
  • MS was holding roses in his hands.
  • MS took the podium and declared a "peaceful velvet revolution"
  • As ES left the Parliament building, he vowed he would not resign but buses of his supporters had left for Batumi.
  • They entered the State Chancellery after Parliament.
  • ES claimed there was a coup attempt. He claimed the protesters were armed.
  • Jumber Antadze, Major General of Georgian Internal Troops, said "I will never use force against the Georgian people."
  • On Nov 23 at 1:30AM, Bakhua Chikobava, chief of the special forces of Zugdidi, said he would not obey Shevardnadze any linger.
• Igor Ivanov addressed the crowd of protesters in the morning of Nov 23. MS said he received a promise Russia would not interfere. II was holding talks with ES (https://civil.ge/archives/104662)
• The chiefs of Tbilisi and Rustavi police announced they would not obey ES's orders. (https://civil.ge/archives/104666)
  • 50 officers of the special riot police broke ranks and joined the protesters.
  • Colin Powell held phone talks with ES late on Nov 22
• ES resigned on Nov 23 at 20:30 after meeting with MS and ZZ. (https://civil.ge/archives/104674)
• Igor Ivanov was with MS and ZZ at the ES meeting. After the meeting, MS pledged they would ensure the security of the former president and praised his decision as a move that would be well appraised in history (https://civil.ge/archives/185303)
• The Liberty Institute, Kmara, and Open Society - Georgia Foundation of Soros rallied young people in the protests (https://civil.ge/archives/104887)

• According to Anchabadze, "Russia and America agreed that Shevardnadze had to go. Both agreed on Saakashvili, American-educated lawyer but with an uncle as acting KGB general in Moscow." Shevardnadze laid the blame on "some American forces" (192)

• AD
  • International observers noted a number of violations (470)
  • Rustavi 2 played the role of mouthpiece of the opposition during the process (471)
  • Youth group Kmara played a huge role in organizing young activists (471)
  • Many of the opposition leaders that entered Parliament had roses in their hands (471)
  • Western states made it clear to ES that he would not receive any western assistance in the case of a SOE (471)
  • The commander of Russian troops in Georgia refrained from interfering (471)
  • The Rose Revolution was a continuation of the color revolutions (471)

• Bush considered the Revolution of Roses one of his most successful achievements in his global freedom agenda (Bush, 436)

• Eduard Shevardnadze noted in his memoirs the large role of the Soros funded organizations in the protests against him. However, he does not believe this help was automatically a contract of the US government, using the fact that Soros spent much more money against Bush (Shevardnadze, p. 19-20)

• Salome
  • He drank the cup of tea of Shevardnadze, a symbol of defiance, in Parliament (14)
  • The triumvirate then issued an ultimatum, warning Shevardnadze he must resign or else (we don't know) (14)
  • Ivanov arrived the same night in Tbilisi, drunk, and speaks to the demonstrators in Georgian and is applauded (14)
  • Ivanov then goes to Shevardnadze's bunker (14-15)
  • The trio arrives a few hours later while a crowd of protesters arrived happily there (15-16)
  • The trio arriving at his residence is a symbol he was still President (20)
  • Nobody knows what was said at the meeting (20)
  • When they came out, it seems like a deal had been met (20-21)
  • Ivanov would return empty-handed (he was expected to take Shevardnadze with him to Baden-Baden) to Batumi first to calm Abashidze down (21)
  • Shevardnadze would be left his residence, a lifetime pension, bodyguards and immunity (21)
  • This immunity pledge was the work of the US Ambassador (21)
  • America did not create the revolution. It funded and trained activist groups and NGOs but the protests were a natural response to Shevardnadze's incompetent regime (21)
  • Shevardnadze's immunity was also the work of Baker and Genscher (21)

• Sandra Roelofs
  • On November 17, he went to Zugdidi to start gathering protesters. (263)
  • On November 20, he was in Tsalenjikha where he gathered 200 protesters in buses and headed back to Zugdidi where dozens of more buses were put together (263)
  • Thousands of protesters started in Mtskheta to walk by foot on November 21 (264)
  • When parliament session started, while there was no quorum at first, there was finally quorum when the New Rightists showed up (264)

• Rayfield
  • Giga Bokeria had studied anti-Milosevic tactics in Serbia. (392)
  • Kmara! imitated the Serbian Otpor movement (392)
  • The November 2003 elections were defrauded with the help of IT specialists who ivented a lot of voters from dead people (393)
  • Professional observers, the NM and NGOs all showed alternative result proofs that made MS the winner (393)
  • According to Rayfield, while the Rose Revolution is often attributed to America through Amb. Richard Miles and NGOs like Transparency, planned after the failed visit of James Baker in July to persuade Shevardnadze to make reforms, Americans were only lukewarm to MS and it was the Russians, through the link of Temur Alasania, that blessed the revolution (394)
  • We know that Grigori Luchansky, Putin's envoy, visited Tbilisi Batumi and Yerevan in the autumn of 2003 where he met with the main actors, although his full agenda and conversations remain unknown (394)
  • Ilia II had just blessed the parliamentary session that ES opened (394)
  • Roses were a PR move meant to neutralize the clenched-fist symbol of Kmara (394)

• Ucha Bluashvili 2015
  • On 14 May 2003, the Unite Democrats, the National Movement, New Rights and Labor signed an agreement of coordiation in times off crisis (436-437)
  • Despite the agreement, Natelashvili accused UD and NM of being sham opposition parties backing Shevardnadze (437)
  • At the end of May, UD and NM left Parliament in opposition of the Shevardnadze and Abashidze-backed electoral reform (437)
  • On 2 June, UD, NM, NR, the People's Party and the Traditionalists launched an opposition coordination council. The next day, they held a large rally (437)
  • In July, James Baker arrived in Georgia and proposed a deal between the opposition and the government on the makeup of CEC, which would have given the opposition 9 members, the government 5, and a chair appointed by the President per recommendation of the OSCE. (439)
  • Because of Revival's claim for some seats in the CEC as a legitimate party and the government's refusal to include non-parliamentary new parties in the CEC makeup, the deal failed. (439-440)
  • Many saw that the US Ambassador supported the opposition (440)
  • On 21 August, Zhvania and Burjanadze united their forces and formed the "Burjanadze-Democrats" (441)
  • Saakashvili accused at some point Zhvania and Burjanadze of being involved in corruption deals (441)
  • Zhvania accused MS of not being ready for leadership (441)
  • MS's intransigent positions earned him the nickname "Misha-Armagedon" (441)
  • Eduard Shevardnadze publicly bashed MS, once saying that "he's a young man and he should learn to talk with more respect when talking about an older man who at least has done something in his life" (442)
  • On 25 September, at a police stop, a NM activist supporting the majoritarian candidate for Bolnisi was arrested with 370 passports and 70 IDs. NM claimed these were the documents of supporters but Mamaladze accused NM of planning voter fraud (442)
  • A local crisis ensued, with NM activists thrown rocks at in Bolnisi. The next day, NM activists blocked off the Tbilisi-Bolnisi road and Saakashvili, Merabishvili, Gia Kheviashvili descended on the town (442-443)
  • The majoritarian candidate was Kemal Muradkhanov (443)
  • A fight took place between NM leaders and pro-government activists in the village of Talaveri, which included the town mayor Zurab Japaridze (443)
  • On 23 October, a fight broke up the NM rally in Batumi, which took place in front of the government palace instead of the offered stadium, leading to dozens of wounded (443)
  • On the evening of the elections, MS was celebrating at the Griboedov theatre his victory before any results had been published by the CEC, because of a lead in exit polls (446)
  • On 4 November, MS launched the protests along with the Democrats (446-447)
  • New Rights accused NM of participating in voter fraud. Revival and Labor launched anti-NM protests in Tbilisi (447)
  • MS launched a first ultimatum on 4 November: recognize the opposition victory or face mass protests in front of the Chancellery (447)
  • Shevardnadze called for dialogue but the triumvirate announced a united front against compromise, demanding the cancellation of results from Marneuli, Bolnisi, Tkibuli, Batumi, Kobuleti and foreign precincts and the firing of every mayor, governor and police chief of the country. (447)
  • Revival took the first place in the polls on 6 November when Adjara released its results with a 95% fraudulent victory of Abashidze, who called NM a "neofascist organization". MS launched rallies in the regions (447)
  • At an incident in Zugdidi, shots were fired at a NM rally where MS was, MS would blame the government (447)
  • With huge rallies on Tavisuplebi on 8 November demanding for the resignation of the President and the MIA. The government cut off all roads leading to the city (447-448)
  • On 9 November, Shevardnadze met with the trio in Krtsanisi for a two-hour meeting during which MS strictly demanded the recognition of the opposition's victory. Shevardnadze would later recall the meeting as showing MS's political immaturity (448)
  • Rallies began soon in Zestaponi, Telavi and Ozurgeti (448)
  • Gia Baramidze, Lado Chipashvili, Vasil Maghlaperidze, Gia Kheviashvili and Kemal Muradkhanov started a hunger strike (448)
  • On 11 November, the courts cancelled the results of Bolnisi per request of NM. MS met with the State Minister to demand for the resignation of MIA (448)
  • On 12 November, the opposition leaders did not go to the planned meeting with Shevardnaze (449)
  • On 13 November, MS announced he would meet with ES only with a promise of his resignation. NM started a petition drive of that matter (449)
• In October 2004, Colin Powell called the Rose Revolution an example of US-Russian cooperation (https://civil.ge/archives/106371)
• Miles was awarded the Robert C. Frasure Award of the DOS for his role in the Rose Revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/106537)
• In February 2004, only 5% of the population thought the country was headed in the wrong direction. The number increased to 30% by the 1st anniversary of the revolution. (https://civil.ge/archives/106635)
• On 22 November 2004, Georgia and MS were honored by a resolution of the US Senate praising the Rose Revolution and the reforms (https://civil.ge/archives/106651)
• According to Gallup, Georgia had among the highest optimism rates in the world after the Revolution (73% immediately following the revolution, 71% a year later) with only Tunisia and Vietnam thinking more positively (https://civil.ge/archives/107001)

• When Shevardnadze died in 2014, Saakashvili confirmed that it was a political decision to never pursue charges against him or his government after the revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/187072)

• Glucksmann
  • There were violent confrontations in Mingrelia, which was at the time controlled by mafia gangs (90)
  • In Mingrelia, he once organized a rally where masked men armed with Kalashnikovs shot at the crowd. The men were overpowered by young women who unmasked them (90)
  • The mollah, a Shevardnadze loyal, called on his parishioners to throw rocks at UNM supporters in Muslim regions (92-93)
  • In those Azeri regions, babies were placed on the roads to prevent UNM activists from coming in (93)
  • In Adjara, the situation was even more hostile, being controlled by Aslan Abashidze (93)
  • When thousands of UNM supporters rallied in Batumi in October 2003, local police dispersed violently the protest (93)
  • MS sneaked into the region in a villager's Lada, hidden under several covers (93)
  • But as MS was on his way, local police raided the UNM office, injuring up to 70 people and arrested hundreds (93-94)
  • MS had to leave Adjara quietly (94)
  • During the parliamentary campaigns, MS traveled the country, holding 323 electoral meetings in towns and villages (95)
  • In front of his Tbilisi office, Shevardnadze organized a concert against Saakashvili where the crowd accused him of being Armenian gay (96)
  • UNM and NGOs together organized the parallel vote count (96)
  • NDI organized MS's visit to Belgrade to meet with the leaders of Otpor and the old Serbian opposition that overthrew Milosevic (98)
  • The Open Society Institute and NDI trained Georgian NGOs observe the elections (98)
  • US Ambassador Richard Miles was hostile to revolutionary ideas, according to MS. Miles called the movement "violent" and "irrational" (99)
  • Following the parliamentary elections, American diplomats proposed UNM a deal in which it was granted second place in the electoral results in exchange for certain guarantees for the future (99)
    • MS refused that deal (100)
  • At one point, MS met with the PM of Shevardnadze under the condition that the meeting remain confidential, so as to not start rumors about a potential deal that would slow down the revolutionary movement. The meeting was brokered by the US ambassador who then came out and congratulated himself on organizing the meeting (101)
  • MS inspired himself with Zoran Djindjic of Serbia, with who he had close relations (101-102)
  • While Kmara was officially independent from UNM, the two organizations worked hand-in-hand during the revolution (102)
  • Otpor leaders were regularly in touch with Kmara (102)
  • On election day, UNM emissaries were in every precinct (104)
  • An example of fraud was the alleged 90,000 that voted at the Georgian embassy in Moscow, almost all for Shevardnadze (104)
    • Although MS stated that their was no more than 500 votes there (104)
  • MS stayed in Tbilisi on ED, surrounded by armed activists (105)
  • Inspiring himself from Serbia, the idea of the revolution started with gathering people from the regions to march on Tbilisi (105)
  • The march started in Mingrelia (symbolic) (105-106)
    • From there, a large convoy of cars and buses stopped from city to city to pick up people (106)
  • On 22 November, as Parliament was preparing to open, MS supported storming Parliament, while Zhvania did not want that and preferred waiting. (110)
    • Nino Burjanadze was the decisive vote in the triumvirate. She supported storming Parliamne t(110)
    • At an activist's recommendation, to prove that the protesters were not armed, they bought 200 roses to be distributed (110)
    • At the entrance of Parliament, the Vice-Chair of the Supreme Court (whom MS describes as a mobster) asked MS to not continue and MS jokingly called on his partisans to shoot him (111)
    • They entered Parliament just as Shevardnadze was declaring it open (111)
    • MS screamed "resign resign" in the halls (111)
  • According to MS's accounts, Ivanov came to speak to the triumvirate on the night of 22-23 November. Drunk, Ivanov told Burjanadze not to worry but warned of consequences for Saakashvili. He criticized the opposition for not going to Moscow to solve the problems (114-115)
    • Ivanov allegedly also said that Shevardnadze would not resign, that Moscow would not let that happen (115)
  • On 23 November, Shevardnadze told the triumvirate that he'd be ready to resign in exchange for his security, which MS praised as wise (115)
    • Ivanov, still drunk, was against this and joined the triumvirate in their car to go to Shevardnadze's house (115)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • On November 22, MS entered Parliament by force. Shevardnadze was evacuated by his bodyguards. Saakashvili went on the tribune and drank the President's tea demonstratively (509)

• The Force Awakens
  • When Rustavi 2 announced electoral results on ED, this angered MS, who called Erosi Kitsmarishvili. Rustavi 2 then changed its rhetoric and stated that UNM came out first based on exit polls (67)
  • It seems that he was already friends with Matthew Bryza at the time (67)
  • There was a difference in opinion between Washington thought-makers like Bryza, who supported MS's radical approach, and the diplomatic service that favored a more stable approach (67)
  • Ambassador Miles organized twice negotiations between MS and the State Minister (67)
  • According to MS, the Americans backed Abashidze's first-place victory, fearing that in any other case it would lead to separatism (67-68)
  • Ambassador Miles stated in diplomatic cables, "crazy Saakashvili and his friend, the cockerspaniel Matthew Bryza" (68)
  • When he entered the parliamentary chamber, he started screaming "Resign!" (71)
    • Some MPs were armed. Some security officers had automatic weapons (71)
  • Rustaveli Avenue was occupied by Abashidze's people (71)
  • Ivanov said around 5AM in Georgia, "გაუმარჯოს თავისუფლებას, გაუმარჯოს რევოლუციას" (72)
  • On the morning of 23 November, shortly after meeting Ivanov, MS met with Sulkhan Papashvili, head of security of Shevardnadze, who transferred the message that Shevardnadze was ready to resign peacefully (73)
  • Burjanadze's husband warned that all those going to the presidential residence would be arrested (73)
  • At 21:00, Ivanov appeared, sober, and told them that he would join them to the Residence. Zhvania warned that it would be uncomfortable as Shevardnadze planned to resign, which Ivanov denied (73-74)
    • At the residence meeting, Shevardnadze told Ivanov to wait in a room next door (74)
    • Despite Ivanov's opposition, Shevardnadze announced his resignation (74)
  • While in Parliament during the revolution, Saakashvili dispatched his aide Dato Mumladze to buy roses (21)
  • It was CNN journalist Ryan Chiclote who named it the Rose Revolution (21)
  • Richard Miles was strongly opposed to the Rose Revolution (21)

• A la conquete du Caucase (Eric Hoesli)
  • Hoesli sees a direct relation between the overthrow of Shevardnadze's government and Tbilisi's consideration of privatizing the Georgian section of the BTC to Gazprom, something that was seen inconsiderable for Washington (880)
  • Hoesli sees in this the cause for the Steve Mann visit in June 2003, followed by James Baker who may have told Shevardnadze to leave power in 2005, and then the IMF's decision to call on Georgian austerity in July (880-881)
  • These measures do not prevent Tbilisi from nonetheless striking major energy deals with Russia in August and September 2003, which led to the US announcing a pause to all non-military financial aid in September (881)
  • These American responses came in parallel with an insurgence of American-funded NGOs and the dark money-TV Rustavi 2 constantly going against the government (881-882)
  • The Rose Revolution crowd was 20-30,000 people (882)
  • Shevardnadze resigned, accusing "some American forces" of being behind this and NGOs of having cheated the parallel count (882)
  • There was a clear change in American attitude toward Tbilisi after the revolution: Rumsfeld visits Tbilisi on 5 December 2003 to pledge US subsidy of Georgian soldiers' salaries by the end of the year, Washington delivers 5 billion USD in food aid on 15 December, and the US pledges to subsidize all non-paid electricity bills and pensions on 23 December. Soros also contributes one billion dollars to finance the salaries of ministers and officials (882)

Éléction présidentielle de 2004

• On 24 February 2004, the United National Movement and the United Democrats had amalgamated.
• * Seeking support, Saakashvili went outside the U.S. State Department. He hired Randy Scheunemann, then Sen. John McCain's top foreign-policy adviser, as a lobbyist and used Daniel Kunin of USAID and the NDI as a full-time adviser.
• The new political movement was named the National Movement - Democrats (NMD).
• The movement's main political priorities include raising pensions and providing social services to the poor, its main base of support; fighting corruption; and increasing state revenue.
• The 2004 presidential election were carried out on 4 January 2004.
• It is well known for a very high level of electoral turnout and also for the number of votes cast for one particular presidential candidate – Mikheil Saakashvili (96%).
• All other candidates received less than 2% of the votes.
• In total, 1,763,000 eligible voters participated in the election.
• On 4 January 2004, Saakashvili won the presidential elections in Georgia with more than 96% of the votes cast, making him the youngest national president in Europe.
• On a platform of opposing corruption and improving pay and pensions, he promised to improve relations with the outside world.

• On 24 November, the State Department issued a statement in which it said, "The people of Georgia have heard the call of Mikheil Saakashvili and his colleagues in the opposition to move to a new stage in Georgian politics." and pledged support to the interim government (https://civil.ge/archives/104630)
• On 24 November, MIA Koba Narchemashvili resigned after calls to do so by MS (https://civil.ge/archives/104691)
• He was already considered the next president of Georgia by western media (https://civil.ge/archives/104696)
• On Nov 25, presidential elections were set for Jan 4. MS said a candidacy would be announced in consultancy with the triumvirate (https://civil.ge/archives/104707)
• Abashidze broke ties with Tbilisi, traveled to Moscow on Nov 25 and met with Kokoity. MS said he was ready for talks with him on Nov 26 (https://civil.ge/archives/104722)
• On 27 Nov, NB announced she would not run for president to let MS run. This was a disappointment to many who wanted to see a centrist and woman in power (https://civil.ge/archives/109524)
• The power-sharing agreement they found was: MS as President, NB as leader of the opposition coalition and thus parliamentary speaker and ZZ as PM (https://civil.ge/archives/104734)
• MS was backed by the student movement Kmara even though he refused to back calls for the removal of Roin Metreveli as university rector (https://civil.ge/archives/104738)
• The triumvirate ruled together during the interim period, such can be seen with the visit of Anatoly Zlenko, Ukrainain president's aide, who held talks with all three. (https://civil.ge/archives/104736)
• MS and NB warned a certain party in the army were planning a counter-revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/104740)
• All regional governors resigned and were slowly replaced by MS loyalists, such as Irakli Orkuashvili (Shida Kartli) and Zurab Melikishvili (Kvemo Kartli) (https://civil.ge/archives/104768)
• Abashidze said he was not interested in secession but announced being ready to use military force if Tbilisi tried to impose its will. (https://civil.ge/archives/104751)
  • Security was increased at the Choloki checkpoint.
  • Rustavi 2's webpage was blocked in Ajara.
  • A local state of emergency was announced.
  • His visit to Moscow was not coordinated with the central government.
  • His power over 10% of the electorate made him powerful ahead of the elections.
  • Railway communication between Batumi and Tbilisi was suspended.
• Igor Giorgadze, from exile in Russia, filed to run for President (https://civil.ge/archives/104773)
• On 3 December, a blast exploded in front of the state television. (https://civil.ge/archives/104789)
  • This increased speculations over disorder before the presidential election.
  • On December 4, MS announced his presidential campaign and said that the triumvirate's top priority was holding free and fair elections.
  • He warned they would not "permit destabilization" and the postponement of elections.
  • MS hinted the blast was an attempt to destabilize the situation.
  • On 1 December, a hand-grenade blew up outside the Labor Party's HQ.
  • On 2 December, an unknown person fired at Irina Sarishvili's house, she was the spokesperson of the new Shevardnadze party "For New Georgia"
  • These all came as the State Security Ministry warned of political terror.
  • Sarishvili also claimed forces were preparing to assassinate MS.
  • The US pledged to help Georgia overcome the crisis. Lynn Pascoe visited on December 3-6 and Donald Rumsfeld was also planning a visit on Dec. 5.
• The Labor Party announced boycotting of the presidential elections. Irakli Gogava said the triumvirate was creating political terror against opponents (https://civil.ge/archives/104816)
  • Aslan Abashidze said Adjara would not take place in the presidential election.
  • Akaki Asatiani split from the triumvirate after Saakashvili was announced as candidae
• Saakashvili said of Abashidze "I have nothing to tradeoff with Abashidze. I am ready for compromise with him [Abashidze], but not at the expense of Georgia’s national interests. Adjara is and always will be part of Georgia and if Abashidze wants to go, let him go, but he will not be able to take Adjara with him. I have prepared four walls [referring to prison cell] for everyone who will try to undermine country’s stability" (https://civil.ge/archives/104824)
  • In parallel, Russia eased the visa regime with Adjara.
• Akaki Asatiani criticized MS's campaign platform, which included nationalization, abolition of property taxes and SMEs, double salaries and pensions. He accused MS of populism and warned that he would assign jobs based on how they behaved during the revolution. (https://civil.ge/archives/104834)
• Among the seven candidates was Igor Giorgadze. His wife submitted the papers and claimed he was in Georgia, even though he was being searched (https://civil.ge/archives/104846)
• The CEC refused to register Giorgadze https://civil.ge/archives/104855
• Akaki Asatiani of the Traditionalists, Sarishvili of the NDP announced they would form a bloc together and would enter in talks with New Rights (https://civil.ge/archives/104866)
• The COE and the US both tried to mediate between Batumi and Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/104896)
• The Finance Ministry introduced on 22 December a bill to abolish tax on land, one of MS's campaign promises (https://civil.ge/archives/104907)
• Zurab Adeishvili was appointed on 26 December as MOJ (https://civil.ge/archives/104934)
• Abashidze agreed to open polling stations after a closed meeting with Zurab Zhvania (https://civil.ge/archives/104954)
• Zurab Kelekhsashvili dropped out on Jan 3, claiming the elections were unfair (https://civil.ge/archives/104965)
• The OSCE and CIS monitored the elections (https://civil.ge/archives/104966)
• Shevardnadze hinted he voted for Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/104967)
• The Labor Party refused to recognize the Saakashvili election (https://civil.ge/archives/104998)
• The Department of State congratulated MS (https://civil.ge/archives/105006)
• So did Javier Solana (https://civil.ge/archives/105009)
• Colin Powell attended the inauguration (https://civil.ge/archives/105013)
• The OSCE found that there were significant violations in 15% of precincts (https://civil.ge/archives/109526)

• President Zourabichvili
  • As the least experienced of the triumvirate, he posed himself as a real figure of the renewal (18-19)

• Kavadze
  • MS was named presidential candidate by the united opposition on 26 Nov (218)
  • The announcement was made by interim President Nino Burjanadze (218)
  • The trio first appeared on the world scene together on 1 December 2003 at the OSCE Ministerial Council (219)
  • The attendance of many western leaders at his inauguration - including Powell and Irish FM Brian Cowell who represented the EU presidency - was a first for a post-soviet country (225)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • His campaign promises included: reunification with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Euro-Atlantic integration, democratization and economic growth (512)

• The Force Awakens
  • He traveled to Ukraine to rest immediately after the Rose Revolution and was spied on by Kuchma during that trip (20)
  • During that trip, he advised both Yushchenko and Poroshenko on revolutionary activities (20)
  • During that trip, he also mediated a conflict between Yushchenko and Tymoshenko (20)
  • Zhvania and Saakashvili combined their political forces after the revolution (89)
  • During the campaign, he traveled to Tskhinvali, met with people. (163)
  • Once elected, he was immediately called by Bush (who invited him to the White House), Tony Blair and the UN Secretary General (201)

Président de Géorgie

Premier mandat

Nouveau gouvernement : le triumvirat

• Saakashvili was sworn in as President in Tbilisi on 25 January 2004.
• At the time Saakashvili took office, Georgia suffered from a stagnant economy, widespread corruption by police and state officials to the point where bribery was needed for any kind of commercial transaction, high crime rates, and severe infrastructure problems, including widespread power outages, and schools and medical facilities falling into disrepair.

• The Liberty Institute NGO held a disproportionate power as many of its members obtained government positions, notably after the removal of its two main opponents - Zhvania and Okruashvili. (https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/attach/174/174106_CACIA18.pdf)
  • Including MP Giga Bokeria, Vano Merabishvili and Kakha Lomaia.
  • The Bush admnistration looked favorably upon the Liberty Institute and it may be with US pressure that Okruashvili fell in November 2006, possibly because of his hawkish views.

• The new government was made of young western educated, energetic but inexperienced ministers (AD, p. 472)

• Zourabichvili
  • He surrounds himself with old cadres of the Shevardnadze regime, including Lana Gogoberidze to whom he "refuses nothing" (19)
  • Also Gela Charkviani, a private translator of Shevardnadze who would become his personal adviser and ambassador to London (19)
  • It is possible that these cadres were appointed as a way to manage the Nomenclatura but as SZ says, nobody knows anything (19-20)
  • Some of his cabinet members were from the emigration: Rekhviashvili in Economy (Prague), Bezhuashvili in Defense (London) (29)
  • Cabinet meetings, held once a week, were characterized by briefing papers presented often at the last moment, giving an indication either of disorganization or of over centralization (49)

• Roelofs
  • When he was inaugurated, he made an oath on the tomb of King David the Builder (14)

• Rayfield
  • Most of his ministers were young and recently interns or postgrads at law firms in America or Europe (395)
  • On 26 January 2004, he declared at Kshveti Gamsakhurdia rehabilitated to "put an end to the disunity in our socity", praising him as a great statesman and patriot. (396)
  • He signed a decree that Gamsakhurdia's body be reburied in Tbilisi, saying that it being buried in a warzone is disrespectful to the nation (396)
  • He renamed a street after ZG (396)
  • He released Zviadists imprisoned in 93-94 (396)

• The inauguration took place on 24-25 January. Military parades were held in Tbilisi and Batumi, the irst in four years because of lack of finances. On 25 January, he was blessed at Gelati by Ilia II (https://civil.ge/archives/105102)
  • Igor Ivanov was also among the guests, as well as Rumsfeld.
• The OSCE pledged to assist Saakashvili with his reforms (https://civil.ge/archives/105115)
• On 24 January, he was blessed at Gelati by Ilia II (https://civil.ge/archives/105110)
• He had two-day inauguration ceremonies, beginning in Gelati where he made an oath on the tomb of David the Builder because of the latter's connection with Georgia's territorial integrity, calling the latter the goal of his life.
• In the morning of 25 January, he attended a military parade in Batumi with AAbashidze. Their meeting was confidential. After his departure, a pro-MS rally ended with clashes. He then went to Poti where ther was another parade (https://civil.ge/archives/105116)
• He was the youngest president of Europe on inauguration (https://civil.ge/archives/105123)
  • Shevardnadze was not invited at the inauguration.
• He appointed Vano Merabishvili as NSC Secretary on 27 Jan. The latter dismissed his deputies and talked of reducing staff. (https://civil.ge/archives/105139)
• Badri Bitsadze, husband of Burjanadze, was appointed head of the Border Guard (https://civil.ge/archives/105288)
• Zurab Chiaberashvili, 32, was appointed mayor of Tbilisi and dismissed Vano Zodelava, giving him six months to fix the problems of the city (https://civil.ge/archives/105717)
• On the NGO influence in the new government (https://civil.ge/archives/115595)
• A conflict in the triumvirate also broke over the appointment of the Chair of the Chamber of Control, the main state audit agency: Burjanadze nominated Deputy MOF Zurab Soselia, but some MPs backed the pro-Zhvania Davit Tkeshelashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/106049)
  • Soselia was finally approved on 24 June 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106164)
• A new cabinet reshuffle was announced on 5 June 2004, with Giorgi Baramidze moving from MIA to MOD, Gela Bezhuashvili from MOD to NSC, Vano Merabishvili from NSC to Security Minister, Zurab Adeishvili from Security Minister to General Prosecutor, Irakli Okruashvili from General Prosecutor to MIA (https://civil.ge/archives/106058)
• Batu Kutelia was appointed as chief of the Intelligence Department on 11 June 2004, replacing Valery Chkheidze (https://civil.ge/archives/106093)
• There was an outflow of NGO sector to the government in the early months of the presidency, which turned up to be a problem for NGOs (https://civil.ge/archives/115997)
• A rift in the triumvirrate took place over the 2005 budget negotiations between Zhvania and Burjanadze (https://civil.ge/archives/106377)
• The National Security Council was reformed in November 2004, making the PM a full member and the Speaker downgraded as an honorary member, and including top leadership of defense and security and FM structures. (https://civil.ge/archives/106568)
• There was a disagreement within the ruling party on tax reform in late 2004, notably on amnesty for tax evasion pre-2004, more precisely on whether the amnesty should apply or not to high-level officials (https://civil.ge/archives/106692)
  • Another conflict rose over the exact form of tax reform https://civil.ge/archives/106747)
• Rumors of cabinet reshuffle while the PM was visting the US in Deember 2004, eventually killed by MS, led to assumptions of triumvirate troubles (https://civil.ge/archives/106765)
  • However, Zhvania then confirmed from the US the cabinet reshffle (https://civil.ge/archives/106767)
• Finance Minister Nogaideli was appointed PM at the death of Zhvania on 8 February (https://civil.ge/archives/107264)
  • Noghaideli was a member of the Zhvania clan and backed by the latter (https://civil.ge/archives/107265)
  • There were allegations that MS was blackmailed into appointing Noghaideli (https://civil.ge/archives/107271)
  • He had originally souht to appoint Nino Burjanadze but she refused, or Valery Chechelashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/107273)
  • Noghaideli pledged to not change policy (https://civil.ge/archives/107306)

• Glucksmann
• He immediately increased his presidential salary from 20 to 2000 EUR. Travel expanses during his first trip to Davos were increased from a 10 EUR per diem to 500 USD (126-127)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • While the Union of Citizens formally ceased to exist with the 2004 parliamentary elections, its activists either joined UNM or spread across the political spectrum (513)

• The Force Awakens
  • MS said he rapidly grew an "allergy" to old politicians and the Shevardnadze era politicos rapidly became marginals, disappearing from the political spectrum (89)
  • Zhvania was in charge of finding new cadres in government (89)
  • Giorgi Chogobadze, 25-year-old, was an example of a new revolutionary appointee as Minister of Economy. Nika Gilauri was 26 (89)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/President/Inauguration
  • In his inaugural speech, he said on Europe: "Georgia is the country of unique culture. We are not only old Europeans, we are the very first Europeans, and therefore Georgia holds special place in European civilization."
    • He also added: "Georgia will be stable ally for all friendly states. Georgia should be formed as the state assuming international responsibility, as the dignified member of international community, as the state, which regardless the highly complicated geopolitical situation and location, has equally benign relations with all its neighbors, and at the same time does not forget to take its own place in European family, in European civilization, the place lost several centuries ago. As an ancient Christian state, we should take this place again. Our direction is towards European integration. It is time for Europe finally to see and appreciate Georgia and undertake steps towards us. And first signs of these are already evident. Today, we have not raised European flag by accident - this flag is Georgian flag as well, as far as it embodies our civilization, our culture, essence of our history and perspective, and vision of our future."
  • He said on diversity: "Georgia is home not only for all Georgians, but also for all ethnic minorities, residing in Georgia. Every citizen, who considers Georgia as its homeland, be they Russian, Abkhasian, Osetian, Azerbaijanian, Armenian, Jewish, Greek, Ukrainian, Kurd - is our greatest wealth and treasure."
  • He said on the role of government: "Georgia must have an efficient government, responsible before the people; a government, where every citizen is represented and heed is paid to every citizen's opinion. The people listened to government so far, now it is time for the government to listen to people very attentively. The government has defended itself from the people before. Now it is time for the government to defend its own people and each individual citizen. The people have been punished by the impotency of the government so far, and we have recently proved on this very square, that the moment appears when the people punish the government for its impotency and lack of patriotism."
  • He said on the United States: "At the same time, we are grateful and appreciate the help, rendered by the United States for years, when Georgia faced the most acute hardship; when we were in the most desperate need for a friend, the United States backed us. This will never fade from our memories and Georgian people will pass this sense of gratitude to the next generations, like the Europeans, assisted by the Americans during World War II, did after the war."
  • He said on Russia: "At the same time we have very fine relations with our neighbors and we would like to have very good relations with Russia. Georgia does not need Russia as a foe; we need Russia as a friend. We need Russia as an ally, as a powerful partner and today I would like to offer a friendly hand to Russia on behalf of the Georgian people and I wish to see the formation and progress of this friendship."
  • He said on the military: "We must create a powerful army. Yesterday and today I visited military units, we have to do much in this sphere. We have to revive the Georgian chivalrous spirit, which made it possible for us to endure all these centuries. In this sphere, we have to revive the traditions of David the Builder, Giorgi the Brilliant, three hundred Aragvelis, the heroes of the Didgori battle and other heroes. Otherwise Georgia cannot stand on its own feet as a state, and armed forces need care not only from the president and the government, but also from each Georgian family. It is a matter of dignity for every Georgian family to help our armed forces and create a potent Georgian army."
  • He said on the Rose Revolution: "Recent events have released an energy of immense proportions, which is kept in the Georgian nation, and enormous hope as well. Today like never before, the spark of hope discernible in the eyes of every Georgian should turn into a positive energy, positive energy for our children, in order to create much better Georgia for them, and they are looking at us with eyes full of hope. Let's look into the eyes of our children and find out what they are expecting from us and how disastrous and bad it would be for us to undermine their trust in us."
  • His final words: "Today I am becoming president of Georgia. I am dedicating my presidency to the heroes who have fallen for the independence of Georgia; I am dedicating my presidency to every poor man of Georgia; I am dedicating my presidency to the next generations, to the dreams they cherish and to the materialization of these dreams. I am dedicating my presidency to the unification and strengthening of Georgia."

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/President/Biography
  • At 37, he became the youngest European president in Europe

Nouveaux symboles

• Gamsakhurdia
  • In 2004, he created a commission on the research on the illegal overthrow of the government and the 1991-1993 events (237)
  • But that commission never achieved any work and it remained a simple declaration (237)
  • On 30 January 2004, he pardoned political prisoners who were partisans of Gamsakhurdia (240)
  • On 21 February, he created a special commssion on the 1991-1993 events, in which he directly mentioned in the executive order the "physical liquidation of Zviad Gamsakhurdia". The commission was chaired by Vano Merabishvili and included former deputies of the Supreme Council and Manana Archvadze (240)
  • Gamsakhurdia was brought back to Georgia on 28 March 2007 and was burried at the Pantheon, while the City built him a marble tombstone (240)
  • 2004 was declared the Year of Zviad Gamsakhurdia. 31 March 2004 was the first time the state celebrated his birthday (240)
  • On 11 March 2005, he signed an executive resolution calling the coup an anticonstitutional armed coup (240)
  • In 2011, Parliament created a special commission to investigate the death of Gamsakhurdia, chaired by MP Kote Gamsakhurdia, which sent documents to the Prosecutor's Office. It was created under the auspices of MS (240)
  • He renamed Gorgasali Street on the Mtkvari into ZG Street (240)
  • On 26 October 2013, he awarded ZG and Merab Kostava, among with others who fought for Georgia, the status of National Hero (241)

• Immediately after the ceremony he signed a decree establishing a new state flag.
• On 26 January, in a ceremony held at the Tbilisi Kashueti Church of Saint George, he promulgated a decree granting permission for the return of the body of the first President of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, from Grozny (Chechen Republic) to Tbilisi and renaming a major road in the capital after Gamsakhurdia.
• He also released 32 Gamsakhurdia supporters (political prisoners) imprisoned by the Shevardnadze government in 1993–94.

• • He signed the decree for a new flag on the inauguration (https://civil.ge/archives/105106)

• Kavadze
  • The transformation became rapid instently: streets with Russian names were renamed with Georgian ones, English became the first foreign working language, there was a new anthem and a new flag (220)

• Stent (https://books.google.ge/books?id=f2yYDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA109&dq=saakashvili&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi0xof6ua3wAhV2gP0HHRsGAN4Q6AEwAHoECAUQAg#v=onepage&q=saakashvili&f=false)
  • On his inauguration, the EU flag was raised on Parliament and Ode to the Joy played after the national anthem (108)
  • He saw himself as an heir to David the Builder (108)

• USCCSCE II
  • MS pressed the Patriarch to build the Church of Saint Tamar rapidly on Dolidze Street in Tbilisi as part of its symbolism for his agenda (11)

• On 19 April 2004, a decree was signed ordering the EU flag to be flown on every government building (https://civil.ge/archives/105713)
• Vakhtang Kobalia, in prison for the murder of five soldiers and a journalist, is pardoned by MS on 10 May 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105890)
• A new anthem was approved on 21 May 2004 by Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/105963)
• A new coat of arms was approved on 1 October 2004 by Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/116168)
• Three ruling party MPs left the party after Parliament refused to set up a special investigative commission to investigate the death of Gamsakhurdia on 12 October 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106326)
• The government opposed the opposition-backed lustration law which would ban former Communist Party officials and KGB agents from holding public office. (https://civil.ge/archives/109967)
• UNM rejected a proposed Lustration Law in Feb 2007 despite a pledge when taking office (https://civil.ge/archives/111944)
  • But in response to the criticism, Liberty Institute (pro-MS) proposed a much deeper Lustration Law that would bar from public office anyone with a history of cooperation with Russia after 1991, essentially banning pro-Russian parties (https://civil.ge/archives/111968)
• Rustavi 2 had a campaign promoting Stalin in 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/111949)
• Zviad Gamsakhurdia's body was found in Grozny on 3 March 2007. An expertise was conducted in Russia, although this was criticized by Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, at the time head of the Freedom Party, who called for a US team to do a forensic investigation to determine the true cause of death. The Gamsakhurdia family called for his burial at the Sameba Church, but the government decided on the Mtatsminda Pantheon. The ceremony took place on his birthday, March 31, at Svetitskhoveli and lasted two days (https://civil.ge/archives/112177)
• During his first presidential term, Saakashvili often stated his role model was David the Builder, although he also linked himself to Bagrat III by his inauguration at his church. By his second term, he said he moved from David the Builder to George Washington (https://civil.ge/archives/105113)
• On 20 October, the Parliament set up an interim parliamentayr commission on ZG's death. It was likely done to get K. Gamsakhurdia to enter Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/119494)
  • K. Gamsakhurdia was placed in charge of the Commission (https://civil.ge/archives/119552)
  • Just two weeks after the launch of the Commission, Tamaz Ninua, former Security Minister of Gamsakhurdia who continued to work in the security apparatus under Shevardnadze, is found killed with his wife in Tbilisi on 13 November (https://civil.ge/archives/119577)
  • In February 2011, the Commission presented its report in which it criticized the original investigation and the disappearance of key evidence, while Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the Prosecutor's Office to relaunch an investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/185812)
• He liked historical comparisons. He compared himself in October 2013, shortly before the presidential election, to King Bagrat IV who, he said, made many enemies among nobility because of his “ambitious reform and modernization” agenda. Saakashvili said it was then when Georgia got its first lesson from having relation with “coreligionists, but insidious” neighbor; he said that one of the senior Georgian Orthodox clerics paid “a shameful visit” to the Byzantine emperor to pledge his loyalty and help in “invading Georgia.” (https://civil.ge/archives/123208)

• Glucksmann
  • MS said that I always thought the Georgianity promoted by some advisers to the first president of independent eorgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia was an aberration. 'This nationalist delirium of the early 1990s was very dangerous and the frirst measures taken against regional autonomies were catastrophic" (41)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • According to Stephen Jones, the Saakashvili years (starting with the Rose Revolution) should be classified as the Fifth Republic (First - 1918-1921, Second - 1991-1992, Third - 1992-1995, Fourth - 1995-2003) (441)
    • This numeration is also shared by Revaz Gachechiladze, although he made the Georgian SSR the Second Republic and started the Fifth Republic in 1995 (445)

Nouvelle constitution

• His government decriminalized libel and pushed through legislation upholding freedom of speech
• In December 2006, Saakashvili signed a constitutional amendment completely abolishing the death penalty in law.[36][50]

• On 14 January, the Parliament approved the new flag. The New Rights walked out of Parliament in protest. (https://civil.ge/archives/105053)
• During the transition (post-election), constitutional changes were already being discussed to divide powers among the triumvirate. (https://civil.ge/archives/105080)
  • Among the changes was the introduction of a PM and a cabinet of minsters. The PM would be focused on economic issues.
  • Some criticism came as those discussions took place in the interim parliament. Including from NGOs.
  • Others criticized the idea of changing the constitution to accomodate individual political figures.
  • MS opposed the post of VP
  • He also opposed the idea of parliamentarism
• GYLA rapidly criticized the constitutional amendments because of the increased power of the executive to dismiss Parliament and the lack of transparency in the drafting (https://civil.ge/archives/105147)
• Avtandil Demetrashvili, chair of the constitutional court, opposed wide-ranging amendments. NGO Caucasus Institue for Peace, Democracy and Development also bashed. Nino Burjanadze opposed a weak parliament, showing a first division in the ranks (https://civil.ge/archives/105165)
• Nino Burjanadze backed the amendments on 2 Feb after consultations with MS. The amendments were drafted by Adeishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/105172)
• The new 'transitional constitution' created a PM and a cabinet of ministers, although the Ministers of Interior, Security and Defense directly depended on the President. President is granted the right to dismiss Parliament if it fails to pass a budget three times. The Parliament is granted the right to dismiss the government with a 3/5 vote (https://civil.ge/archives/105179)
• Koba Davitashvili, who claimed the constitution was amended because Zhvania wanted to become PM, left the ruling coalition because of the new constitution (https://civil.ge/archives/105178)
• Petre Tsiskarashvili had to resign after serving just two days as Deputy MIA following disagreements with Burjanadze. Not directly linked to the Constitution but during the negotiation processes. Tsiskarashvili had accused Burjanadze of lobbying for her relatives to gain public jobs (https://civil.ge/archives/105187)
  • Tsiskarashvili would eventually be appointed Gov of Kakheti (https://civil.ge/archives/105317)
• The New Rights, MP Davitashvili, and the Traditionalists opposed the amendments (https://civil.ge/archives/105189)
• Meanwhile, NGOs criticized the fact that the President retained the right to appoint governors per recommendation of the PM in the new constitution (https://civil.ge/archives/105191)
• The new constitution was approved on 6 February 2004 by Parliament. All three hearings were held on the same day (https://civil.ge/archives/105203)
• MS said the constitutional amendments were meant to create a European model of governance. Bu critics pointed out the President's right to block anything he deems unconstitutional by Parliament and his power to rule by presidential decree, including budget approval and government confirmations, if he deems Parliament not to efficient enough (https://civil.ge/archives/105193)
  • MP Vakhtan Khmaladze, one of the authors of the 95 constitution, was a big critique
• Zhvania was appointed as PM on 9 February (https://civil.ge/archives/105216

• In February 2004, a massive constitutional change changed the model of state formation: a cabinet of ministers and a PM were created. (AD, p. 472)
  • TThe President was given the right to dismiss the Parliament.

• Zourabichvili
  • The new Constitution gave the President the right to give the Georgian citizenship (45-46)
  • There was a strong push to give the citizenship to anyone with Georgian origin, but there were fears of religious disparity with Turkish people (156)

• Kavadze
  • When he came to power, he was an aggressive Atlanticist, the youngest leader of Europe, a grad of Columbia (68)
  • The amendments to the constitution gave MS immense powers to built strong vertical structures

• Ucha Bluashvili 2016
  • The State Minister position was replaced with a PM and a cabinet of ministers was created. (377)
  • The President was empowered with dissolving Parliament (377)

• In December 2004, MS proposed a series of new constitutional amendments to reform the judiciary, including: (https://civil.ge/archives/107066)
  • The President appoints all 9 members of the Constitutional Court with parliamentary confirmation (existing rules: 3 members by POG, 3 by SCOG, 3 by Parliament)
  • Allows Constitutional COurt judges to serve more than one term
  • Parliament given the right to impeach Constitutional Court judges
  • Age qualification for judges reduced from 35 to 30
  • Resigation of all Supreme and Constitutional Court judges if amendments pass
  • Reduction of MPs from 235 to 150
• A PACE resolution approved in 24 January 2005 blasted Georgia for its constitutional amendments of 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/107130)
• After wide public outrage and CoE condemnation, the December 2004 proposed amendments were scrapped (https://civil.ge/archives/107164)
• The decrease from 235 to 150 MPs was approved on 23 February 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107390)
  • This provided for 100 propotional MPs and 50 majoritarian (https://civil.ge/archives/107336)
  • The constitutional amendment of Feb 2005 also lowered the threshold for making a faction from 10 to 7 MPs (https://civil.ge/archives/107392)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • During his nine years in power, the Constitution was amended 25 times (512)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4950&i=1
  • He backed the creation of an upper house of Parliament during his 2005 parliamentary address.

La révolution des palmiers

• In the first months of his presidency, Saakashvili faced a major political crisis in the southwestern Autonomous Republic of Adjara run by an authoritarian regional leader, Aslan Abashidze, who largely ignored the central Georgian government and was viewed by many as a pro-Russian politician.
• The crisis threatened to develop into an armed confrontation, but Saakashvili's government managed to resolve the conflict peacefully, forcing Abashidze to resign on 6 May 2004.

• Anchabadze
  • Russia showed support to Saakashvili by resolving the Adjara crisis (Anchabadze, 192)

• AD
  • Abashidze's assets were eventually frozen by the courts and nationalized (AD, 474)
  • Liberal economic reforms were implemented in Ajara to attract FDI (474)
  • It became the fastest-growing region.

• Zourabichvili
  • Abashidze had built a police state and became wealthy through his control of the border and the port of Batumi (30)
  • He closed his borders and refused to give customs duties to the central government (30)
  • Abashidze entertained close ties to both Russian military hierarchy and Russian organized crime (30-31)
  • When he exploded the bridge, he had hoped the base would mean a Russian military intervention (31)
  • And indeed, at that time, it became clear he started to receive weaponry from the base (31)
  • But the Russians announce official neutrality and neither Batumi nor Tbilisi knows what Moscow will do (31)
  • The commander of the North Caucasus Military Region flies down to Batumi and takes control of the base (31)
  • This isn't enough and the base is soon placed under the direct control of the operational center of Moscow (31)
  • The Russian base being before mostly concerned with enriching itself through local corruption, it's possible the change in hierarchy was to put the base in order and prevent a non-sanctioned intervention (31-32)
  • Abashidze would eventually leave when Ivanov flew down, leaving behind his car collections, his dog elevage and his wealth in multiple residences (32)
  • Eventually, Batumi would be the focus of a massive development plan to attract foreign tourists and investors (140)
  • Buildings would be repainted in fluorescent colors, despite its historical white (140)
  • Fountains would be built all over the place (140)
  • A crisis cell would be set up for the final two weeks in Poti where MS and his closest advisers developed their Adjara strategy (165)

• Sandra Roelofs
  • On 24 January 2004, the morning of the inauguration, MS did an inspection of the troops in Adjara (276)
  • The local government brought it from 10 to 08AM at the last moment to discourage people from rallying (276)
  • He met protesters and encouraged them. Many of them would be arrested after his departure (276)
  • In March, he tried returning but his convoy was stopped by armed men, so he flew in by helicopter (276)
  • At the end of April 2004, 1000 Adjarian troops defected and placed themselves under central authority. As a result, he blew up the Choloki Bridge (276)
  • The 44 apartments, goat farms and dog kennels of Aslan Abashidze would all be auctioned (276-277)
  • In June 2004, the UNM won the Adjara elections (277)

• Rayfield
  • Zourabichvili's professionalism persuaded the Kremlin to not intervene in Ajara (295)
  • In March 2004, Putin stopped General Netkachev, commander of the Russians of Baumi, from protecting Abashidze. (395)
  • Abashidze blew up the bridges and ralway tracks. (395)
  • Abashidze first fled to the Russian base in Batumi and then went to Moscow to his friend Mayor Luzhkov (295)

• Bluashvili
  • In 2007, Abashidze was sentenced to 15 years in prison and a 60 million USD find in absentia for terrorism and for the murder of his deputy Nodar Imnadze in 1991. (381-382)

• Republican Party
  • D. Berdzenishvili accuses MS of having led fraudulent elections in Adjara in June 2004 following the overthrow of Abashidze in order to match local results with national ones (189)
• Democratic Adjara, a branch of United Democrats, started calling for early elections in Adjara on 27 January (https://civil.ge/archives/105132
• In a conciliatory move, Abashidze removed the checkpoint present on the administrative border for the past 10 years (https://civil.ge/archives/105134)
• However, he warned of a military conflict on Jan 27 that would be bloody (https://civil.ge/archives/105138)
• The next day, Tbilisi MIA said arms were being distributed to certain groups in the autonomous republic (https://civil.ge/archives/105148)
• Another positive step taken by Abashidze was sending money to the cental government after years of refusal (https://civil.ge/archives/105242)

• On 7 January, Aslan Abashidze reimposed a state of emergency after the arrest of Kmara activisits. (https://civil.ge/archives/105015)
  • After his election, MS warned AA to avoid illegal moves.
  • Kmara had staged public protests against Abashidze.
  • The Constitution only gave the President the power to impose a state of emergency.
  • MS was careful to remain quiet on the arrest of Kmara activisits during the president-elect period, some expecting him to take a more aggressive stance after the inauguration.
  • Russian factor, which maintained a military base in Batumi, was important.
• On 11 January, protests took place in Gonio against the state of emergency and waived the UNM flag. Theey were attacked by unknown people. (https://civil.ge/archives/105030)
  • It was then that MS condemned the political persecution of Kmara activisits.
• On 20 Jan, Moscow officially backed Abashidze and condemned Kmara after he visited Russia. (https://civil.ge/archives/105085)
  • Tensions grew high as a high-official of the MIA of Adjara was murdered in the center of Batumi, allegedly by Abashidze. He was the brother of a civil society organization.
• COE's Walter Schwimmer tried to pose himslelf as a mediator in the conflict from mid-February (https://civil.ge/archives/105269)
• Abashidze refused MS's summoning in Tbilisi on 19 Februay, something that MS considered to be a disobedience that should be punished (https://civil.ge/archives/105278)
• The next day, Adjarian forces raided the HQs of Our Adjara. Vano Merabishvili pledged strict punishment (https://civil.ge/archives/105276)
• A meeting of the NSC was convened. MS ordered an investigation into violence of Abashidze against protesters. (https://civil.ge/archives/105301)
  • The Prosecutor launched an investigation against the Maritime Bank of Georgia of Batumi and Omega Group, a firm suspected in large-scale illegal import of cigarettes. Both were seen to be backers of Abashidze.
• Several activists of the Christian-Democratic Party were beaten on Feb 22, expanding the persecutions (https://civil.ge/archives/105304)
• On 5 March, Rustavi 2 journalist Vakhtang Komakhidze was beaten up by riot police in Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/105385)
  • Komakhidze had been working on a special report on corruption of Abashidze's family. MS commissioned Abashidze to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice (https://civil.ge/archives/105389)
• MS then asked Parliament to discuss the abolition of the Security Ministry of Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/105378)
• Batumi claimed this a violation of Adjarian autonomy (https://civil.ge/archives/105401)
  • Crisis worsened when Tbilisi appointed a new military prosecutor for Batumi without consultations, violating tradition (https://civil.ge/archives/105406)
• On March 12, Moscow intervened and said that Tbilisi was preparing to overthrow Abashidze (https://civil.ge/archives/105425)
• The same day, Abashidze banned all protest rallies in the region (https://civil.ge/archives/105411)
• On 14 March, Abashidze was in Moscow. He went there several times during the crisis, although he was closer with the Moscow Mayor than Putin.
  • On 14 March, MS and some of his cabinet tried to go into Adjara to campaign but were denied entry by armed groups (https://civil.ge/archives/105434)
  • Moscow warned against the use of force (https://civil.ge/archives/105437)
  • MS and AA held a phone talk on 14 March (https://civil.ge/archives/105440)
  • Georgia closed its airspace to prevent AA from returning https://civil.ge/archives/105442
  • In a live television address on the evening of 14 March, MS called the situation a mutiny against the central government and announced troops were on high alert (https://civil.ge/archives/105445)
  • Moscow said a crisis would be the responsibility of Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/105446)
• On 15 March, MS denied reports of cancelling Adjara's autonomy (https://civil.ge/archives/105448)
  • The same day from the new crisis cell in Poti, Tbilisi cut off all rail and air links to Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/105451)
• There was a local economic crisis during the first phase of the blockade (https://civil.ge/archives/105456)
• The March 15 partial blockade closed off the port of Batumi and the Sarpi land border with the goal of choking out Abashidze's economic resources (https://civil.ge/archives/105457)
• Moscow, Ankara, Washington and the OSCE each tried to intervene for mediation (https://civil.ge/archives/105460)
• March 16:
  • Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov arrives in Batumi to talk to Abashidze (https://civil.ge/archives/105459)
  • The National Bank suspends the license of the Maritime Bank and orders local branches of commercial banks to stop their operations in Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/105466)
  • Russia affirms its neutrality after talks with the Ambassador and Burjanadze (https://civil.ge/archives/105467)
  • Tbilisi issues arrest warrants for seven Adjarian officials (https://civil.ge/archives/105472)
• March 18
  • MS arrives in Batumi for talks brokered by Burjanadze (https://civil.ge/archives/105485)
  • His chief of staff is in Ankara while Merabishvili is in Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/105475)
  • They strike a deal: Tbilisi lifts sanctions and Abashidze agrees to disarm paramilitary organizations and allow for free and fair elections in Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/105488)
  • The Agreement is hailed by Moscow and Washington (https://civil.ge/archives/105492)
  • Troops were withdrawn from the streets of Batumi and the region was reopened (https://civil.ge/archives/105493)
  • The agreement also led to the appointment of presidential representatives at the customs points of Batumi to control the distribution of taxes (https://civil.ge/archives/105494)
  • MS hailed Russia's role in securing a deal (https://civil.ge/archives/105498)
• March 20: A Kmara activist campaigning is beaten in the streets of Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/105500)
• March 21
  • MS talks to Putin on the phone and secures a deal that Russian troops would not leave the territory of the base during the crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/105504)
  • Abashidze walks back and says he would lift the state of emergency only if Tbilisi unfreezes his financial assets (https://civil.ge/archives/105508)
  • Abashidze refuses to let the presidential representatives at customs points work unless he gets his own appointments at the Poti port and the Vale border checkpoint. MS threatens new sanctions. (https://civil.ge/archives/105511)
  • Turkish MP Yasar Yakis meets with Abashidze in Batumi after being sent as a mediator by Ankara (https://civil.ge/archives/105513)
• March 24
  • Chairman of the Constitutional Court arrives in Batumi to start negotiations of constitutional distribution of powers (https://civil.ge/archives/105522)
  • MS accuses AA of sending emissaries in different countries to recruit mercenaries (https://civil.ge/archives/105528)
  • Adjarian leaders' diplomatic passports are suspended (https://civil.ge/archives/105529)
• March 25: The presdential reps leave Batumi without securing a spot at the customs checkpoints (https://civil.ge/archives/105535)
• March 26
  • Tbilisi arrests an Adjarian in Tbilisi suspected with plotting to murder several Adjarian opposition leaders (https://civil.ge/archives/105541)
  • US Ambassador arrives in Batumi to hold talks with Abashidze (https://civil.ge/archives/105544)
• March 28 :
  • Two security agents are detained in Samegrelo for trying to intercept weapons and take over military installations in Tkibuli. They had ties to Adjara and wanted to disturb Election Day (https://civil.ge/archives/105554)
  • Putin rules out interference *https://civil.ge/archives/105556)
• 2 April: Tbilisi detains four people accused of an assassination plot from Adjara against MS (https://civil.ge/archives/105602)
• 3 April: Tbilisi dismisses Roman Dumbadze, commander of the 25th Brigade, who MS accused of disobedience. The Brigade is based in Batumi *https://civil.ge/archives/105619
• 6 April:
  • Presidential envoys at the customs points are allowed to work for the first time (https://civil.ge/archives/105634)
  • The Prosecutor files charges of disobedience against Dumbadze (https://civil.ge/archives/105654)
• 9 April: Tbilisi calls on Batumi to disarm its paramilitary force or face the dissolving of its Supreme Council (https://civil.ge/archives/105657)
• 13 April: Negotiations restart with Zhvania and Merabishvili in Batumi, but no deal is found on disarmamaent (https://civil.ge/archives/105676)
• 14 April: Journalists from Rustavi 2 are beaten in Kobuleti and Cholokhi (https://civil.ge/archives/105685)
• 15 April:
  • Badri Patarkatsishvili (chairman of GTU), Vano Chkhratishvili (United Georgian Bank), Temur Chkonia (Coca-Cola Bottles), Gogi Topadze (beer magnate), Niko Lekishvili (former chair of GTU), Mamuka Khazaradze (TBC) go to Batumi to mediate (https://civil.ge/archives/105695)
  • Adjarian opposition leaders meet with MS (https://civil.ge/archives/105697)
  • Russia reiterates neutrality (https://civil.ge/archives/105698)
• 16 April
  • Tbilisi appoints Viktor Mikeladze as commander of the 25th Brigade (https://civil.ge/archives/105701)
  • US Ambassador Miles meets Abashidze in Batumi. He expressed concern, said he would keep Washington and vowed to keep in touch with Abashidze (https://civil.ge/archives/105705)
  • Tbilisi accuses Adjara of being a drug trafficking safe haven (https://civil.ge/archives/105708)
  • Roman Dumbadze of the 25th Brigade, despite being dismissed, announces mutiny against Tbilisi and pledges that the 25th Brigade will only follow Abashidze's orders. The Brigade is made of nearly 400 people (https://civil.ge/archives/105715)
• 20 April: 17 soldiers defect from the 25th Brigade following the mutiny and go to Tbilisi to meet with MS (https://civil.ge/archives/105719)
• 21 April: 16 more soldiers defect. MS signs a decree reassigning the 25th Brigade to Tbilisi and giving them higher salaries. The Brigade is made of those defectors (https://civil.ge/archives/105733)
• 22 April: Abashidze call for US and Russia mediation (https://civil.ge/archives/105748) This follows a series of conciliatory steps, such as proposing to disband the region's security ministry.
• 26 April: A Coast Guard vessel stationed off Batumi refuses to obey Abashidze (https://civil.ge/archives/105761)
• 27 April:
  • Davit Shervashidze, Minister of Agriculture, is denied entry into Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/105775)
  • 46 troops from the Russia-trained special forces unit of Abashidze defect and go to Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/105777)
• 28 April:
  • Russian troops in Batumi reiterate neutrality (https://civil.ge/archives/105780)
  • The Russian Duma passes a resolution condemning military rhetoric and calling for a peaceful resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/105783)
  • Abashidze calls for dialogue (https://civil.ge/archives/105785)
• 29 April: Tbilisi offers Abashidze immunity and security in exchange for stepping down (https://civil.ge/archives/105786)
• 30 April
  • Dozens are injured when police disperses 300 protesters in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/105795)
  • Military exercises were held in Poti and in the surrounding of Adjara on April 30-May 2. Abashidze expressed concern (https://civil.ge/archives/105778)
• 1 May
  • Deputy MIA of Adjara Anzor Dumbadze defected to Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/105804)
  • Paramilitary leader Alexandre Davitadze also defected (https://civil.ge/archives/105805)
• 2 May
  • Batumi blows up the Choloki, Tsetskhlauri and Kakuti bridges. This happened as the military exercises in Poti wrapped up. (https://civil.ge/archives/105805)
  • After a meeting of the NSC, MS gave AA a 10-day ultimatum to disarm or face dissolution (https://civil.ge/archives/105810)
  • Moscow expressed concern and called for restraint by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/105813)
  • Opposition activists are beaten and jailed in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/105814)
• 3 May
  • Tbilisi accuses Russian troops in Batumi of orchestrating the bridge blow-up (https://civil.ge/archives/105816)
  • Washington condemns Abashidze for blowing the bridge, while COE SG makes a much more watered-down statement laying the blame on both sides. Washington will call on Abashidze to disarm the next day (https://civil.ge/archives/105824)
  • Tbilisi bashed the COE statement (https://civil.ge/archives/105822)
  • Batumi refuses to disarm (https://civil.ge/archives/105823)
  • Constant protests are led by students (https://civil.ge/archives/105819)
• 4 May
  • Dozens of protesters are injured during violent clashes in Batumi between protesters and militiamen. The NSC convenes and MS accuses AA of separatism and calls on him to resign. Protests continue nonetheless (https://civil.ge/archives/105832)
  • Moscow warns against the use of force and bashes military rhetoric by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/105828)
• 5 May
  • 15,000 protesters reported. Largest Adjarian protest ever (https://civil.ge/archives/105847)
  • Adeishvili enters Adjara secretly to hold talks with defectors from Abashidze's camp (https://civil.ge/archives/105840) Deputy MIA Elguja Jincharadze defects the same day (https://civil.ge/archives/105844)
  • A group of activists coming in to reinforce the protesters from Tbilisi are blocked at Choloki and fired at by Abashidze's forces (https://civil.ge/archives/105843)
  • Reports of Yuri Luzhkov of Moscow playing mediator (https://civil.ge/archives/105848)
  • The Batumi Oil Terminal is minded by Abashidze (https://civil.ge/archives/105849)
  • Putin and MS hold a phone conversation (https://civil.ge/archives/105851)
  • MS offers AA security in exchange of him fleeing (https://civil.ge/archives/105856)
  • Zhvania arrives in Batumi for talks. Addresses protesters (https://civil.ge/archives/105860)
  • Igor Ivanov of Russian NSC arrives late at night in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/105861)
• May 6
  • Abashidze resigns shortly after midnight (https://civil.ge/archives/105863)
  • MS arrived in Batumi a few hours later (https://civil.ge/archives/105867)
  • SZ travels to Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/105868)
  • Rail link was restored (https://civil.ge/archives/105870)
  • Roman Dumbadze was arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/105871)
  • This was described as the "last chapter of the Rose Revolution". People celebrated in the streets (https://civil.ge/archives/105875)
  • The EU and OSCE welcomed the departure (https://civil.ge/archives/105873)
  • Parliament votes to put Adjara under presidential rule, giving him the power to dissolve the bodies of the autonomous republic (https://civil.ge/archives/105874)
  • Opposition MPs seek to cancel the autonomy of Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/105878)
  • MS appoints Levan Varsholomidze, chair of the Railway Company, as head of the Interim Commission to run Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/105880)
• May 7
  • Parliament passes a resolution expressing special gratitude to Russia and Putin (https://civil.ge/archives/105883)
  • The local legislature is dissolved and a 20-member Interim Commission is set up, including members of Our Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/105885)
  • Tariel Khalvashi, head of Kobuleti, is arrested for treason (https://civil.ge/archives/105866)
• May 9: MS slams COE SG for his previous statement of May 2, calling him a well-paid bureaucrat, and threatens to expel the COE Special Envoy (https://civil.ge/archives/105896)
• May 10
  • Road link is restored (https://civil.ge/archives/105892)
  • Ministries in Adjara reduced from 18 to 4 (https://civil.ge/archives/105893)
  • Eduard Surmanidze of Our Adjara is appointed acting mayor of Batumi, replacing Giorgi Abashidze (https://civil.ge/archives/105895)
  • Revival Union is disbanded (https://civil.ge/archives/105896)
  • The Tbilisi office of Adjarian rep is closed (https://civil.ge/archives/105896)
  • Muma Tintsadze, former commander of the Internal Troops division of Batumi is arrested, with his son Merab, mayor of Khelvachauri (https://civil.ge/archives/105898)
  • Snap elections are set for June 20
• The disarmament process took place within two weeks (https://civil.ge/archives/105894)
• May 11
  • Gogi Kupreishvili, Deputy Secretary Minister of Adjara, is sentenced to custody for misuse of power (https://civil.ge/archives/105889)
  • PACE denies pro-Abashidze stance (https://civil.ge/archives/105906)
• May 12
  • SZ arrives in Strasbourg to try and calm tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/105907)
  • UK expresses concern over COE-Georgia dispute (https://civil.ge/archives/105907)
  • Russia condemns 'repressions' in Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/105910)
• May 13: SZ claims the dispute with COE has softened (https://civil.ge/archives/105904)
• May 14: On his visit to Romania, MS takes with him Levan Varshalomidze (https://civil.ge/archives/105918)
• May 15: Tbilisi says it will not vote for Walter Schwimmer's reelection, instead chosing Terry Davis of the UK (https://civil.ge/archives/105937)
• May 16: With the disarmament deadline expires, the MIA collects 3,000 automatic rifles, 400 grenades and 50 grenade launchers (https://civil.ge/archives/105927)
• May 17: Aslan Abashidze announces he would not leave politics (https://civil.ge/archives/105930)
• May 18: Parliament abolishes the Security Ministries of Adjara and Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/105936)
• May 19: Pataratsishvili, Chkonia, Topadze, Khazaradze pledge to invest in Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/105952)
• MP Kakha Kukava left UNM over its refusal to cancel Adjaran autonomy (https://civil.ge/archives/106007)
• A decision by the Interim Council to ban double office holding in Adjara, thus forcing MPs to resign from office if they want to run, was heavily criticized, including by the Rpublican Party which argued it was done against them (https://civil.ge/archives/106017)
• The Adjara crisis, despite being over, led Moldova to demand a chane of venue of the GUAM Summit of 15 June 2004 in Batumi. Over a disagreement, the summit was cancelled (https://civil.ge/archives/106075)
• COE SG Candidate Terry Davis visited Georgia on 8 June 2004 to meet with MPs (https://civil.ge/archives/106074)
• Former MOF of Adjara Davit Abashidze was arrested on 10 June for misappropriating 140,000 GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/106088)
• On 14 June, Ednar Shamilashvili, former chairman of the DEC of Batumi, and Tengiz Bladadze, former chief of the customs service of Adjara, were arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/106104)
• On 16 June, Nigzar Varshanidze, former chief of the railway of Adjaram was arrested for misapp 230,000 USD (https://civil.ge/archives/106120)
• Local elections were scheduled for 20 June
  • The COE sent a monitoring team (https://civil.ge/archives/106135)
  • 108,000 registered voters (https://civil.ge/archives/106136)
  • 9 political parties and 1 bloc contested 30 seats of the Supreme Council, inc. 12 majoritarian and 18 proportional (https://civil.ge/archives/106138)
  • Despte being allies in Tbilisi, the Republican Party became the main opponent of the Interim Council (https://civil.ge/archives/106138)
  • On Election Day, the Supreme Election Commission of Adjara delayed the result announcement by a whole day despite claiming since the closure of the polls that Saakashvili-Victorious Adjara had won a landslide (https://civil.ge/archives/106145)
  • The NGO-tallied PVT gave 69% to Saakashvili and 14% to Republican Party (https://civil.ge/archives/106146)
  • But final SEC results gave Saakashvili 72%, to the Republicans' 13.5%. They were the only two parties to cross the 7% barrier. 28 out of 30 seats went to UNM. (https://civil.ge/archives/106185)
  • The Republican Party announced breaking cooperation with UNM after alleging voter fraud (https://civil.ge/archives/106150)
  • The COE said the elections "fell short of international standards in some regards" (https://civil.ge/archives/106152)
• The Georgian Constitution was amended on 25 June 2004 to change the autonomy: one-chamber legislature, an executive lead by a PM proposed to the legislature for approval, the right to disband the legislature by the President, the right to veto by the Georgian Parliament, a proposal that was controversial because of its serious lowering of autonomy and the imposition of direct presidential rule (https://civil.ge/archives/106177)
• Terry Davis was elected as SG of the COE on June 22 (https://civil.ge/archives/106156)
• Diana Abashidze came to Georgia on June 20 2004 to commemorate the one year anniversary of the death of her mother. Diana was the daughter of Aslan. She was interrogated by Georgian authorities. Moscow criticized the interrogation, having previously received assurancs that his family members would not be persecuted (https://civil.ge/archives/106162)
• On 5 July 2004, the Georgian government launched privatization of state-owned hotels in Adjara, the first wave of privatization of the Bendukidze era (https://civil.ge/archives/105961)
• On 14 July, the Batumi District Court agreed to freeze the assets of the Abashidze family, including 15 companies and two villas owned by his daughter Diana (https://civil.ge/archives/115671)
• Varshalomidze was appoved as Chairman on 20 July (https://civil.ge/archives/115708)
• A mine injured seven people in Chakvi in August 2004 and was blamed on left mines in Chakvi (https://civil.ge/archives/115917)
• Some decisions of the new local government were controversial, such as the closure of the downtown market of Batumi, leading to heavy protests by market traders and violent police dispersals which led to several injuries and violent techniques (https://civil.ge/archives/115967)
  • The 500-force police stormed the central market bulding (https://civil.ge/archives/115969)
• The State seized the 100 million GEL-worth assets of Abashidze and hs family after a greenlight by the Adjara Supreme Court in September (https://civil.ge/archives/115993)
• In October 2004, police arrested the heads of Shuakhevi and Khulo for ties to illegal wood-cutting operations (https://civil.ge/archives/116204)
• Former Finance Minister of Adjara Iase Chavleishvili and former Chairman of the Adjara Government Rezo Shamilishvili wre arrested for misappropriation of state funds in December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106795)
• Levan Varsholomidze was rapidly accused after less than a year in power of strict censorship of the media and clan-based governance (https://civil.ge/archives/107475)
• Despite security guarantees, an arrest warrant was issued by Tbilisi for Abashidze on 5 December (https://civil.ge/archives/109319)
  • MS stated that security guaratees applied to his physical security and not to his responsibility in front of the law (https://civil.ge/archives/109320)
• A phone conversation unveiled in 2006 by the Conservative Party allegedly showed a phone conversation between Abashidze and Shevardnadze during the Rose Revolution in which Shevardnadze told Abashidze to consider secession (https://civil.ge/archives/110163)
• Abashidze's residence in Batumi wuld be turned into the Constitutional Court (https://civil.ge/archives/115478)
• Abashidze would be sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison and the return of 98.2 million GEL to the state budget on 22 January 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/111792)
• On the two years of the Palm Revolution on 6 May 2007, Saakashvili attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a Sheraton in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/112340)
• On 26 May 2007, MS and Turkish FM Abdullah Gul opened a new terminal for the Batumi Airport to handle up to 600,000 passengers a year. It was built by TAV (https://civil.ge/archives/112447)
• On 28 May 2007, businessman, former MP and Abashidze ally Zviad Tstskhaldze was found dead and tied in his home. He was a major property owner with interests in hotels across Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/112454)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • Turkish investments, absent during Abashidze's rule, became dominent during the Saakashvili years. This was met by some with criticism (487)
  • Aslan Abashidze had the support of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who helped him find refuge in Russia after being expelled (515)

• The Force Awakens
  • Kuchma provided Georgia with new helicopters in the midst of the Adjara crisis (19)
  • Until March 2004, he offered Abashidze several meetings to no avail (76)
  • Once, when Abashidze flew to Moscow, MS used this as an opportunity to schedule a regional visit with a large escort. But an inside leak meant that as soon as he passed Mtskheta, Batumi already knew of the deplacement. When the escort reached the Adjara ABL, it was met by a large army with weapons drawn and partisans of Abashidze. On the presidential side was 30 armed guards and on the other side were Russian-trained OBR troops led by Yuri Netkachov and heavy artillery. The Abashidze supporters, mostly from mountainous Adjara, crossed the ABL and screamed at the escort to leave. The escort left and took camp in Poti (77)
    • In two hours, MS received a call from Colin Powell, who told him, "Listen, Mr. President. I can talk to you like a son because you're my son's age and I've grown to love you like a son in these past few months. My son, listen to me carefully. I'm very experienced in this kind of stuff. What you have now is a tense situation, but not a crisis. Please, do everything to not turn this into a crisis. Please, avoid armed conflict and prepare for a peaceful attack." (78)
    • In Poti, he set up an operational center. Abashidze returned from Moscow immediately (78)
    • The Turks helped greatly with the set-up of the Poti operational center. A Turkish delegation led by the FM came to Poti in a few days and declared to Abashidze that if he opposed Tbilisi, he should not have the hope for Turkey, that Ankara entirely supported Georgia's return of its territorial control. Demireli encouraged Abashidze's separatism but not Erdogan. (78)
    • Also at the same time came Lynn Pasco, US Asst Secretary, who came to Batumi and categorically demanded Abashidze's full submission to Tbilisi. (78-79)
    • MS asked Temur Alasania to reach out to Giorgi Abashidze, Aslan's son. Temur organized a meeting between MS and Aslan Abashidze in Batumi (79)
    • Abashidze demanded that MS came to Batumi via plane, but MS chose to come via car (79)
    • Abashidze and MS spoke for eight hours. During the meeting, Abashidze brandished a gun from his belt. Abashidze also offered MS a house on the beach. 5 hours in the meeting, MS realized that Luzhkov was listening in to the entire conversation from the room next door. Abashidze invited Luzhkov into the meeting and asked Luzhkov to also gift MS lands in Moscow. The conversation ended with an agreement between the three that Abashidze would allow Tbilisi control of customs and port and more financial transparency (79-80)
  • At the end of April, Georgia started military exercices. Kuchma gifted Georgia several military equipment (really, with a delayed payment), including Mi-24 helicopters. (80)
    • MS decided to fly with a Mi-24 helicopter toward Adjara and Adjara declared full-readiness at the ABL. MS was in the gunchamber of the helicopter. Abashidze had given the order to shoot down helicopters on its space and the helicopter returned to Poti despite MS's orders. It was while he was in the helicopter that he heard Abashidze had exploded the four bridges on the ABL. (80)
    • MS promised Abashidze that for submission, he would not be touched. But he threatened to launch an invasion and even bomb his residency in any other case. (81)
    • The Russian base gave some equipment (including tanks) for Abashidze to use at the ABL. Abashidze housed Russian soldiers in Batumi hotels and Russian media did pro-Abashidze propaganda (82)
    • When MS found out that CNN was headed to Batumi to report on the events, MS ordered a UNM protest in Batumi, despite high risks of beatings, to show the world that the population was on his side. The protests took place, Abashidze's forces repressed them. The leader of the protests was Professor Murman Dumbadze (82)
    • Putin called MS, told him he was dispatching Ivanov for talks. MS answered that his only condition was the departure of Abashidze and said that this would happen anyways and Tbilisi would be grateful for Russia if it helped. Putin agreed on the phone (82)
    • Ivanov, instead of going to Tbilisi, directly came to Batumi, which angered MS. Ivanov denied knowing anything about the departure of Abashidze and said he was here for negotiations. MS hung up on him. (82-83)
    • Zhvania crossed the ABL (83)
    • Ivanov promised to protect Abashidze and called on him to defend himself in Batumi, but Abashidze refused and left in Ivanov's plane. (83)
    • At 02:30, MS proclaimed, "Abashidze left, Adjara is free." (83)

Nouvelle politique internationale

Nouveaux cadres

• Zourabichvili
  • It's possible her appointment was an attempt by MS to downsize the European credentials of Zhvania (38)
  • During the meeting, which SZ was asked not to attend, Chirac and MS agreed on appointing SZ as MFA (44)
  • This gesture was formally announced as a move by France to contribute to the democratic development of Georgia (44)
  • SZ would note that she would never hold a direct one-on-one talk with the President before or after her appointment (45)
  • She receives her citizenship at a formal ceremony in the presidential palace (45)
  • The new foreign policy of 2004 was based on creating an image of a new Georgia, led by a charismatic leader with young and energetic leaders with no past links to communism (63)
  • The MFA was strongly reorganized and the European Department and Diaspora Relations Department were strengthened front-stage (63)
  • SZ launched a vast reform of the corrupt diplomatic system that had made the Turkmen embassy the most powerful one under Shevardnadze, including imposing term limits to ambassadors, mandatory rotations. This caused a lot of displeased bureaucrats (64-68)
  • One problem remains: ambassadors continue to depend on Parliament for confirmations, which makes them more susceptible to corruption (163)
  • Also, he often butts heads with SZ over the nomination of ambassadors, trying to shape his own clientele (163-164)
  • SZ may have been the first, but he named several foreign citizens as ministers using the new law, including Vashadze (Russia), Bendukidze (Russia), Kezerashvili (Israel) (244)

• Kavadze
  • A lot of attention was placed in bringing in foreign-educated new cadres to make Georgian diplomacy. (220)
  • He applied to Chirac and de Villepin to bring SZ as FM (220)
  • Ketevan Bagration-Orisin (French-Italian citizen) was named Ambassador to the Holy See in 2004 (220)
  • Archduchess Gabriela von Habsburg was named Ambassador to Austria. She was the granddaughter of Charles I (220)

• Germany announced deployment of experts on Jan 30 to train customs officers and diplomats following MS's visit to Germany (https://civil.ge/archives/105167)
• He appointed a new ambassador to Russia on 1 Feb 2004 as Kote Kemularia, a close ally (https://civil.ge/archives/105171)
• New ambassadors were appointed to Germany, France and NATO on 18 February (https://civil.ge/archives/105273)
• SZ was appointed as MFA following the France visit on 11 March 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105422)
• SZ was granted citizenship on 20 March (https://civil.ge/archives/105503)
• She was formally appointed on 22 March (https://civil.ge/archives/105506)
• SZ appointed new ambassadors to Turkey, Iran, the Baltic States, France, Romania, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and the Holy See in June 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106163)
  • Diplomatic reshuffling included the revokation of credentials of several, including the ambassadors to Italy, Kazakhtan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Davit Tevzadze who was ambassador in Vienna (https://civil.ge/archives/106181)
    • A separate Romania/Moldova embassy was opened, separated from Ukraine.
    • The Germany/Poland embassy was also split.
• Under Zourabichvili's minstry, the first staff recruitment through open application process took place with 82 vacancies filled in early 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/106792)

Lobbying et relations avec la presse occidentale

• Kavadze
  • He had limitless acess to Western media and global TV broadcasters such as the BBC, CNN, Financial Times, the Economist, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post which gave him lavish attention (219-220)
  • Walburga von Habsburg-Douglas, a Swedish MP and sister of the Georgian Ambassador to Austria, became the chief Georgian lobbyist in Sweden, the EU, the OSCE and other institutions, together with Carl Bildt (220)
  • In 2009, MS brought in a fresh slate of advisers, including US writer and expert on information warfare Molly McKew, French journalist Raphal Glucksmann. (221)
  • The Sunlight Foundation ranked Georgia in 2013 in the top ten list of countries based on lobbying spending (221)
  • In 2009, when Sweden held the EU presidency and tried to force on the EU the beginning of free trade talks which had been previously denied over various concerns, Stockholm dispatched Per Wijkman to consult the Georgian government and give clear indications of what was needed to meet DG Trade's requirements (258)

• Stent
  • Much of MS's network of contacts in the American legislative and executive branches appeared during his 2004 visit to the United States where he and his cabinet members impressed the Bush administration with their energetic talks of reform (109)

• US Congress Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (USCCSCE https://books.google.ge/books?id=RwDeOdOJx2EC&pg=PA34&dq=saakashvili&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi0xof6ua3wAhV2gP0HHRsGAN4Q6AEwA3oECAEQAg#v=onepage&q=saakashvili&f=false)
  • Ariel Cohen was a lobbyist of the Georgian government from the Heritage Foundation, who would eventually accuse Ivanishvili of having Russian links (16)

• US Congress Committee on Foreign Policy (https://books.google.ge/books?id=CfWxpn6blswC&pg=PA77&dq=saakashvili&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi0xof6ua3wAhV2gP0HHRsGAN4Q6AEwBXoECAAQAg#v=onepage&q=saakashvili&f=false)
  • Congressman Delahunt, who would call MS a thug, criticized the vast network of lobbying, headed by Mr. Sherman in Washington (77)

• Mart Laar, former PM of Estonia, was appointed MS's adviser for reform issues, in charge of coordinating the activities of various Georgian ministries in implementing reforms. https://civil.ge/archives/110549)
  • Maar's term ended in 2007 as he returned to Estonian politics.
• One of the contenders to replace Maar was Andrei Illarionov, a former aide to Putin who resigned in protest of the lack of reforms and then a CATO Institute fellow. He travlled to Tbilisi and met MS (https://civil.ge/archives/111302)
• It can be seen that Bryza was acting on his own when he gave his green light for Georgia to negotiate with Iran in November 2006 over energy supply, before his comments were walked back a few days later by Ambassador John Tefft, who stated that any long term deal would be unacceptable (https://civil.ge/archives/111506)
• Envisioning a new leadership in the United States, the Georgian government starting changing favors in January 2007 by inviting Nikolai Zlobin, a director of the Russia and Eurasia Project at the World Security Institute and a close ally of the Democratic Party, and meeting him with MS (https://civil.ge/archives/111837)
• The close relationship between Saakashvili and US government officials like Matthew Bryza and Daniel Fried led to accusations by the Georgian opposition that Washington closed its eyes on democratic shortcomings (https://civil.ge/archives/112242)
• Saakashvili's ties with Orion Strategies of Randy Scheunemann (then-foreign policy adviser to candidate John McCain) was unveiled by BBC in September 2008. According to Stephen Sackur, Saakashvili spent millions of dollars "on lobbying and PR in Washington" (https://civil.ge/archives/117504)
• When the Obama administration came to power, Saakashvili was forced to review his lobbying strategy. In March 2009, The Hill reported that the Georgian government had contracted Public Strategies for a six-month 300,000 USD deal to provide media and PR consulting to "enhance the reputation of the Republic of Georgia government". (https://civil.ge/archives/118527)
  • At the same time, Georgia also contracted Gregory Maniatis and Daniel Kunin for 11 months for 470,000 USD. Kunin had been the adviser to MS for years.
    • Glover Park Group was a lobbyig firm hired by Georgia in August 2008. Maniatis and Kunin joined GPG for the deal. GPG had already received 320,000 USD.
  • Orion Strategies had received 150,000 USD in 2008, 800,000 since 2004. Georgia did not renew its contract in 2009.
  • In Brussels, the Georgian government was using Aspect Consulting.
  • After the 2008 war, there was a lobbying battle between Russia and Georgia. Moscow spent 20 million USD in 2008 for its services according to intelligence chief Gela Bezhuashvili.
• During the Spring 2009 protests, a series of international media agencies covered the events with a clear pro-Saakashvili stant. In particular, Burjanadze accused The Economist and the Jamestown Foundation's Vladimir Socor of writing pro-Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/118962)
• In August 2009, Mark Lenzi (former IRI Georgia director) and Lincoln Mitchell (former NDI Georgia director) wrote a piece for the NYT in which they accused the personalized relationship between US and Georgian leadership under the Bush administration (pointing fingers at Bryza) of meaning that Waashington closed its eyes at Georgia's move away from democracy (https://civil.ge/archives/119271)
  • Tina S. Kaidanow was the Obama administration's replacement of Bryza. Bryza denied having personal ties with Saakashvili during his last visit to Georgia on 10 August 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/119271)
• In January 2010, Georgia hired the Gephardt Group Government Affairs for 436,800 USD to lobby the Congress and executive branch (https://civil.ge/archives/119860)
• In January 2010, Georgia signed a six-month contract with the Podesta Group for 300,000 USD to lobby the government, handle public relations and arrange meetings with government and congress officials (https://civil.ge/archives/119955)
• The Atlantic Council had a Georgia Task Force co-chaired by Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Lindsey Graham showing bipartisanship (https://civil.ge/archives/186007)
• With Saakashvili's lobbying network expanding, Alasania's party hired BGR Government Affairs LLC to lobby Washington (https://civil.ge/archives/186033)
  • In the meantime, in September 2011, the NSC extended its 300,000 USD contract with Podesta Group by another six months, while retaining services in July 2011 for 210,000 USD with Orion Strategies of Randy Scheunemann.
  • Across 2011, the GNC also extended a contract with consultant Gregory Maniatis of Ithaca Group LLC for 330,000 USD (https://civil.ge/archives/186033)
• BGR Government Affairs LLC was also contracted by Ivanishvili prior to the 2012 parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/121599)
• The NSC's contract with Pdesta Group was extended till the end of 2012. The 2012 contract cost 600,000 USD (https://civil.ge/archives/121800)
  • Orion was hired in 2004 for the first time,
  • in 2012, Orion was again extended till 30 June 2012 for 270,000 USD to advice and consulting services concerning Georgia’s full integration into Western institutions, including its candidacy for membership” in NATO, as well as providing strategic communications, government relations and public relations and related activities in the U.S. and in Europe.
  • Publicly available filings under the US lobbying disclosure requirements show that President Saakashvili spent at least 5.5 million USD for lobbying services in the US.
  • Ivanishvili's firm in early 2012, on top of BGR, also included Patton Boggs and National Strategies.
  • Ivanishvili tried to approach Podesta by offering a double fee, but the Podesta Group refused.
  • Unlike its 2010 and 2011 contracts, the 2012 Podesta contract with NSC stated that during the life of this agreement and for six months after termination of this agreement, the Podesta Group agrees not to represent or work for any Georgian political party, movement, or association – or any entity seeking to influence Georgian politics – without the prior written consent of the National Security Council.'
• During the 2012 parliamentary elections, Georgia sped up its lobbying hirings. In June, NSC signed a 150,000 USD contract with Prime Policy Group, chaired by Mitt Romney adviser Charles R. Black. It also rehired Gephard Government Affairs for 180,000 USD over sux months (https://civil.ge/archives/122113)
  • In July 2012, the Georgian government spending on lobbying added up to 1.56 million USD for that year.
• In September 2012, PM Merabishvili's office hired Fianna Strategies launched by Podesta Group's Molly K. McKew for 320,000 USD for a 16-month period to lobby Washington. (https://civil.ge/archives/122229)
  • The MOD also hired the HDMK firm in September for 50,000 USD, which had previously been hired by the Ministry of Education
• Lobbying efforts seem to have picked up pace in 2012, to be used during the parliamentary elections and the following cohabitation. According to PM Ivanishvili, the NSC had spent 16 million GEL in lobbying just in 2012, although most of that funding had been classified and could not be verified. (https://civil.ge/archives/186564)
  • Ivanishvili linked these efforts to a slew of critical media articles in the western press (WP, NYT, FT, Le Figaro, Liberation, the Economist), criticizing the nhew government and its arrests of previous officials (https://civil.ge/archives/186564)
  • In 2012, the NSC's total budget was 25 million GEL
• In June 2013, PM Ivanishvili accused Bokeria of traveling to the US and ordering a critical editorial in the WP against Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/122914)

• Glucksmann
  • MS and Glucksmann met in December 2004 while MS was in Kyiv in a tent during the Orange Revolution. (8)
  • Glucksmann was a big proponent of the color revolutions (8)
  • Glucksmann and MS wrote the book together (8-9)
  • Daniel Kunin, who was a Jewish American, was accused of being a CIA agent by Russian outlets (160)
  • Kunin was described as one of his main advisers, whose presence even shocked European diplomats (161)

• The Force Awakens
  • He claims having had a direct line with CNN since its live coverage of the Rose Revolution (21)
  • He claims that BBC Hardtalk's Tim Sebastian offered to leave BBC and work for him (168)
  • He gave the Georgian citizenship to C.J. Chivers of the NYT (168)
  • Sarkozy accused Daniel Kunin of being a CIA agent in the office of Saakashvili (186)

• The British Conservative Home's Daniel Hamilton consecrated him an article of praise in 2011 (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6882&i=1)

• Stent
  • Ronald D. Asmus, a former Clinton official who wrote The Little War that Shook the World, would be described as his "staunch advocate" (161)
  • Asmus would call Saakashvili, "flamboyant, brash - a swashbuckling figure in a region that had produced a disproportionate share of bigger-than-life personalities" (161)

Relations entre Saakachvili et les États-Unis

• He is strongly pro-Western and intends to seek Georgian membership of NATO and the European Union.
• In his foreign policy, Saakashvili maintained close ties with the U.S., as well as other NATO countries, and remains one of the key partners of the GUAM organisation.
• Relations with the United States were good, but were complicated by Saakashvili's "volatile" behaviour.
• Former and current U.S. officials characterized the Georgian president as "difficult to manage".
• They criticized his "risky moves", moves that have often "caught the U.S. unprepared" while leaving it "exposed diplomatically".
• Biographies of Thomas Jefferson and John F. Kennedy can be found in his office, next to biographies of Joseph Stalin and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and books on war.
• Seeking U.S. support, Saakashvili went outside the United States Department of State and established contacts with Sen. John McCain and forces seeking NATO expansion.
• On 10 May 2005, while U.S. President George W. Bush was giving a speech in Tbilisi's Freedom Square, Vladimir Arutyunian threw a live hand grenade at where Saakashvili and Bush were sitting.
  • It landed in the crowd about 65 feet (20 m) from the podium after hitting a girl and did not detonate.
  • Arutyunian was arrested in July of that year, but before his capture, he managed to kill one law enforcement agent.
  • He was convicted of the attempted assassinations of Saakashvili and Bush and the murder of the agent, and given a life sentence.

• In one week after MS's arrival to power, Donald Rumsfled announced the restoration of all aid programs to Georgia. (Anchabadze, 192)
  • Georgia became the second recipient of US international aid after Israel.
  • George Soros financed the salaries of top officials in government.
  • The World Bank approved 1 billion USD, twice as much as what was requsted by the Georgian government, something that never happened before.
  • Turk Meskhetians were granted Swiss citizenship and settled in Switzerland
  • Pankisi Chechen were given US citizenship and were settled in US middle states.
  • Georgia became the first destination of US military and political, CIA and FBI officials.

• On 9 May 2005, for the first time ever, POTUS visited Georgia (AD, 473)
  • In his speech in front of 100,000 Georgians, he applauded Georgia's reforms and called it "the beacon of democracy".

• Bush would describe him as a "charismatic young democrat" (Bush, 430)

• Zourabichvili
  • The Americans contributed by increasing its training mission of the Georgian army (34)
  • The Georgians would send a contingent in Iraq and Kosovo (34)
  • The Rose Revolution coincided with a change in guard in the US diplomatic service: John Teft replaced Richard Miles, who had been unsure of the new leaders (while Teft, fresh from the Baltic states, saw himself as the protector of the new government), Matthew Bryza starteed working at the NSC shortly before the revolution and became a close ally of the MS government (94-95)
  • Bryza would come down once a month to Georgia and would progressively become MS's most trusted adviser (95)
  • MS would treat US diplomats and journlaists to grandesses by taking them to Bobokvati and Borjomi residences and throwing them parties (95)
  • Bryza would increasingly confuse private from public declarations but his every statement was thought to be from the Bush administration (96)
  • While never proved, Bryza was believed to have been the recipient of many gifts and largesse from the MS regime (96)
  • His wife was also believed to be a lobbyist of the Georgian government (96)
  • Dan Fried was also a strong proponent of the MS regime and would eventually stop his communication with opposition politicians (97)
  • SZ would eventually criticize the "personnalization of relations" between America and Georgia (100-101)
  • The assassination attempt: a grenade rolled without U.S. Secret Service and Georgian security noticing. It would be discovered only once Air Force One wheels up. A young man, a little ill, would be arrested without parents or defense. SZ doubts the veracity of the story (125)
  • The Bush avenue would be named that way (129)
  • He hired two lobbyist companies in Washington (Randy Scheuneman, eventually scandalous during the McCain campaign) and Aspect Consulting of Patrick Worms in Brussels. These firms would organize the trips of journalists and public figures to Georgia and would meet with MS, travel in his helicopter, etc. (150-151)
  • SZ noted that Georgian media was keen to underline not only Arutyunyan's Armenian origins, but also the close ties between Yerevan and Moscow to hint that Russia may have been behind the terrorist attempt (258)
  • Kunin's salary was paid for by USAID (322)

• Roelofs
  • MS was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by McCain and Hillary (282)

• Rayfield
  • Matthew Bryza was an unpaid lobbyist for MS (397)

• Kavadze
  • Kunin was first adviser to Zhvania and then to MS (221)

• Stent
  • MS was a success story to Bush's Freedom Agenda (109)
  • Privately, Bush would continuously warn MS not to fall for Putin's provocations (167)

• There was an immediate increase in US foreign aid after the Rose Revolution. In December, the US provided 5 million USD for pensions. On 13 January, another 3 million USD for salary support for Georgian troops (https://civil.ge/archives/105039)
  • On 17 January, the US government announced 164 million USD in foreign aid (https://civil.ge/archives/105067)
• Donald Rumsfled traveled to Russia after the Saakashvili inauguration to push for the withdrawal of Russian military bases (https://civil.ge/archives/105106)
• On inauguration day, Cowell and MS met and Powell pledged 166 million USD in financial aid this year, promising the US would fully back the new government (https://civil.ge/archives/105121)
• On visit to DC in February, MS called on Congress for an increase of foreign aid to up to 200 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/105314)
• The first Bush-MS meeting took place on 25 Feb. Bush said "I am impressed by this leader. I am impressed by his vision, I'm impressed by his courage." Bush pledged to support Georgia and to work with Tbilisi on negotiations with Russia for base withdrawal (https://civil.ge/archives/105329)
• Bush called the rose revolution an inspiring historical moment (https://civil.ge/archives/105333)
• Georgia was included in the US's Millenium Challenge Account in May 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105879)
• The May 2004 DOS HR report said that Georgia was a rare case of democratic success, thus closing its eyes on already-registered faults (https://civil.ge/archives/105939)
• 14 military experts, retired US officiers from Cubic Applications International, were hired by the Georgian MOD to help with reforming the defense system as consultants. Their salaries, amounting to 3 million USD, was paid for by the Pentagon.
• With the expiration of GTEP, th Office of Defense Cooperation announced in August 2004 a new program set to launch in early 2005, including US instructors and mobile groups arriving at the beginning of the year to provide advance trainng for those who already participated in GTEP and to implement the UH-1 Helicopter Program (https://civil.ge/archives/115787)
  • That new plan was scheduled to cost 15 million USD and implemented by ODC director Bradley Jones (https://civil.ge/archives/115803)
• Georgia and the US sign an agreement on August 30 2004 to double the funding by the US on prevention of biological weapon proliferation and biological threat reduction from 15 to 30 illion USD (https://civil.ge/archives/115948)
• The US opened an FBI office in Tbilisi, which helped with cyber training (https://civil.ge/archives/116069)
• In September 2004, the US expanded its military training program three times to 4,000 soldiers (https://civil.ge/archives/116146)
• Saakashvili had a close relationship with Bush himself, as evidenced by his decision to drastically increase troops to Iraq a day after Bush's reelection (https://civil.ge/archives/106514)
  • Immediately after Bush's reelection, a new military US assistance program was announced (https://civil.ge/archives/106519)
• US funded and organized border guard training in November 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106534)
• In December 2004, the US announced a new stage in military cooperation to start in 2005 in the frames of the Sustainment and Stability Operations Program, in which the US would train four Georgian batallions for Iraq and Afghanistan for 60 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/106735)
  • The SSOP agreement was signed between both sides on 29 March 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107662)
• As Russia demanded financial payout for the withdrawal of its military bases, Washington offere111d to help fund the pullout (https://civil.ge/archives/106751)
• The US funded the renovation of the Krtsanisi training center (https://civil.ge/archives/107193)
• Georgia, along with Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, became one of the top recipiens of US military financing (https://civil.ge/archives/107459)
• The US donated a radar post in Anaklia for 160,000 USD to help conduct monitoring in the territorial waters of Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/107602)
• BUSH VISIT (https://civil.ge/archives/185373)
  • Large-scale renovation work on facades took place from the TIA to Downtown Tbilisi
  • The visit's aim was to show that Russia was no longer considered the sole decision-maker in the post-Soviet space.
  • Bush was accompanied by a 700-member delegation
  • He came directly from Moscow to commemorate May 8
  • Dozens of billboards were installed in Tbilisi and across the country to welcome him.
  • The government launched the GeorgiaWelcomeUSA.com website for the visit
  • Besides the main themes of supporting democracy, challenging Russia's supremacy and diversifying energy resources, Bush's visit also aimed to give a new boost to Abkhaz and SO conflict resolutions.
  • MS addressed the nation ahead of the visit and called it 'historic' (https://civil.ge/archives/107953)
  • The WP reported that Bush would warn MS "against provocative actions in South Ossetia" (https://civil.ge/archives/107971)
  • Despite denial by Russia, the NYT reported that Moscow sent a protest note opposing Bush's visit to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/107983)
  • Ahead of the visit, Bush said the US was proud to call Georgia its partner (https://civil.ge/archives/107989)
  • He also said that while free elections were a first step, new democracies had to tae steps to provide equal rights to minorities, resovling conflicts peacefully and encouraging a vibrant political opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/107998)
  • During his welcome in Tbilisi, he danced along with Georgian dancers (https://civil.ge/archives/108010)
  • Bush said at the news conference they had frank talks over the need to resolve conflicts peacefully (https://civil.ge/archives/108015)
    • This was hailed by Sokhumi and Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/108033)
  • Bush also said Georgia set the example for changes from Baghdad to Beirut and Bishkek (https://civil.ge/archives/108017)
  • A hand grenade was found on Freedom Square and was reported the day after (https://civil.ge/archives/108026)
  • The White House downplayed the incident and said Bush was not in danger (https://civil.ge/archives/108028)
  • The week after the visit, Bush nominated John Tefft as the new Ambassador (https://civil.ge/archives/108080)
    • Tefft named making the Rose Revolution irreversible as one of his priorities (https://civil.ge/archives/108148)
• Saakashvili hosted Neil Bush with a business delegation in June 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108367)
• Vladimer Arutunian was arrested o 20 July 2005 by the police over the grenade incident in an operation that the U.S. Secret Service did not take part in. One MIA official was killed during the operation (https://civil.ge/archives/108545)
  • He would be charged with terrorism (https://civil.ge/archives/108582)
  • Natelashvili claimed this was all staged (https://civil.ge/archives/108595)
• The Millennium Challenge Corporation approved a five-year USD 295.3 million assistance for Georgia on 16 August 2005, which Georgia prioritized for: rehabilitation of Samtskhe-Javakheti roads, development of regional infrastructure, rehabilitation of main pipeline, Development Investment Fund, agriculture and tourism sectors (https://civil.ge/archives/108696)
  • A year later, it was revealed that the government had failed to follow commitments undertaken by the agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/110334)
• The US financial aid went from 102.1 to 138.9 million USD in 2004-2005, most of which went to security and law (https://civil.ge/archives/108786)
• Arutiunian was also indicted by a US federal grand jury but the US never requested his extradition (https://civil.ge/archives/108810)
• On 14 September 2005, the Tbilisi City Council named the main airport street after George W. Bush (https://civil.ge/archives/108851)
• Vladimer Arutunian was sentenced to life imprisonment on 11 January 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/109558), hailed by the US Embassy (https://civil.ge/archives/109560)
• In the context of the Girgvliani murder and increased accusations of human rights violations and opposition persecution, the US for the first time called it a challenge for Georgia to strengthen democratic institutions and called on Tbilisi to pursue the principles of the Rose Revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/110224)
  • Around the same time (early 2006), the US also increased its intervention in the SO conflict but was more voiceful in its opposition to military adventurism (https://civil.ge/archives/110324)
• 5 July 2006: Despite international accusations of human rights violations, Bush meets MS in Washington and praises anti-corruption efforts (https://civil.ge/archives/110977)
  • He praised that "you've stayed true to a philosophy that I admire." (https://civil.ge/archives/110978)
• On 17 July 2006, Ambassador Tefft announced the launch of a 30 million USD 12-month Sustainment and Stability Operations Program (SSOP) for army training (https://civil.ge/archives/111085)
• Senator Lugar visited Georgia on 22 August 2006, where he voiced opposition to Russian peacekeeping (https://civil.ge/archives/115153)
  • Lugar was instrumental in CTRP operations in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/115163)
• On 26 August, Sen. McCain, Chambliss, Graham and Mel Martinez visited Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/115173)
  • They were taken by Saakashvili to Mtskheta, Svaneti and Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/115176)
  • They also visited Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/115177)
  • McCain called Georgia the best friend of the US (https://civil.ge/archives/115185)
    • MS gifted McCain a Georgian sword for his birthday while he was in Georgia. They danced together with a folk group in Svaneti.
• In September 2006, Washington and Tbilisi agreed on military cooperation priorities for 2007, including: US assistance in NATO interoperability and integration, continuation of the SSOP and structural reforms to transform the General Staff into a Joint Staff (https://civil.ge/archives/115321)
• The signing of the SSOP II on 19 September 2006 envisioned Georgia would provide its own equipment (https://civil.ge/archives/115369)
• During the September 2006 spy row scanal, the US backed Georgia by opposing the inclusion of a discussion on the matter at the UN Securit Council (https://civil.ge/archives/115475)
  • Bush taled to Putin via a phone coversation on 2 October (https://civil.ge/archives/115504)
  • The US expressed disappointment at Russian sanctions (https://civil.ge/archives/115527)
• On a trip to Tbilisi, Matthew Bryza stated on 17 November that the US supported the internationalization of peacekeeping but without radical steps and gave his green light for Georgia to enter talks with Iran for electricity security in the face of price hikes from Gazprom. The US also refrained from pressuring Georgia to remove its veto over Russia's WTO accession (https://civil.ge/archives/111438)
• On 2 February 2007, Georgia and the US sign an agreement to combat nuclear trafficking which envisaged strengthenign Georgia's Nuclear Regulatory Agency, patrolling of border areas between established points of entry, border police aviation, maritime patrol and coordination center and international cooperation on nuclear forensics. This came a week after it was revealed that Georgia foiled a uranium smuggling operation from Russia into Georgia via South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/111858)
• In March 2007, the US Missile Defense Agency head Henry Obering hinted that the US might build an anti-missile radar site in the Caucasus, which made Russia warn the three SC states against it (https://civil.ge/archives/112048)
• The US Congress passed in March 2007 the NATO Freedom Consolidation Act which called for the timely admission of Georgia and other countries in NATO. It was sponsored by Sen Lugar, an early propnent of Georgian integration (https://civil.ge/archives/112099)
• Bryza visited Georgia on 30 March 2007 to encourage Georgian diplomacy toward Central Asia tward the development of trans-Caspian pipeline projects (https://civil.ge/archives/112175)
• There were rumors in 2007 that Georgia would be the site of a US anti-missile radar site, although Tbilisi denied it (https://civil.ge/archives/112334)
• Georgia and the US signed an agreement on air service in June 2007, allowing, in the words of Economy Minister Giorgi Arveladze, "the most liberal air service with the United States" (https://civil.ge/archives/112388)
• The Trade and Investment Framework Agreement was signed between Georgia and the US on 20 June 2007, which created the US-Georgia Council on Trade and Investment (https://civil.ge/archives/112578)
• Daniel Fried, US Asst State Secretary, called the arrest of Okruashvili a "complete surprise" and denied that Georgia agreed with Washington beforehand (https://civil.ge/archives/113196)
• During the 2007 political crisis, the US role was interesting: Fried rejected the opposition's call to mediate before the 7 November dispersal, called for the lifting of the SOE and was rebuked by Saakashvili, Bryza arrived in Tbilisi during the SOE and brokered a lifting of the SOE that ensured a return of media (although Imedi license was suspended for the entire time of the election), cancelled Saakashvili's December visit to the US, and tried to steer Saakashvili back into democratic orbit ahead of the Bucharest Summit (https://civil.ge/archives/113542)
• Following the controversial 2008 parliamentary elections, the US State Dept called on the opposition to "accept the decision of the Georgian voters and work peacefully and responsibly" (https://civil.ge/archives/116460)
• Bush made Georgia a priority during his presidency. In the months before the 2008 war, he increased the dialogue with Russia and Bush himself made Georgia a top issue at the US-EU summit in Slovenia of June 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/116484)
• US Asst Sec Daniel Fried stated that the Georgian opposition lacked credibility in June 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/116583)
• On 4 September 2008, weeks after the war, VP Dick Cheney visited Georgia to express Washington's "unwavering support to President Saakashvili". He praised MS as fearless and pledged to rally the free world for Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/117362)
• Bush sent in 2008 a message for the fifth anniversary of the rose revolution: https://civil.ge/archives/117950
• Bush discussed Georgia during his last meeting with Medvedev on 22 November (https://civil.ge/archives/117954)
• John Kerry, the upcoming Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as Obama and the Democrats were preparing to take control of the US government, visited Georgia in December 2008 and promised that no dialogue with Russia would come at the expense of Georgia's security and sovereignty. He also pledged to bring more focus from Congress on the human rights and humanitarian situation in the conflict zones. (https://civil.ge/archives/118078)
  • Kerry also called for more electoral and media reforms during his vist (https://civil.ge/archives/118079)
• On 16 December 2008, Bryza visited once more Georgia and met with Bakradze. Givi Targamadze leaked that a draft US-Georgia military pact had already been written, which was not confirmed by Bakradze or Bryza. (https://civil.ge/archives/118091)
  • Bryza did say however that the US was "talking to Georgia about the ways to strengthen our cooperation in form of a strategic partnership" (https://civil.ge/archives/118092)
  • Batu Kutelia, set to become Georgian Ambassador to the US, stated that the US and Georgia were working to move bilateral relations to a "new stage" after the Bryza visit. (https://civil.ge/archives/118094)
  • The Georgian MFA confirmed that a strategic partnership treaty was set to be signed before the end of 2008, probably similar to the 19 December Charter on Stragegic Partnership signed between Kyiv and Washington (https://civil.ge/archives/118112)
    • The US confirmed talks on the Charter on 24 December (https://civil.ge/archives/118131)
• 17 December 2008: Saakashvili states he has good relations with the incoming Obama administration, calling him a stronger president with a stronger mandate. (https://civil.ge/archives/118097)
• 9 January 2009: Condolezza Rice and Grigol Vashadze sign th nonbinding Charter on Strategic Partnership, outlining areas of cooperation and reiterating the US support for Georgia's territorial integrity and NATO membership. The agreement was negotiated between the Saakashvili and Bush administrations but, according to Tbilisi, was done in agreement with the Obama team. The Charter explored the potential of an FTA and pledged to help develop the Southern Corridor to help Europe diversify its natural gas supplies. (https://civil.ge/archives/118191)
  • Saakashvili called it the first move out of the Giorgievski Treaty (https://civil.ge/archives/118195)
  • The first meeting of the Strategic Partnership Joint Council was held in Washington on 22 June 2009 between Vashadze and Deputy SoS James Steinberg (https://civil.ge/archives/119070)
• Saakashvili said he "did not expect change of level of US support under the new administration." (https://civil.ge/archives/118255)
• Saakashvili met Biden, the first rep of the Obama administration, during the Munich Security Conference on 8 February 2009. Refusing to answer an interview question on whether or not he supported Georgia's accession to NATO, it was believed that the Obama admin would be less aggressive in its demands (https://civil.ge/archives/118336)
• On 12 February during a US Senate Committee on Intelligence hearing, the new US National Intelligence Director Dennis C. Blair pointed out that Saakashvili was facing increasing accusations of being authoritarian (https://civil.ge/archives/118364)
• On 5 March 2009, Clinton said that NATO should keep its open door policy. She also made a last-minute change to her schedule at the request of Tbilisi and agreed to take part in the NATO-Georgia Commission in Brussels (https://civil.ge/archives/118455)
• In February 2009, Vashadze stated in an interview with Japanese media that Georgia would like to host US military bases, although this was refused by Washington's Obama administration (https://civil.ge/archives/118496)
• In May 2009, just after Mukhrovani Mutiny and during the protests, Senator John Kerry and Congressman David Dreier introduced non-bidnign resolutions calling for the launch of negotiations for an FTA with Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/118812)
• One of the key talking points of Saakasvili during the 2009 Biden visit was to convince te US to supply Georgia with defensive weapons. (https://civil.ge/archives/119190)
  • Biden arrived on 22 July (https://civil.ge/archives/119191)
  • Saakashvili awarded Biden the St Georgia Victory Order (https://civil.ge/archives/119194)
  • Biden stated his visit was a clear signal of support. His visit was meant to reassure that Obama's reset with Russia would not come at the expense of Georgia.
  • Biden said that military cooperation would be focused on training. (https://civil.ge/archives/119199)
  • Two big failures of the Biden visit: No weapons for Georgia and US refused to be involved in EUMM (https://civil.ge/archives/119223)
• In August 2009, Asst SoS Philip Gordon spoke at a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee for Europe in which he said the US encouraged the authorities and the opposition to cooperate on democratic reforms to prepare Georgia "for the first end-of-term electoral transfer of power in its history" (look here for two things: indication that MS will leave power in 2013 and that Washington will not support the opposition's demand for his resignation) (https://civil.ge/archives/119248)
• The Strategic Charter led to the US government team's visit to Georgia to launch the first round of security working group meetings in October 2009. There, the US focused on education, training and doctrine. The US did not consider deployment of the BMD system (https://civil.ge/archives/119492)
  • Vershbow was in charge of the security talks
  • Michael H. Posner was in charge of democracy talks and led the interagency team to participate in a working group on democracy under the same Charter. https://civil.ge/archives/119581)
    • The other working groups are economic development and people-to-people relations.
  • Posner and his team visited Georgia on November 17. He raised the issue of media ownership and police violence (https://civil.ge/archives/119588)
  • The people-to-people working group met in Tbilisi on 21 January 2010 and was led by Spencer Boyer. (https://civil.ge/archives/119808)
• On 18 November 2009, Saakashvili and Biden held a phone conversation in which Biden underscored the importance of sustanining the commitments of democratic reforms to fulfill the promise of the Rose Revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/119602)
• In December 2009, Senator Lugar stated that the US should resume its security assistance and military sales to Georgia to help it build territorial defense, accusing Washington of falling to Russian pressure (https://civil.ge/archives/119727)
• McCain visited Batumi in January 2010 and was awarded by Saakashvili the National Hero award. McCain called himself a personal friend of Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/119767)
• Georgia accepted in 3 Guantanamo Bay prisoners in March 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/120003)
• Saakashvili had trouble meeting with Obama. In April 2010, following the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in which he attended, he was even asked by Fox News why he hadn't been able to meet one-on-one with the US president (https://civil.ge/archives/120083)
• When Obama was negotiating with Congress over his treaty with Russia, he sent a message to Congress on 10 May 2010 in which he said, "the situation in Georgia need no longer be considered an obstacle to proceeding with the proposed Agreement." (https://civil.ge/archives/120188)
  • This was severely criticized by McCain, who was critical of the Obama administration's policy toward Georgia as a lack of commitment for liberty and human rights around the world.
  • David Kramer penned an op-ed for the WP in May 2010 in which he criticized the Obama administration for "abandoning Russia's neighbors"
  • The HuffPost backed the Obama policy, arguing Saakashvili was not a positive partner because of his track record
• On 10 June 2010, Michael McFaul said that the White House was not ignoring Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/120277)
• Although the Obama Russia reset policy was controversial, Saakashvili said he supported it if it was done following a set of principles (https://civil.ge/archives/120324)
• On 29 June 2010, Asst State Scretary Philip Gordon stated that there was no arms embargo on Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/120338)
• On 30 June, UNM MPs introduced a bill removing the ban on the privatization of the North-South Gas Pipeline (https://civil.ge/archives/120340)
• Clinton visited Georgia on 5 July 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/120351)
  • She expressed steadfast support for Georgia agsinst the continued occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, one of the first global use of the term (following similar steps by the Lithuanian Parliament) (https://civil.ge/archives/120352)
• On 8 August 2010, McCain called on the US to rebuild Geogia's defenses through supply of anti-tank, air dfense and early warning radar systtems (https://civil.ge/archives/120440)
• Obama and Saakashvili met finally on the sidelines of the Lisbon Summit. Details of the meeting are not known (https://civil.ge/archives/185736)
• Temur Yakobashvili was appointed Ambassador to the US on 21 Nov 2010 and announced that he would bring relations to a new level. In his appointment speech, he stated that there were new realities, but also new possibilities (https://civil.ge/archives/185739)
• In January 2011, Russian media revealed that Saakashvili had used his long visit to the US in late 2010 to try and negotiate a large arms deal with Washington, which was denied by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/185787)
• In February 2011, four Republican senators called on the Obama administration to consider placing a missile defense system's radar in Georgia instead of Turkey, although Tbilisi called this premature (https://civil.ge/archives/185800)
• In March 2011, Saakashvili stated in an interview with Foreign Policy's The Cable blog that some sales of small arms from the US to Georgia was in the pipeline (https://civil.ge/archives/185856)
• Deputy COM of the US Embassy in Moscow Eric Rubin became Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs to oversee relations with the Caucasus, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, effectively the Dept's pointman in the Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/185994)
• Saakashvili unveiled a statue of Ronald Reagan on 23 November 2011 in Rike Park (https://civil.ge/archives/121559)
• The 2012 NDAA called for the normalization of military cooperation with Georgia through the sale of defensive arms (https://civil.ge/archives/121635)
  • When signing it, Obama said he would treat the Georgia section of the NDAA as non-binding (https://civil.ge/archives/186165)
• Saakashvili met Obama at the White House on 30 January 2012. In their meeting, Obama said Georgia should be proud of the progress made, it should anticipate fair and free elections, he emphasized that a formal transfer of power would solidify reforms, he said he would explore the possibility of a FTA with Georgia, he praised Georgia as a model of democracy for the region as a whole and called Georgia a responsible player on the world scene (https://civil.ge/archives/121715)
• During his Senate confirmation hearings in March 2012, Ambassador-designate Norland stated that the US had approved the sale of M4 Carbine assault rifles to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/186275)
• Hilary Clinton visited Georgia in June 2012, opening the US-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission session in Batumi. She called the parliamentary elections and presidential elections in 2013 an opportunity to deepen Georgia's democracy and strengthen the legitimacy of Georgia's democratic institutions in the eyes of the public and the world. She urged Georgia's leaders to ensure the elections be free and fair (https://civil.ge/archives/121989)
  • She stated that long-term security will depend on the quality if democracy, while announcing Washington recognized neutral travbel documents (https://civil.ge/archives/121992)
  • She also pledged new defense cooperation, including training the Georgian armed forces, assistance in monitoring borders and equipping Georgia with helicopters (https://civil.ge/archives/186367)
• The Stratgic Charter commission led in Georgia requesting the purchase of defensive articles and services, which Washington said it would consider (https://civil.ge/archives/186378)
• The Central Public Health Reference Laboratory, costing 100 million USD and funded by the US as part of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program, was opened in Tbilisi in 2011. On 12 August 2012, during a visit by Lugar, it was renamed after him. Groundbreaking ceremony also took place that same day to add facilities to house offices of the US CDC's Global Disease Detection program and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (https://civil.ge/archives/122152)
• In September 2012, weeks before the election, Senators Lindsey Graham, McCain and Lieberman visited Georgia and proclaimed that they would fight in Congress to sell defensive weapons to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/186486)

• Georgia in the World Context
  • The road to the airport was named after George W. Bush to honor his 2005 visit (517)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/President/Biography
  • On January 25 2005, Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize praising his "extraordinary commitment peace... to the universal values of democracy, individual liberty, and civil rights". Saying that, "because of [Saakashvili's] efforts, the people of Georgia are now constructing new societies based on the rule of law [and] ... resolving peacefully the complex ethnic and social issues that have in the past threatened to divide their nations."

• During Saakashvili's February 2004 visit to the US and meeting with President Bush, the latter said, "I'm impressed by this leader. I'm impressed by his vision, I'm impressed by his courage. I believe in his abilities and I appreciate his vision. And the people of Georgia will be well-served by his leadership." And, "I am proud to call you friend." (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=2217&i=10)

• Hoesli
  • The financial contributions from the US continue to increase after Saakashvili takes power: in May 2004, the US announces paying for a fifth of the Georgian state budget for 2004 (883)
  • The Millenium Challenge Account gives 300 million USD to the new government. This comes despite Georgia's continued poor corruption ratings, to "recognize the efforts accomplished by the government", something that Hoesli says went beyond the traditional function of the MCA.
  • In total, Georgia became the second largest per capita recipient of US aid after Israel (883-884)

Adhésion à l'OTAN

• Saakashvili sees membership of the NATO as a premise of stability for Georgia and offered an intensified dialogue with the de facto Abkhaz and Ossetian authorities.

• Zourabichvili
  • As early as 2004, Americans were pushing Georgia to seek the MAP for the 2006 summit of NATO (80-81)
  • Lavrov was not at first opposed to Georgia joining NATO but he wanted a commitment that no foreign base would be brought to Georgia and asked for a judicial commitment (121)
• Kavadze
  • On 29 October 2004, NATO launched the IPAP with Georgia to help Georgia achieve NATO standards and to implement democratic reforms (288)
  • The IPAP set out NATO integration and EU membership as strategic objectives of Georgia's foreign and security policy (288)
  • The 2005 National Security Concept outlined new objectives and goals to pave the way to Alliance membership (288)
  • There was a 5 January 2008 referendum which gave NATO membership 77% support (288)
  • On 21 September 2006, at an informal meeting of NATO FMs in NYC, they made the decision to beginin the Intensified Dialogue on Membership Issues with Georgia (289)

• Republican Party
  • Berdzenishvili writes that, "Shevardnadze once knocked on NATO's door and fell asleep. Meanwhile, Misha stood by the door and loudly knocked to wake everyone up." (190)
• He stated Georgia's goal of integrating NATO on his inaugural speech (https://civil.ge/archives/105123)

• The appointment of Bezhuashvili as MOD in February 2004 was the first standard met by Georgia on NATO, which recommended the appointment of a civilian as MOD. He was the first civilian appointed to that position (https://civil.ge/archives/109527)
• On April 7, MS presented to NATO Georgia's individual partnership action plan envisaging reforms, hailed as the second largest step in the process since making an official bid to join in 2002 (https://civil.ge/archives/105642)
• MS counted on Big Bang countries like Romania to assist with NATO integration (https://civil.ge/archives/105926)
• Joint British-Georgian military exrercises, the first of the kind, were held in Vaziani in July 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106123)
• Tbilisi demanded a NATO Liaison Office in Tbilisi on 18 June 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106137)
  • During the NATO Summit in Istanbul, the NAC agreed to an office that would cover the Caucasus and the appointment of a special representative (https://civil.ge/archives/106189)
  • On 15 Sptember, Robert F. Simmons, Jr. was appointed special rep to Caucasuss and Central Asia (https://civil.ge/archives/116057)
• The NATO Istanbul Summit issued a final communique calling on Russia to withdraw its bases (https://civil.ge/archives/106188)
  • The Summit threatened Russia with the inclusion of Baltic states into the alliance if it did not withdraw its bases from Georgia and Moldova (https://civil.ge/archives/106203)
• After the NATO Istanbul Summit, MS said that Georgia was expected to join NATO by 2008 and that it would be a ticket for EU membership. Lavrov showed first signs of discontent of NATO rapproechement during the summit (https://civil.ge/archives/106208)
• UK sent a civilian defense adviser to the Georgian MOD (https://civil.ge/archives/115659)
• On 22 July 2004, Lithuania and Georgia signed an agreement giving two spots for Georgian officers at the Lithuanian Military Academy and Lithuania pledged support for Georgia's NATO aspirations (https://civil.ge/archives/115721)
• Latvia assisted Geogia with army radio sets on 9 September 2004, as envisioned by a protocol of cooperation signed during the Istanbul Summit (https://civil.ge/archives/116004)
• On top of the Special Rep position, a NATO Liaison Officer was dispatched to the South Caucasus in September 2004, stationed in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/116070)
• France and Georgia signed a military cooperation agreement between the two countries' General Staffs in Sep 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/116148)
• NATO continued to pressure Russia on leaving its bases from Goergia, which was met with anger from Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/116229)
• Latvia pledged to support on 13 October 2004 Georgia's Euro-Atlantic path (https://civil.ge/archives/116245)
• NATO praised the first draft of Georgia's IPAP in October 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106337)
• NATO approved the IPAP on 29 October 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106466)
  • NATO SG visited in November to follow up on the IPAP, a clear signal (https://civil.ge/archives/106515)
• The IPAP was classified as a state secret (https://civil.ge/archives/106745)
• NATO integration was said to be the priority of the cabinet reshuffle announced in December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106772)
• The NATO Military Committee held a seminar in Tbilisi in December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106816)
• Secretary Condolezza Rice stated in February 2005 that Georgia still needed to take many practical steps before joining NATO despite the Alliance's open-door policy, the first setback on the path (https://civil.ge/archives/107291)
• British military instructors continued the training of Georgian forces in May 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107966)
• During his visit, Bush said that conflict resolution was essential for Georgia's integration (https://civil.ge/archives/108016)
• On 18 May 2005, NATO praised the implementation of the IPAP reforms in Georgia but expressed concern about the lack of transparency in army structures and frequent staff changes (https://civil.ge/archives/108089)
• Georgia took place in the Amber Hope 2005 exercises (https://civil.ge/archives/185380)
• In June 2005, Okruashvili announced Georgia would apply for the MAP in autumn 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/108340)
  • As a result, SG said Georgia was not yet ready (https://civil.ge/archives/108363)
• The IPAP was declassified in June 2005 and outlined the following: (https://civil.ge/archives/109481)
  • EU and NATO integration as strategic objectives of Georgia
  • Good neighborly and constructive relations with all neighbors, cooperation with Azerbaijan in energy transportation, and cooperation promotion i Transcaucasus and Black Sea
  • Participating in global war against terrorism by providing air space and airfields to international coalition of Afghanistan and exchange information
  • Peaceful resolution of conflicts
  • Civilian control of MOD
  • Modern air surveillance system
  • Transparency
  • Arms control and against stockpiling
  • Among others
• NATO SG said in June 2005 that it would not play a direct role in resolving the conflicts (https://civil.ge/archives/108410)
• The Military Police, recommended by NATO, was set up on 1 July 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108421)
• Georgia ratified on 8 July 2005 the Agreement between Georgia and the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) on demilitarization of guided missiles (https://civil.ge/archives/108474)
• The IPAP Implementation Action Plan was approed on 13 July 2005 by the Gov (https://civil.ge/archives/108498)
• Georgia participated in the Peace Shield 2005 exercises on 13 July 2005 in Ukraine (https://civil.ge/archives/108499)
• On 28 November, following a meeting with Noghaideli, SG said that doors are open but Georgia needed more refforms to create a transparent, affordable, sound and democratically-controlled defense system (https://civil.ge/archives/109280)
• Still in February 2006, Tbilisi was hoping to get the MAP by the end of the year (https://civil.ge/archives/109765)
• In his State of the Nation Address of Feb 2006, MS announced Georgia would receive the MAP in 2006 and would become a member in 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/109862)
• In February 2006, during the Russia-Georgia diplomatic clash following the parliamentary resolution on peacekeepers in SO, MS, in a conciliatory move to appease Russia, stated that NATO membership would not lead to alliance bases in the country, even in the event of war with Iran (https://civil.ge/archives/109980)
• Giorgi Baramidze (State Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration) claimed in March 2009 that a NATO group of experts positively assessed the IPAP reforms, implying an informal go ahead toward MAP (https://civil.ge/archives/110074)
• According to NB on her official visit to France, Paris for the first time voiced firm support for Georgia's integration in NATO in March 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110213)
• 22 May 2006: Georgia and NATO sign a Memorandum on Mutual Understanding on host nation support for NATO operations, meaning necessary military or civilian support by Georgia in case of the deployment of NATO forces, the coduct of operations or the transit of NATO forces through the territory during peace, crises, emergencies and conflicts. This was similar to the 2005 agreement already signed in the context of Aghanistan, although this new agreement expanded to all NATO operations. (https://civil.ge/archives/110646)
• NATO officials noted that Georgian defense reforms had become particularly intensive in the first half of 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110669)
• 30 May 2006: The NATO PA passes a declaration calling on member states to launch an Intensified Dialogue with Georgia in the summer of 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110708)
• 7 June: Latvia calls on NATO states to formulate a concrete form of cooperation with Georgia and Ukraine at the November Riga Summit, while speaking at a joint session of the US Congress (https://civil.ge/archives/110785)
• Italy backed granting the MAP to Georgia in July 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111073)
• On 26 July 2006, NATO SG stated that it was not yet clear when NATO would be ready to launch an Intensified Dialogue with Georgia at a press conference with Noghaideli in Brussels (https://civil.ge/archives/114968)
• Lech Kaczynski of Poland was a close friend of Georgia and its lobbyist for integration into NATO. He was close friend to Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/115033)
• On the eve of the New York Ministerial, Lavrov came out against NATO enlargement (https://civil.ge/archives/115376)
• At the informal Foreign Ministerial of NATO in New York on 21 September, the Alliance invited Georgia to begin an Intensified Dialogue, a step before the MAP (https://civil.ge/archives/115388)
  • On 22 September, the Russian MFA warned the West against Georgia's NATO membership as a target to Russia's political, military and economic interests and as having a negative effect on a fragile situation in the Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/115395)
• On 23 October, the NATO SG stated that Georgia's NATO integration "will depend upon a clear commitment to thorough reform and basic NATO principles, such as the peaceful resolution of internal and external disputes" (https://civil.ge/archives/111254)
• 16 November 2006: The US Senat passses a bill that calls for the timely admission of Albania, Croatia, Georgia and Macedonia to NATO (https://civil.ge/archives/111447)
• On 17 Novmber 2006, the NATO PA in Quebec passed a resolution calling on alliance member states and partners to support fully Georgia's aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration and its wish to move, in due course, to the next level of cooperatio with NATO, namely the MAP. (https://civil.ge/archives/111475)
  • Kurt Volker stated that the US was an early supporter of Georgia's NATO membership.
• Latvia backed Georgia's accession to NATO on 27 Nov 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111497)
• 29 November 2006: Riga Summit. A declaration reaffirms that alliance members would continue the Intensifed Dialogue and would work for more reforms in Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/111523)
• On 10 February 2007 from Munich, SG calls on the Alliance to come closer to honoring the ambitions of Ukraine and Georgia by 2009, understood as an announcement date for integration (https://civil.ge/archives/111909)
  • The government takes it as an announcement date and starts to plan accordingly (https://civil.ge/archives/111922)
  • But on 27 February following a meeting in Brussels with Saakashvili, SG states that the road to NATO is "long and winding" (https://civil.ge/archives/111998)
• April 19-21: 65th Rose-Roth seminar of the NATO PA in Tbilisi, in which MS claims that membership candidacy would be announced in a few months (https://civil.ge/archives/112246)
• US Destroyer USS The Sullivans made a port call in Batumi on 30 April 2007 along with Rear Admiral Phillip Greene from Naval Forces Europe, the first US admiral to ever visit Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/112310)
• Estonian President Ilves supported a speedy MAP during his official visit to Georgia in May 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112342)
• In July 2007, while Lavrov was warning that NATO expansion would lead to a new Cold War, Saakashvili stated that Georgia's accession was "inevitable" and that it would receive the MAP "withing a few months" (https://civil.ge/archives/112640)
• Te Alekseevka Military Airfield hosted on 11-21 July 2007 the Cooperative Archer 2007 military exercises involving four NATO members and 9 partners under the Partnership for Peace program (https://civil.ge/archives/112670)
• Departing French Ambassador Lefaur states in July 2007 that Georgia "needs to continue reforms in all fields in order to move onto the next stage of relations with the alliance" (https://civil.ge/archives/112688)
• Following the August 2007 Tsitelubani incident, NATO contemplated the idea of sharing radar data with Georgia per a 2003 agreement that had been delayed because of technical difficulties (https://civil.ge/archives/112892)
• Georgian Express 2007, joint Georgian-UK military medical exercises, were held in Baziani in August-September 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112916)
• The USS Donald Cook made a port call to Batumi on 31 August 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112945)
• On 13-14 September 2007, the New Group of Friends of Georgia, made to support Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration, was launched in Vilnius with Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic (https://civil.ge/archives/113047)
• NATO SG Jaap de Hoop Scheffer paid an official visit to Georgia on 3-4 October 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/113179)
  • During which he pointed out to the importance of "ensuring the independence of the judiciary" (https://civil.ge/archives/113182)
• French MOD Herve Morin stated on 3 October 2007 in an interview with Reuters that France would support Georgia's NATO membership only if it weren;t seen as a threat by Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/113181)
  • But Saakashvili responded that Sarkozy supported NATO bid for Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/113185)
• Saakashvili said that securing the MAP in April 2008 at the Buchares Summit became his foreign policy priority from October 2007, which is why he visited many countries including Greece, Portugal, Denmark (https://civil.ge/archives/113282)
• During the 2007 political crisis, SG stated that "The imposition of Emergency Rule, and the closure of media outlets in Georgia, a Partner with which the Alliance has an Intensified Dialogue, are of particular concern and not in line with Euro-Atlantic values. NATO is following closely and with concern events in Georgia. I have asked NATO’s Special Representative for the Caucasus, Ambassador Robert Simmons, to express to the Georgian Foreign Minister the Alliance’s view that all parties must exercise restraint, avoid violence and act within the law." (https://civil.ge/archives/113480)

• Glucksmann
  • The Schroder government of Germany had close relations with Shevardnadze's Georgia, even selling weapons. Military trade was all stopped when MS came to power. MS said that Schroder's government directly told him that no weapons would be sold to Georgia, neither now nor in 200 years. (166-167)

Intervention en Afghanistan et en Iraq

• Saakashvili's administration doubled the number of its troops in Iraq, making Georgia one of the biggest supporters of Coalition Forces, and keeping its troops in Kosovo and Afghanistan to "contribute to what it describes as global security".

• In April 2004, number of troops in Iraq went from 70 to 159. (https://civil.ge/archives/105987)
  • In June, another 156 were added to the troops
• In June 2004, an NGO headed by Irina Sarishvili-Chanturia launched an initiative petition to recall Georgian peacekeepers from Iraq (https://civil.ge/archives/106043)
• At the request of NATO, Georgia sent in June 2004 medics to Afghanistan (https://civil.ge/archives/106076)
• Georgia, aspiring to accede to the NATO membership, first joined the coalition war efforts in Afghanistan in 2004, when 50 servicemen of the 16th Mountain Battalion were deployed for 100 days under the German command as part of security efforts during the Afghan presidential election in October 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/115947)
• In September 2004, MS announced Georgia would deploy troops to Iraq in the special protection force for the UN Mission in Iraq. He announced at his UNGA speech (https://civil.ge/archives/116108)
• In October 2004, troops were doubled from 159 to 300 in Iraq (https://civil.ge/archives/106531)
• In November 2004, Georgian troops to Iraq were increased from 159 to 850 (https://civil.ge/archives/106518)
  • This happened days after the US presidential election (maybe uncertainty over continued US military presence if Kerry won?)
• On 1 March 2005, another 573 Georgian servicemen were sent to Iraq, increasing the total to 900 (https://civil.ge/archives/107441)
• Georgia and NATO signed the 2 March 2005 agreement envisaging the use of Georgia's air space, road and rail infrastructure for NATO's needs in Afghanistan (https://civil.ge/archives/107467)
• Saakashvili announceed on 27 Feb 2007 after meeting with NATO SG in Brussels that Georgia would contribute to ISAF (https://civil.ge/archives/111996)
• In March 2007, MS announced he would increase Georgian presence in Iraq from 850 to 2000 troops by the end of the year and 100 to Afghanistan, although that number could grow to 200 by the end of the year (https://civil.ge/archives/112043)
• In June 2007, Georgian troops were added in the district of Al-Kut in Iraq (https://civil.ge/archives/112312)
• Schedule: By 1 May 2007, Georgian troops in Iraq had already reached 850. By June, it would reach 2,000. Bush thanked Georgia at a speech in Tampa in 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112327)
• Before June 2007, Georgian troops were stationed in Baqubah, one of the hotspots of Iraq, where they guard a base and a bridge. The reinforcements (total troop of 2000) would be deployed in Al Kut to patrol and were placed in charge of controlling the weapons smuggling coming from Iran in the province of Wasit. (https://civil.ge/archives/112461)
• Shortly before the parliamentary vote in June 2007 to approve the increase of Georgian troops in Iraq, MPs received an anonymous email from a group claiming to represent Georgian soldiers, criticizing the move as hasty and Georgian infrastructure as lacking the resources to house the soldiers, claims rapidly dismissed by the MOD. This email was seen by some as a Russian manipulation and a copy of another MP-destined email claimed to be sent by the Islamic Army threatening Georgia in the event of a contingent increase. (https://civil.ge/archives/112487)
  • Parliament endorsed the increase on 8 June in a 145-2 vote (https://civil.ge/archives/112508)
• On 13 June 2007, MS met with French Defense Minister Herve Morin in Paris, after which media broke a story about a potential Georgian unit deployment under the command of French troops. (https://civil.ge/archives/185520)
• With tensions with Russia increasing following the Tsitelubani incident, the MOD announced a decrease of troops in Iraq from 2000 to 300 on 14 September 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/113037)
• Georgia decided to keep its troop levels at 2000 in March 2008 after the Bush-Saakashvili meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/114573)
• Georgia announces to contribute 350 servicemen to Afghanistan weeks before Bucharest: 120 under France, 200 under Netherlands and small units under US (https://civil.ge/archives/114646)
• 50 soldiers from the Georgian 16th Mountain Battalion were stationed in Afghanistan for 100 days in 2004 in conjunction with German forces. Georgia has been considering sending a larger contingent since 2007. The last time when the issue was publicly raised was in March 2008, when Foreign Minister Davit Bakradze said that Georgia planned to send 350 soldiers to Afghanistan in late August 2008. The plan did not materialized and Georgia had to recall its 2,000 troops from Iraq during the August war with Russia. Finally on 18 February 2009, during a meeting with NATO leaders, Vashadze announced Georgia would deploy a company-sized unit to Afghanistan (https://civil.ge/archives/118383)
• On 23 June 2009, Georgian MOD announced that it would send a battalion-size force to Afghanistan in 2010 "without national caveats attached", meaning it would not restrict where its soldiers would participate. The 31st Battalion of the 3r Infantry Brigade would be under US Command. In the autumn, there were already plans to send a company-size force from the 2nd Infantry Brigade to Afghanistan under the French Command. (https://civil.ge/archives/119073)
• On 6 August 2009, Parliament approved Saakashvili's order to deploy an infrantry company to Afghanistan in autumn 2009 and a battalion in 2010. Besides the French and US Commands, two servicemen will be stationed under the Turkish command (https://civil.ge/archives/119255)
• On 10 August, the US announced it would prvide training and equipment to the forces meant to be deployed to Afghanistan (consider that previously, Tbilisi's request for Washington to provide defensive weaponry was denied) (https://civil.ge/archives/119269)
• US Marine trainers arrived in Tbilisi on 15 August (https://civil.ge/archives/119279)
• Training was launched on 1 September (https://civil.ge/archives/119294)
  • The training focused on skill sets to operate in a counterinsurgency environment and does not envisage providing weapons to the Georgian side (https://civil.ge/archives/119326)
  • The training involved 40 marines from the US Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group (MCTAG) (https://civil.ge/archives/119336)
    • It was called the Georgia Deployment Program
    • Two-year program consisting of four six-month rotations
    • Training took place at the Krtsanisi National Training Center and involved 750 servicemen
    • The culmination of each training session took place at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center of Hohenfels in Germany (https://civil.ge/archives/119336)
• The Company from the II Brigade's 23rd Battalion departed to Afghanistan to serve under French command on 16 November 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/119580)
  • That's 175 men (https://civil.ge/archives/116430)
• Saakashvili stated that Georgia's involvement in Afghanistan was not just a show of solidarity with NATO but a necessity for Georgian security (because of trainings) (https://civil.ge/archives/119653)
• In Juy 2009, Saakashvili proposed visiting Biden to use Georgia as a route for arms supply to Afghanistan, using its ports and airports as refueling ponts. The proposal was reiterated in January 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/119827)
• Th 31st Infantry Battalion left to Afghanistan on 7 Apri 2010 (750 soldiers). (https://civil.ge/archives/120046)
• Saakashvili pledged to stay in Afghanistan till the end (https://civil.ge/archives/185734)
  • By the end of 2010, there were already 5 Georgians KIA (https://civil.ge/archives/185734)
• In February 2011, the Georgian government decided to send 11 artillery instructors to teach Afghan forces (https://civil.ge/archives/119160)
• A WikiLeaks cable rebealed that Ambassador Bass realized that Saakashvili's intervention in Afghanistan was a down payment to Georgia's admission to NATO, although Washington made it clear that democratic development was still necessary (https://civil.ge/archives/185823)
• Eighth soldier is killed in Afghanistan (https://civil.ge/archives/121134)
• On 1 June 2011, the White House issued a readout of the Biden-Saakashvili Rome meeting in which it confirmed that the Georgia would become the largest non-NATO contributor to ISAF. This turned out to be a leak that Georgia was planning to send more troops (https://civil.ge/archives/121162)
  • The MOD would end up confirming the information and send more troops in 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/121178)
• Another soldier was killed in Afghanistan on 20 June 2011, adding up the total to 9 (https://civil.ge/archives/121214)
• A 10th soldier was killed in August 2011, although the MOD did not divulge the information until it was released by the media (https://civil.ge/archives/121375)
• Facing criticism, Saakashvili justified the Afghanistan intervention as a way to train armed forces (https://civil.ge/archives/186049)
• On 10 Nov 2011, during a visit of NAC to Georgia, MOD Bacho Akhalaia stated that Georgia would send one more batallion to Afghanistan, making it the largest non-NATO contributor to ISAF (https://civil.ge/archives/121524)
  • Parliament approved the sending of 749 additional soldiers to Afghanistan in December, bringing total numbers to 1685 (Australia is next non-NATO contributer with 1550) (https://civil.ge/archives/121641)
• An 11th soldier is killed on 31 December 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/121670)
• A 12th soldier is killed on 6 January 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/121676)
• Saakashvili made an unannounced visit to the Georgian outpost in the Helmand Province at the Combat Outpost Sukvani on 20 February 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/121749)
• Labor Party called for withdrawal from Afghanistan (https://civil.ge/archives/186236)
• 16th soldier dies on 25 April (https://civil.ge/archives/121882)
• Labor Party requested an application for a referendum on Afghanistan, which the CEC turned down (https://civil.ge/archives/186318)
• 28 July: 17th soldier dies in Afghanistan (https://civil.ge/archives/122123)
• After it was announced that ISAF would pull out in 2014, Georgia was among the countries that pledged to continue contributing by training Afghan security forces beyond 2014 (https://civil.ge/archives/122207)
• 12 October 2012: 18th soldier dies in Afghanistan (https://civil.ge/archives/122322)
• As of November 2012, there were 1571 servicemen in Afghanistan, putting Georgia above Australia (https://civil.ge/archives/122411)
• 19th soldier died in December 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/122499)
• MS spent NYE 2012-13 with Georgia troops in the Helmand province, where he pledges to propose a bill to increase social benefits to Afghanistan veterans and their families (https://civil.ge/archives/122508)
• Between 2010 and 2012, a total of 93 soldiers were wounded in Afghanistan (https://civil.ge/archives/122518)
• 3 Georgians were killed by a suicide bomber that rammed an explosives-ladden truck into the Georgian quarter in Helmland on 13 May 2013 (http://civil.ge/archives/122844)
• On 26 May, Saakashvili visited for a second time Afghanistan (https://civil.ge/archives/122890)
• As French troops departed Afghanistan in June 2013, Georgian troops were transferred to US Command (https://civil.ge/archives/122911)
• On 6 June, 7 Georgians were killed and nine woulded after a truck bomb hit one of the forward operating bases in the Helmand province (https://civil.ge/archives/122922)
• In June 2013, the NYT published a report where loocals in Helmand complained about the Georgian soliders who were acting like warlords, routinely arresting locals and seizing wealth (https://civil.ge/archives/122925)
• On 6 June 2013, an anonymous YouTube video threatened a jihad on Georgia, which Saakashvili predicted had been produced in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/186731)
  • He convened an NSC meeting over the video (https://civil.ge/archives/186732)
  • The MIA confirmed that the video was uploaded in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/186734)
  • The video was made by two men from Daghestan (https://civil.ge/archives/122937)

• Glucksmann
  • MS criticized Chirac, Shroder and Putin for having an anti-Iraq War coalition while Putin was destroying Chechnya (169)

• On his involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, he stated in his 2007 parliamentary address: "I want to speak about what we are doing there. This is no longer the era when some empire would take our soldiers to fight in who knows what war without any regard to Georgia's own fate or its own problems. Each of these conflicts is a battle of good and evil. In reality, when good retreats just a little bit, just look at how the forces of evil and all manner of undesirable elements become more active against us. What weapon are they using against coalition forces in Iraq or Afghanistan? Exactly the same weapon that they have used against Georgia for years. Exactly the same consultations, the same tactics, the same methods. This is one and the same front. Therefore our presence there serves a very important purpose. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4952&i=1 )

Géorgie et Union européenne

• Saakashvili believes that the long-term priority for the country is to advance its membership in the European Community and during a meeting with Javier Solana, he said that in contrast with new and old European states, Georgia is an Ancient European state.

• Zourabichvili
  • Because he didn't want to pick between Moscow and Washington, he decided to visit European capitals first. It would be Berlin, followed by Paris on 15 March 2004 (40)

• Rayfield
  • After the September 2006 spy scandal and the ensuing tensions, while Americans proposed to accelarate Georgia's entry in NATO, Europeans urged Georgia toward moderation (398)

• Kavadze
  • Under the leadership of Carl Bildt, Sweden grew to be one of the closest partners of Georgia in the EU. (74)
  • Bildt visited Georgia twice in the first half of 2007. (74)
  • He exerted pressure on Russia to solve the South Ossetian conflict in bilateral talks with Lavrov. (75)
  • The European Neighborhood Policy was implemented (81)
  • He established an effective strategic communication and networking system with EU and US leading figures and influential politicians who would assist Georgia in every way and lobbied for it (81)
  • The EU flag started flying next to the Georgian one on public buildings immediately in a goal of presenting Georgia as a European state (220)
  • On 26 January 2004, the EU Council adopted a conclusion that said that "the Council agreed on the need for early action by the international community in support of Georgia. In this context the EU expressed its readiness to contribute actively to this early action and reaffirmed its willingness to work with the new administration in Georgia." (227)
  • MS's arrival to power meant that the South Caucasus would be included in the ENP by the end of the Irish presidency (227-228)
  • On 28 January, MS flew to Strasbourg where he gave a fiery speech about the need for EU support for reforms in front of PACE (228)
  • On his 6 April 2004 visit to Brussels, which followed visits to Strasbourg, Mosow and Washington, MS pressed for an accelaration EU integration process, making it his foremost foreign policy priority (228)
  • At a press conference with Romano Prodi, he said by surprise that Georgia was rapidly meeting the EU integration criteria and was only lagging 3-4 years behind Bulgaria and Romania, which themselves were due to integrate in 2007 (229)
  • This would be responded with answers that the 1996 Cooperation Agreement still had unused potential and that talks of membership were highly premature (229)
  • On 14 June 2004, under the Irish Presidency, the Council finallu decided to nclude the South Caucasus in the ENP (230)
  • While some saw it positively, others interpreted that included Georgia along with the other two countries downgraded the ENP away from its potential to lead to integration (231)

• Stent
  • The first Merkel-MS meeting was a disaster, with MS dismissing a proposal by Merkel to dispatch German judges to train Georgian lawyers (166)
  • In 2008, on the eve of the Bucharest Summit, MS called Germany a Trojan Horse of Russia and accused Merkel of appeasing Russia's interests during a German Marshall Fund conference (166)

• Javier Solana visited Tbilisi on 14 January 2004 and praised the new Georgian government and stated Brussels was ready to provide any type of assistance to the country (https://civil.ge/archives/105056)
• He stated Georgia's goal of integrating the EU on his inaugural speech (https://civil.ge/archives/105123)
• He claims having received Chirac's full support for Georgia's integration in the EU during his first visit to Paris (https://civil.ge/archives/105408)
• In April 2004, Germany offered to support Georgia on EU integration path (https://civil.ge/archives/105735)
• On 12 May 2004, the European Commission recommended the nclusion of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan within the ENP (https://civil.ge/archives/105913)
• At the Donors Conference of Brussels of 16 June 2004, the EU pledged 150 million USD to support the Georgian government's urgent needs to carry through reforms for the perod of 2004-2006, which doubles the existing aid rates (https://civil.ge/archives/106116)
• The EU also dispatched in July a rule of law mission to help with the reform of the criminal justice system (https://civil.ge/archives/106125)
  • Also to help with rule of law, the European Commission made 4.65 million USD available on 2 July 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106220)
• The Rule of Law mission was chaired by French Judge Sylvie Pantz and aimed at helping with criminal justice reform (https://civil.ge/archives/115720)
• Special experts were assigned to the MOJ, MIA, Prosecutor, HCOJ, SC, PD and Tbilisi District Court (https://civil.ge/archives/115724)
• In his September 2004 visit to the South Caucasus, Romano Prodi said that Europe still had to define its borders before making its decision on expansion (https://civil.ge/archives/116074)
• The EU Parliament passed a resolution on 14 October 2004 calling on the Council and Commission to place Georgia high on its agenda, including territorial conflicts, and to boost support (https://civil.ge/archives/106344)
• In November 2004, the Dutch Government allocated 3 million EUR to Georgia to assist with reforms, anti-corrption measures, fiscal stability and poverty reduction (https://civil.ge/archives/106656)
• After the signature by Bulgaria and Romania of the accession treaties on 25 April 2005, they pledged to be advocates for Georgia's integration (https://civil.ge/archives/107907)
• Latvia also pledged its support on 26 May 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108152)
• As the European Commissio and Georgia worked on the EU Action Plan, the UK, which held the EU Presidency in 2005 II, pledged to work on drafting a document that would not be the 'usual Brussels document' (https://civil.ge/archives/108315)
  • Brussels insisted for rule of law and independent judiciary to be the major component of the EU-Georgia Action Plan (https://civil.ge/archives/108349)
• Sweden said it would support Georgia's EU accession but that the process would take years. MS established close ties with Sweden when visiting the PM at his summer residence in Harpsund in August 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108612)
• In Sep 2005, MS criticized the EU for a lack of coherent policy toward Georgia and Ukraine (https://civil.ge/archives/108886)
  • He also called for more EU involvement in conflict resolution process (https://civil.ge/archives/108938)
• In October 2005, SZ criticized the UK Presidency for continuing delays in the launch of talks over Georgia's ENP Action Plan, talks delayed because of the Azerbaijan-Cyprus row (https://civil.ge/archives/109034)
• A EU Troika delegation came to Georgia in October 2005 to reaffirm the willingness of Brussels to launch ENP negotiations, although these talks remained delayed as EU priority remained to get the three SC countries developed together. During that visit, the Georgian side announced the following priorities of cooperation: rule of law (Prosecutor and MoJ reform), security (border defense), Four Freedoms (movement of goods, persons, services and capital through simplification of visa and trade regime), infrastructure, education and science, peaceful settlement of conflicts, environmental protection, regional cooperation. (https://civil.ge/archives/109132)
• On 9 November 2005, Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus visited Georgia during which MS called Lithuania "Georgia's voice in the EU and NATO" and the two agreed on launching a 3+3 initiative bringing the South Caucasus and Baltic States together (https://civil.ge/archives/109187)
• 13 Dec 2005: The European Commission allocates 2 million EUR for Abkhaz War IDPs (https://civil.ge/archives/109377)
• On 22 February 2006, Swedish diplomat Peter Semneby replaced Heikki Talvitie as EU Envoy in South Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/109947)
  • His appointment was a signal that the EU was preparing to become more involved as he stated his mandate had more focus on conflict resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/110282)
• On the EU's involvement in conflict resolution in Georgia, the EU was split in two camps, those supporting greater role (led by UK and made of 10-12 countries) and those opposing a greater role (led by France). Germany was undecided (https://civil.ge/archives/109951)
• In September 2006, Bezhuashvili advocated for more EU involvement to equalize Russia's role in conflict settlement (https://civil.ge/archives/115372)
• Georgia and EU sign the Georgia-EU Action Plan within the ENP on 2 October 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/115513)
• Following the spy scandal of September 2006, relations between Georgia and the EU became tense:
  • Special Rep Peter Semneby said on 5 Oct that Tbilisi's "legitimate attempts to replace Russian peacekeeping oerations in the conflict zones contain serious weakness as they are presented in an unnecesarily provocative way towards Russia." (https://civil.ge/archives/115575)
    • He also criticized the sharp rhetoric of the Georgian government toward Russia.
  • Semneby also stated that there was a lot of international pressure to soften the Saakashvili UNGA speech, which was denied by Burjanadze (https://civil.ge/archives/111166)
• The EU-Putin Summit was scheduled in Lahti for 20 October 2006. Saakashvili asked Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus to raise the Georgia issue (https://civil.ge/archives/111239)
• On 26 October, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the EU to be prapred if necessary to commit troops to a new peacekeeping force in South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/111290)
• EU-Georgia Action Plan was signed in Brussels between Bezhuashvili and Finnish FM Erkki Tuomioja on 14 November 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111413)
• A new strategic paper called Strengthening the European Neighborhood Policy was published by the European Commission on 4 December 2006 which called for the EU to be prepared to play a more active role in conflict resolution issues in its neighborhood, including through participation in peacekeeping operations (https://civil.ge/archives/111557)
  • Estonia said it was ready to pledge peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/111638)
  • After meeting with MS in Brussels, Javier Solana said on 26 February 2007 that "clear aims" would be necessary for the EU to step in as a peacekeeper (https://civil.ge/archives/11199)
• In March 2007, the EU presented a 15-point Georgia peae plan that involved ideas for EU monitoring of alleged Russian weapons smuggling to separatists in South Ossetia. Proposals include extending the mandate of a nine man-strong EU border assistance mission already in Georgia to look out for any arms shipments through Roki. The EU is also interested in using satellites to take continuous streams of high-resolution pictures of Roki traffic, even though the EU does not have the technology to do this for now. (https://euobserver.com/foreign/23744)
• MS praised the election of Sarkozy as President of France, calling him a "future General Charles de Gaulle" and noting that Europe needed the changes Sarkozy would make (https://civil.ge/archives/112347)
• Swedish FM Carl Bildt visited Batumi in May 2007 and opened a museum dedcated to Alfred and Ludwig Nobel (https://civil.ge/archives/112406)
• The EU granted Georgia the right to align itself with political declarations adopted in the framework of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy on 5 June 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112486)
• MS visited Paris on 13 June 2007, during which he met with Nicolas Sarkozy, after which he called Sarkozy "the leader of Europe". He added that Sarkozy was the first European leader to offer a concrete position on Georgia's positioning toward Europe. (https://civil.ge/archives/185520)
  • The Wall Street Journal stated that MS had failed to secure a single meeting with Jacques Chirac since 2004 (possible link to S. Zourabichvili?).
• Bulgaria announced its support for Georgia's integration into EU and NATO on 9 July 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112662)

Ukraine, révolutions de couleur et Europe orientale

• Zourabichvili
  • MS was a close friend of Bruce Jackson, who was a strong proponent of the color revolutions (92)
  • Jackson would visit Georgia several times while SZ was MFA, pushing for reforms and supporting Georgia's accession to NATO (92)
  • Much of his staff would come from the Soros Foundation, the symbol of informal US diplomacy: Alexandre Lomaia, Gia Nodia, Giga Bokeria (93)
  • Because of the US's direct and indirect involvement in the financing and training of cadres during color revolutions, they were believed by many, including the Russians, of being a US project (93)
  • Russia saw them as an attempt to encircle it with enemy and democratic states (93)

• Sandra Roelofs
  • At his inauguration, he invited Ukrainian opposition leader Ushenko (272)
  • He was a longstanding friend of Viktor Yushenko (277)
  • VY expressed his wish for a similar revolution as the Rose Revolution in Ukraine in December 2003 when he came to visit MS for his birthday (277)
  • The Ukrainian revolution took place on St George's Day 2004 (277)
  • MS and Sandra spet NYE with the Yushenko family in Kyiv and then reaxed together in the Carpathians in the Lvov district (278)
  • That's where the Carpathian Declaration was drafted (278)

• Rayfield
  • It was his support for the Orange Revolution that seems to be the last straw for Russia (396)

• Kavadze
  • His Rose Revolution was orchestraded by USAID, NDI, IRI, the Open Society Foundation (218)
  • For Europe, Georgia became the model for the future democratic transformation pst-communist countries (225)

• On 23 November, MS said he pledged support to the Ukrainian people (https://civil.ge/archives/106648)
• On 25 November, Parliament condemned fraudulent elections in Ukraine, sharing the position of OSCE, EU, CoE and other democratic institutions (https://civil.ge/archives/106660)
• On 27 Nov, Georgian MFA condemned the election (https://civil.ge/archives/106671)
• On 29 Nov, the Tbilisi's Mayor's Office started collecting aid for Ukrainian protesters (https://civil.ge/archives/106676)
• MS slammed Russian media coverage of the Ukraine developments (https://civil.ge/archives/106688)
• MS hailed the Ukrainian Supreme Court decision to annul the second round of the presidential elections on 3 December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106721)
• MS asked Ilia II to pray for the Ukrainian people ahead of the new eleciton (https://civil.ge/archives/106894)
• When Yushchenko's victory was announced, he congratulated him and the Ukrainian people in Ukrainian on live TV (https://civil.ge/archives/106896)
• MS visited Ukraine on New Year's to cngratulate Yushchenko (https://civil.ge/archives/106925)
• Addressing the Ukrainian people on NYE in Kyiv, MS said that the Orange Revolution was "the future of Europe being resolved" and said that Georgia was no longer isolated (https://civil.ge/archives/106932)
• He unexpectedly prolonged his visit by a week (https://civil.ge/archives/106972)
• They signed a joint declaration on 5 January 2005 in Tisovets reiterating their two nations' European aspirations and further democratic development (https://civil.ge/archives/106979)
• MS and Yushchenko were nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by McCain and Clinton in January 2005 for "leading freedom movements in their respective countries" (https://civil.ge/archives/107156)
• Georgia hailed the Iraqi elections of January 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107151)
• 2005 was announced as the Year of Georgia in Ukraine where the Ukrainian government promoted Georgian cultural activities in Ukraine (https://civil.ge/archives/107314)
• On 21 Feb 2005, from Brussels, Bush called on European leaders to support Georgia and Ukraine (https://civil.ge/archives/107377)
• On 24 Feb, Igor Ivanov of the Russian SC said that the Rose Revolution went against the values and principles of the COE and OSCE (https://civil.ge/archives/185355)
• Ukraine and Georgia signed an economic cooperation agreement on Feb 28 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107436)
• The Carpathian Declaration alluded to a "third wave of democratization" which was assumed to be Moldova. MS visited Moldova on 2 March 2005, days before parliamentary elections. He met with both President Voronin, a pro-Russia communist, and opposition leaders (https://civil.ge/archives/107443)
• Georgia lobbied for GUUAM to become an engine of reform and democracy promotion in the context of the color revolutions and before the Moldova 2005 elections (https://civil.ge/archives/107450)
• Russian media talked of a tri-partite alliance against Russia by Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia as Tbilisi was lobbying President Voronin to join pro-western forces (https://civil.ge/archives/185357)
• During his visit, MS and Voronin signed in Chisinau two declarations: (https://civil.ge/archives/107463)
  • Declaration over the Supremacy of Democratic Values and Principles was similar to the Carpathian Declaration
  • Declaration Against Black Holes in Europe, a call against separatism in Europe
    • It directly laid the blame on Russia for Transnistria and Georgia conflicts (https://civil.ge/archives/107470)
  • This was the first intra-CIS declaration written in English and not Russian
• During that visit, MS and Voronin agreed reforming GUUAM to make it stronger (https://civil.ge/archives/107464)
• During the March 2005 Kyrgyz protests, MS offered to mediate the tensions and called on President Akayev to take a more cordial position toward the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/107625)
  • MS also called on the opposition to take security measures to prevent harming President Akayev. Kyrgyzstan refused the offer of mediation (https://civil.ge/archives/107637)
  • Georgia and Ukraine tgether called for peaceful settlement of the Kyrgyz crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/107646)
• On 25 March 2005, in Kyiv, MS and Yushchenko signed a declaration envisaging joint aspirations for NATO and EU, and an agreement of cooperation between the two countries' NSCs (https://civil.ge/archives/107645)
• MS saw Georgia's role i the post-Soviet space as an active foreign policy player to promote democracy and "historic geopolitical revolutions" (https://civil.ge/archives/107668)
• On 31 March 2005, Yushchenko and Saakashvili called on the Kyrgyz nation for reconciliation after the Tulip Revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/107694)
• MS welcomed the reelection of Voronin in April 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107717)
• In a 4 April 2005 joint statement on strategic partnership between the US and Ukraine, Bush and Yushchenko pledged to support Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/107708)
• The Orange Revolution gave hope to Saakashvili for a "Baltic-Black Sea rim of cooperation" (https://civil.ge/archives/107770)
• GUAM became in April 2005 an organization meant to coordinate the efforts of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova to integrate into Euro-Atlantic structures (https://civil.ge/archives/107817)
• Around April 2005, there were indications that Georgia hoped for a similar revolution in Belarus, with Parliament condemning human rights abuses by Minsk and Parliament inviting Anatoly Lebedko to Tbilisi for Bush's visit to hope for talks with Bush (https://civil.ge/archives/107934)
  • MS came out himself and said he was sure democracy would win in Belarus on May 3 (https://civil.ge/archives/107955)
  • Lebedko visited Georgia on 9 May (https://civil.ge/archives/108002)
• During the Bush visit, MS positioned himself as an example to end dictatorships in Belarus, Cuba, Burma and Nortk Korea. Note similarities to the Axis of Evil (https://civil.ge/archives/108023)
  • He added that Georgia and the US should spread democracy together worldwide (https://civil.ge/archives/108020)
• At the COE summit of Warsaw on 17 May 2005, MS broke the tradition of CIS member states not speaking against one another and condemned Belarus and Lukashenko (https://civil.ge/archives/108076)
  • In parallel, a 70-member delegation from the Belarussian Parliament and the Presidential Administration visited Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/108090)
• In the May 2005 submitted NS Concept of Georgia, spreading democracy in the region and neighboring countries was cited as a national interest and Ukraine was listed as a strategic partner (https://civil.ge/archives/108060)
• On 9 June 2005, Belarus imposed a visa regime on Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/108260)
• On 12 August 2005, during the visit of President Yushchenko of Ukraine to Georgia, he and MS signed the Likani Declaration with envisaged an initiative on the creation of a coalition of democratic nations in the region. (https://civil.ge/archives/108676)
• On 24 August, two Georgian members of Kmara were arrested in Minsk. They had participated in the Orange revolution and tried to support Belarussian opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/108737)
  • They were released on 2 September (https://civil.ge/archives/108787)
• The Community of Democratic Choice Forum of Kyiv took place on 1-2 December 2005 and was a result of the Borjomi Declaration. It brought together the Presidents of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Georgia and Ukraine (https://civil.ge/archives/109255)
  • The Presidents announced the formation of the Community of Democratic Choice in Kyiv (https://civil.ge/archives/109312)
  • The first Parliamentary Conference of the CDC took place in Tbilisi on 30 November 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111528)
• MS found a close ally in Sweden in pushing for democratic changes in Eastern Eurpe (https://civil.ge/archives/109663)
• Belarus refused Georgian observers in the 2006 presidential elections (https://civil.ge/archives/110015)
  • A group of 8 Georgian MPs nonetheless went to Belarus to try and monitor the elections (https://civil.ge/archives/110125) They would be held at the Minsk airport and then deported (https://civil.ge/archives/110155)
  • MS slammed the "dictatorial regime of Belarus" on the eve of the elections (https://civil.ge/archives/110140)
  • Three Georgian religious figures were arrested on March 20 during a post-electoral protest by the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/110169)
    • They would be deported on 21 March (https://civil.ge/archives/110179)
  • On 23 March, Tbilisi condemned the elections as 'undemocratic' (https://civil.ge/archives/110193)
  • A Georgian journalist and her cameraman were arrested on 24 March in Minsk while interviewing Belarusian opposition activists (https://civil.ge/archives/110204)
    • This worsened the diplomatic rift between both states (https://civil.ge/archives/110205)
• On 6 June 2006, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania. Turkey and Ukraine signed a jont declaration on cooperation at the Bucharest Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and Partnrship Summit to foster synergy in the region to achieve regional projects. (https://civil.ge/archives/110774)
• The Community for Democracy, created in June 2006 by Abkhazia, SO and Transnistria, was in response to GUAM (https://civil.ge/archives/185480)
• Georgia and Ukraine signed an agreement on mlitary cooperation for 2007 in November 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111455)
• President Yuschenko visited Georgia on 23 November 2006 for the 3 years of the Rose Revolution. There, he became godfather of MS's second son Nikoloz. The baptism was also attended by President Ilves and Polish Speaker Marek Jurek. (https://civil.ge/archives/111481)
• He spent the 2006-2007 new year holidays in Ukraine with his family and Yushchenko (https://civil.ge/archives/111718)
• On 1 March 2007, Yushchenko visited Georgia and signed an agreement on the development of traffic between Kerch and Batumi and Poti. He inaugurated with MS a monumnent to Taras Shevchenko and the openng of an Ukrainian shool in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/112004)
  • During the visit, it was noted that when MS became President, there was onl one flight Tbilisi-Kyiv per week. By 2007, there were daily flights. (https://civil.ge/archives/112006)
  • Yushchenko backed MS's plan on international peacekeeping and on reforming the peacekeeping format (https://civil.ge/archives/112007)
• Givi Targamadze openly backed Yushchenko during his 2007 parliamentary crisis and dismissal of Yanukovich (https://civil.ge/archives/112188)
• President Ilves of Estonia visited Georgia in May 2007 with a 40-businessman delegation. (https://civil.ge/archives/112279)
  • And during that visit, the Georgian Parliament passed a resolution condemning attempts to provoke riots and hooliganism in the streets of Estonian towns following the Estonian government's relocation of a Soviet war memorial in Tallinn (https://civil.ge/archives/112351)
• Saakashvili and Yushchenko inaugurated a monument to Shota Rustaveli on 6 June 2007 in Kyiv (https://civil.ge/archives/112491)
• Following a meeting in September 2007 between Lukashenko and Merabishvili, the two countries reset their relations and started a positive path (https://civil.ge/archives/113052)
• Belarus did not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia but Lukashenko praised the recognition (https://civil.ge/archives/117295)
• In January 2010, Saakashvili praised Belarus for its balanced relaions with Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/119779)
• UKRAINE ELECTION SCANDAL:
  • 17 January: Avlabari claims that Tbilisi does not support any candidate in the Ukraininan presidential elections amidst allegations that Saakashvili was backing Tymoshenko following a leaked alleged phone conversation between MS and her in which she thank him for sending observers. The Ukrainian CEC, partially under Yanukovich influence, blocks a large group of Georgian observers. (https://civil.ge/archives/119786)
    • Georgia had a list of 2000 obserers. The Mayor of Donetsk turned down Georgia's offer to send 1000 observers
  • 20 January: A phone conversation between Merabishvili and Givi Targamadze is leaked in which the two discuss how to send observers to Donetsk (https://civil.ge/archives/119801)
  • 22 January: As Alasania calls for a inter-party NSC meeting over Ukraine, Saakashvili rejects (https://civil.ge/archives/119811)
  • 26 January: The Ukrainian Prosecutor's Office opens a probe into non-registered Georgian observers with fake press accreditations in Donetsk. Levan Tarkhnishvili, former Georgian CEC chair and coordinator of the Ukraine operation, admitted that Tbilisi had to move to alternative solutions after they failed to send observers to Donetsk. Luhansk-based newspaper Molodogvardeets provided the Georgians with press accreditations (https://civil.ge/archives/119817)
  • 27 January: Tymoshenko praises Georgian observers following the first round (https://civil.ge/archives/119819)
  • 3 February: Following a string of scandals, Avlabari states that it would not send observers in the runoff and Saakashvili calls on all Georgian observers to return to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/119841)
  • 8 February: Yanuukovich wins. Saakashvili states that Georgia and Ukraine remain strategic partners, although Saakashvili sends Bakradze to his inauguration (https://civil.ge/archives/119856)
• In an April 2010 interview with Kommersant, Merabishvili stated that he did not believe the Yanukovich elections were democratic (https://civil.ge/archives/120044)

• During the April 2010 developments in Kyrgyzstan, Avlabari stated that Russia was intervening in the internal affairs there, although this was denied even by Washington. (https://civil.ge/archives/120054)
  • FM Vashadze was forced to reject Avlabari's claims on 9 April (https://civil.ge/archives/120057)
  • The new authorities of Roza Otunbayeva also denied Georgia's claims, expressing deep bewilderment. (https://civil.ge/archives/120089)
  • Georgia sent humanitarian aid during the crisis.
• In June 2010, after ethnic incidents with Uzbeks, Tbilisi accused this of being a Russian-inspired ethnic cleansing of Uzbeks in Kyrgyzstan to continue the style of Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/120289)
• In July 2011, Saakashvili called on the West not to isolate Belarus or face the Kremlin completely taking it over (https://civil.ge/archives/186004)
• On 30 September 2011, Saakashvili stated that the EaP was only full if Belarus was a full-fledged member of the Partnership (https://civil.ge/archives/121431)
• In December 2012, Russia's Investigative Committee announced possessing evidence that Givi Targamadze was plotting with Russian opposition activists to plot mass disorders and riots in Moscow in May 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/122464)

• Glucksmann
  • MS identifies the Russian hostility toward Tbilisi as having started after the Orange Revolution (152)

• The Force Awakens
  • He dispatched Givi Targamadze to Ukraine to help with the Orange Revolution (21)
  • Much of the global coverage of the Orange Revolution happened through Georgian channels, who were covering the events at MS's orders (22)
  • In the height of the Orange Revolution, a clash took place between opposition leaders, which made Yushchenko leave Maidan early one. At the request of Tymoshenko, MS interceded and got Yushchenko to return (23)
  • He supported Tymoshenko's radical revolutionary startegy over Yushchenko's peaceful methods (23)
  • In 2004, he attended Kuchma's birthday celebration in Crimea, during which he asked Kuchma for new military hardware (23)
  • Georgia sent a lot of observers, welcomed by Kuchma, to the 2004 Ukraine elections (23)
  • Saakashvili spent the New Year's in Ukraine after the Orange Revolution (23)
  • MS came out and spoke to the crowd in Ukrainian along with Yushchenko, Tymoshenko and Ruslan ? (24)
  • As Yushchenko hesitated between Tymoshenko and Poroshenko as PM, MS backed Tymoshenko (24)
  • In 2005, for Artek's birthday, MS and Yushchenko both went on a yacht in Crimea (24)
  • In 2006, in an official visit to Kyiv and on the eve of meeting Yushchenko, Poroshenko and Davit Zhvania told MS to tell Yushchenko to pay thjem the dividents of the Orange Rebolution, which he refused to do (25)
  • His first official visit to Kyiv was in 2004 when Kuchma was president (25)
  • During Yanukovich's presidency, MS stayed close with Yushchenko, often communicating with him about his interactions with Yanukovich, until Yushchenko became close with Renat Akhmetov (28)
  • In September 2013, he had meetings with Ukrainian friends to discuss future revolutionary plans (28)
  • In 2010, he originally backed Nalivaichenko's presidential bid, writing his program, before the latter backed out (30)

• Viktor Yushchenko became the godfather of ms's second son (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Interviews?p=6800&i=1)
  • MS already had close ties with Yanukovich when the latter was opposition chief, even visiting him in his house.

• During his 25 March 2005 visit to Ukraine to meet with President Yushchenko, Saakashvili and his counterpart signed agreements on cooperation in energy, transportation and security (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=2215&i=10)
• In June 2005, Saakashvili spoke of a Kyiv Club, a so-called democrats club, to bring together the new democracies of the post-Soviet world (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=2202&i=10)
• The Community of Democratic Choice (CDC) is the proposed result of a joint declaration signed by the Georgian and Ukrainian Presidents in Borjomi on August 12, 2005. The issues of institutionalization of the CDC, regional cooperation, and integration of countries including Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova into the Euro-Atlantic sphere were discussed at the December 2005 summit. Some influential Russian experts see the ongoing summit in Kyiv as an attempt by the Presidents of Georgia and Ukraine to create an alliance against Russia. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=2190&i=9)
• A monument dedicated to Shota Rustaveli was inaugurated in Kyiv in June 2007 during Saakashvili's visit (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=2164&i=9)
• At least since 2011, he started deepening relations with Moldova to cooperate on European integration (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=6776&i=5)
• In September 2011, during UNGA, he met with Roza Otumbaeva of Kyrgyzstan, who announced that Kyrgyz specialists would travel to Georgia to learn about reforms (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=6829&i=5)

Géorgie et Russie

Détente

• Anchabadze
  • Russia evacuated its bases (outside of Abkhazia and SO) in 2005 and the US paid 250 million USD (192)

• Zourabichvili
  • Following the Ajara crisis, there was a real belief that friendly ties could be built between both states (32-33)
  • A delegation of 80 Russian businessmen would soon follow (33)
  • Russia's refusal to intervene during the Rose Revolution and then in Ajara was a sign that it contributed to MS's arrival to power (33)
  • The Russia dossier was directly handled by Zhvania and Bezhuashvili (74)
  • Bezhuashvili's brother, an MP, controlled gaz affairs and held close ties with Gazprom (74)
  • The departure of the Russian bases had been instructed by the Istanbul Summit of 1999 but the process had been blocked. (74)
  • SZ was at first kept apart from the Russian negotiations (74-75)
  • Two days after her nomination, while in France, Dominique de Villepin introduced SZ to Ivanov in his cabinet (75)
  • SZ took the Russian base case in January 2005 after an agreement with Zhvania that ended their conflict (82)
  • On 31 May 2005, SZ signed an accord with the Russians to withdraw the Russian bases, which would start in the summer from the port of Batumi (89-90)
  • Negociations on the withdrawal of the bases would be launched in May 2004 during SZ's first official visit to Russia (106-107)
  • At first, the order of business was the demarcation of the border, the end of Russia's support to separatists and the signature of a new bilateral treaty that would normalize these relations (108)

• Rayfield
  • As a sign of good fate and with the careful diplomacy of Zhvania and Zourabichvili, Putin agreed to extradite General ROman Dumbadze, ally of Abashidze, to Tbilisi (395)
  • While Russia's claims to Abkhazia would not show signs of slowing down, the careful diplonacy showed signs that Russia was willing to let Georgia reincorporate SO, partially because an united Ossetia would disturb the North Caucasus, if Georgia refrained from force (395)
  • The removal of Russian bases came with a 250 million USD compensation from the US (398)

• Kavadze
  • He was well-received by the Kremlin (68)
  • The interim government made several ouvertures toward Russia (68-69)
  • Ivanov attended the inauguration and extended an invitation to visit Russia (69)
  • MS said in his inauguration that "Georgia does not need Russia as a foe but as a friend, an ally and a powerful partner. I would like to offer a friendly hand to Russia on behalf of the Georgian people and I wish to see the friendship formation and progress in this direction" (69)
  • He held his first official visit to Moscow on 10 Feb 2004 and met with Putin (before Washington and Brussels). (69)
  • The discussions during this first visit were about trade-economic, military, conflict resolution and coordination of foreign political efforts in the international arena. They agreed to wok on a new bilateral framework agreement and to set up working groups on all matters in dispute and to complete a bilateral market access agreement over Rissoa's accession to WTO. They agreed on Putin visiting Georgia in July (69)
  • On 28 May 2004, a Russian business delegation came to visit Georgia and the Ministries of Economies signed a bilateral agreement opening the doors to Russian accesstion to WTO (68)
  • The Tskhinvali battle of 2004 coincided with Putin's own reconfiguration his foreign policy toward a more aggressive outlook of his near abroad, all elements that contributed to the change in relations (69)
  • He once encouraged Georgian society to entirely ignore Russia's existence, asking people to imagine there was a large ocean there (69)
  • MS never tried to prioritize the normalization of relations with Russia a priority, especially after the Tskhinvali Battle. He preferred to keep Russia as a scapegoat for solidifying his power (69)
  • From 2004, the Kremlin started applying pressure on Georgia. These measures included gas delivery manipulation, regular violations of Georgian airspace, bombing adjacent to the breakawat regions, provocative actions by peacekeepers, which all became a daily roiutine. (73)
  • On 30 May 2005, Russia and Georgia signed an agreement on the base withdrawal from Akhalkalaki and Batumi (73)
    • They also agreed to set up a joint anti-terrorist center in Batumi, which never materialized despite Russia's many complaints (73)

• During the 2004 presidential election, he pointed out that Georgia held close relations with Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan and wished to have the same with Russia. But the rise of Putin and MS's pro-Western stance and his overthrow of the Russia-backed ES made him a perfect enemy (https://civil.ge/archives/104884)
• The US called in January 2004 for the removal of military bases from Georgia in accordance with the OSCE Istanbul agreement of 1999.
  • MS said the bases served more to bolster imperial self-confidence than Russian security and stated that 2,000 troops and supported the removal. Moscow warned that any provocations against Russian bases would lead to 'far-reaching consequences' (https://civil.ge/archives/105042)
• Still in early January, Russia demanded 500 million USD for the withdrawal of bases. The US offered financial assistance to fund this sum. (https://civil.ge/archives/105045)
  • Russia claims it neededed 10 years for the withdrawal but Tbilisi insisited 3 years.
• Russia called for a formal treaty for a removal. Tbilisi warned that talks would be very hard. (https://civil.ge/archives/105047)
  • Tbilisi claimed that the Russian bases caused a problem for the traffic of small arms in the region and caused regional destabilization.
• Saakashvili said he did not want Georgia to become a battlefield between Russia and the United States (https://civil.ge/archives/105066)
• The removal of bases was seen to be the first challenge in bilateral relations and the main topic of discussion for MS's first visit to Russia in February 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105196)
• Following the February 2004 Moscow terrorist attack, MS said he was ready to cooperate with Moscow on anti-terrorism issues (https://civil.ge/archives/105200
• The first Putin-MS meeting tookm place on 11 February. The two set up a friendly and cordial tone to shape the rest of their relationships. They expressed readiness to design a new framework agreement, which had never been agreed with in the previous government, to be signed in Georgia in 2004 with a Putin visit (https://civil.ge/archives/105231)
  • Ivanov promised MS during that visit that Russia was not considering an increase in troops in Georgia, including Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/105237)
  • During that visit, both countries' border guards signed an agreement on the exchange of information at the Chechen border (https://civil.ge/archives/105239)
• On 25 February 2004, the Parliament removed its 2002 resolution requiring the Georgian government to veto Russia's access to WTO (https://civil.ge/archives/105322)
• Russia praised the terrorism cooperation with Georgia on 26 March 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105537)
• Russia and Georgia agreed some officers would be trained in Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/105618)
• With SZ already in office, Lavrov announced Russia was ready for talks over base negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/105620)
  • This was encouraged by NATO (https://civil.ge/archives/105655)
  • SZ was adament in not replacing Russian with other foreign bases (https://civil.ge/archives/105661)
• Border guard cooperation was signed on 21 April (https://civil.ge/archives/105727)
• Following the departure of Abashidze and SZ's immediate visit to Moscow, the two sides pledged cooperation on EU, NATO and others (https://civil.ge/archives/105877)
• On 24 May 2004, Zhvania visited Russia to start discussing easing the visa regime between the two countries, a signal toward positive relations that came wth cooperation against terrorism. (https://civil.ge/archives/105982)
• On 28 May 2004, nearly 100 big businessmen of Russia descended on Georgia to hold the Russian-Georgian Business Forum, inaugurating a positive trend in economic partnership. MS's priority was their investment in Adjara but also more energy provision from Russia, something controversial as MS had himself criticized Shevardnadze for a similar move (https://civil.ge/archives/105999)
• During that business forum, Tbilisi and Moscow signed an agreement giving Georgia's go ahead for Russia's access to the WTO (https://civil.ge/archives/106005)
• Russia and Georgia also planned cooperation in drafting a new tax code (https://civil.ge/archives/106008)
• Aeroflot and Airzena started negotiations during the business forum on Aeroflot buying some shares of Airzena (https://civil.ge/archives/106009)
  • After the South Ossetia crisis, Aeroflot pulled out of the talks, citing "the current political situation in Georgia" (https://civil.ge/archives/116013)
• Russian bank Vneshtorgbank purchased controlling shares of United Georgian Bank (https://civil.ge/archives/106010)
• On 1 June 2004, less than a month after the departure of Abashidze, Kakha Bendukidze was announced as the new minister of Economy, a tycoon who served as CEO of United Heavy Machinery (https://civil.ge/archives/106024)
  • This move was praised by Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/106030)
• In June 2004, SZ proposed to create a joint anti-terrorism center with Russia during the base negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/106037)
• The negotiations were called upon on 31 May 2004 by SZ (https://civil.ge/archives/106053)
  • Moscow agreed on 10 June (https://civil.ge/archives/106073)
  • Russia asked for 300 million USD in return of the base pullout (https://civil.ge/archives/106154)
  • Negotiations formally began on 23 June 2004 in Moscow, headed by Igor Savolsky and Salome Zourabichvili (https://civil.ge/archives/105976)
• On 24 June 2004, Georgia arrested three Russian citizens from North Ossetia for espionnage. They were arrested in Java. Russia condemned the arrest (https://civil.ge/archives/106179)
• During the 2004 Istanbul NATO Summit, Lavrov said that Russia was ready to cooperate with NATO in the Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/106201)

• Amid South Ossetia crisis
• MS visited Moscow on 2 July 2004 and met with Putin over the South Ossetia crisis and the framework agreement which was scheduled for October (https://civil.ge/archives/106213)
  • MS pledged no foreign troops would be deployed in Georgia after the Russian troop withdrawal (https://civil.ge/archives/106218)
  • He attended an informal meeting of the CIS on 3 July in Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/106222)
• CIS border guards met in Batumi on 7-9 July 2004 to coordinate cooperation against drug trafficking (https://civil.ge/archives/106243)
• In the midst of the SO crisis, a Russian delegation arrived in Georgia on 15 July to start talks over the framework agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/115677)
  • Security and defense aspects remained the most disputable. Russia wanted to add a clause that would ban Georgia from accepting foreign bases on Georgian soil (https://civil.ge/archives/115688)
• Russian giant United Energy Systems held talks with Georgian leadership to pressure the privatization of energy facilities in Georgia, including HPPs like Enguri (https://civil.ge/archives/115723)
  • Gazprom reduced its gaas supplies to Georgia from 370,000 to 200,000 cubic meters of gas a day (https://civil.ge/archives/115728)
  • New Georgian ambassdor Valeri Chechelashvili called the finalization of the framework agreement the top priority in bilateral relations (https://civil.ge/archives/115762)
  • On July 22, MS signed a decree unilaterally simplifying visa requirements for Russian citizens who, from now on, could obtain visas at the border (https://civil.ge/archives/115764)
  • Tensions severely increased in early August 2004, with an increased amount of shootouts in South Ossetia and casualties and a complete breakdown of peace talks, and Russian increased steps of influence in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/115821)
    • These tensions came with an increased militarization of separatists in both regions (https://civil.ge/archives/115842)
  • On 10 August, amid the increased tensions, MS said he wanted a reset and new dialogue with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115835)
  • On 11 August, Tbilisi and Moscow signed a military cooperation protocol grantig Georgian officers th chance to undergo training at the military schools of Russian MOD during the official visit of Baramidze (https://civil.ge/archives/115852)
  • On August 18, Putin announced cancelling his visit to Georgia in the fall because of the conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/115892)
  • After the crisis ended on August 20 with the troops pullout, MP Givi Targamadze accused Russia of amassing troops in North Ossetia and planning direct military intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/115925)
  • Moscow was angry at the persistent protests at the Russian Embassy in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/115928)
  • MS stated on August 25 that Georgia wanted peace with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115930)
    • But Russia noted the military rhetoric of some officials in Georgia and accused Tbilisi of looking for a foreign enemy after the failed military adventure (https://civil.ge/archives/115935)
  • Zhirinovsky held a rally in support of SO on Aug 30 at the Georgian Embassy in Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/115828)
• Georgia offered Russia broad cooperation against terrorism following the Beslan tragedy (https://civil.ge/archives/115970)
  • The government sent ambulance crews and cars to Beslan as a sign of support (https://civil.ge/archives/115976)
• In September 2004, a good image of the situation in bilateral relations was said by Lavrov, who blamed Georgia on damaging the February 2004 agreement between Putin and MS by using unilateral and forceful steps against SO and Abkhazia, something that was not changed by the special services cooperation against terrorism (https://civil.ge/archives/116014)
  • A little time later, Putin stated that Georgia was put artificially together by the USSR and that Saakashvili broke his pledge to solve the conflicts peacefully by importing 3,500 troops in South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/116063)
• On September 14, Russia started imposing a blockade, banning Georgian bus companies from crossing the border and planning on cutting off its airspace from Georgian companies. This happened while Russia reinstaded railway link with Abkhazia. (https://civil.ge/archives/116058)
  • Following the Sep 2004 Astana Summit, despite tough relations on Abkhazia and a public spat between MS and VP, Tbilisi announced Russia would not cut air traffic (https://civil.ge/archives/116080)
• On Sep 20, MS peldged Tbilisi would not be confrontational with Russia and Georgia would be a balance between Moscow and the West (https://civil.ge/archives/116102)
  • From UNGA, he proposed a widespread new mechanism of cooperation between Moscow and Tbilisi, based on anti-terrorism (https://civil.ge/archives/116111)
• Georgia pushed successfully for a debate on Georgia-Russia relations at PACE in October 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/116192)
  • Tbilisi sought the appointment of a PACE rapporteur on Russia-Georgia relations (https://civil.ge/archives/116218)
  • At the debates, Georgia accused Russia of double standards on separatism (Chechnya) (https://civil.ge/archives/116226)
• The Lavrov visit to Georgia in October, announced after the Astana CIS summit, was seen as a new stage in the relations, one of complex relations but with a chance of constructive talks if hostile statetments and rhetorics ended. The Lavrov visit came as Putin cancelled his own (https://civil.ge/archives/116195)
• The closure of the Larsi checkpoint in September 2004 ended up being very costly financially to Georgia. It was closed after Beslan and started with buses (https://civil.ge/archives/116224)
• Russia reopened its border with Georgia and Azerbaijan on 22 October after a two month closure (https://civil.ge/archives/106396)
• In October 2004, Russian servicemen arriving at their bases at their visas delayed (https://civil.ge/archives/106468)
• Lavrov stated on 14 November that Russia supported the territorial integroty of Georgia but that Tbilisi had to take productive measures, using existing mecahnisms to solve the SO and Abkhazia conflicts. This was said while Abkhazia's presidential election crisis and a renewal of sporadic shootings in South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/106582)
• Georgia started soon distancing itself from the CIS, with Baramidze refusing to participate in a MOD session of the CIS in November 2004, calling it "yesterday's history" (https://civil.ge/archives/106655)
• On 10 December, Moscow offered the setting of a joint Russian-Georgian counterterrorism center instead of the bases (https://civil.ge/archives/106781)
• A ferry service between Poti and Kavkaz started operating in January 2005 to link the railways of Russia and Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/106836)
• Putin seems to have warmed back up in December 2004 following the attenuation of the Abkhazia crisis, after which he stated that he may visit Georgia and called the finalization of the framework agreement a priority (https://civil.ge/archives/106879)
• MS said in January 2005 that paranoia dominated the stance of some Russian politicians in their relations with Georgia, even though he had comfortable relations with Putin (https://civil.ge/archives/107028)
• A Russian Duma report on Georgia slammed the MS authorities for failing to normalize relations despite Russia's attempts, particularly since the summer of 2004, notably by failing to alleviate Russia's concerns in Pankisi (https://civil.ge/archives/107045)
• Vneshtorgbank bought majority shares of United Georgian Bank in January 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107087)
• EvrAzHolding (Russian) bought the Chiatura manganese factory and Vartsikhe HPP in January 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107090)
  • It withdrew from the bid in June over falling manganese prices (https://civil.ge/archives/108342)
• Gazprom asked for the privatization of Georgian gas pipeline system https://civil.ge/archives/107110)
• Negotiations over the military bases stalled for months over a refusal by Tbilisi to make a legal binding commitment against other bases, but resumed on Feb 10 (days after the death of Zhvania) (https://civil.ge/archives/107274)
  • At the outcome of these talks, Georgia announced negotiations had stalled over the framework agreement because of the refusal by Georgia to include a legally binding clause over the presence of foreign bases (https://civil.ge/archives/107286)
  • Around the same time, MS called at his annual parliamentary address for mutual compromises with Russia, saying he would continue to extend a hand of friendship which had been hanging for a year (https://civil.ge/archives/107277)
• In February 2005, Deputy FM Loshchinin answered to a question about the perceived decrease in Russian influence after the Rose Revolution that, "On the contrary, economic ties [with Georgia] have been boosted in the wake of the new leadership taking power [in Georgia]. The Russian presence in Georgia is more weighty than ever before: our capital reaches the most important strategic sectors [of Georgia], including the energy sector" (https://civil.ge/archives/107290)
• Bilateral trade reached 300 million USD in 2004, a record (https://civil.ge/archives/107293)
• Sergy Lavrov visited Georgia on 18 February 2005. During the visit he refused to lay a wreath at the memorial of fallen soldiers, after which SZ downgraded the visit from official to working (https://civil.ge/archives/107324)
  • Ahead of the visit, the Georgian FM outlined a goal of a plan that would involve concrete steps over the next three months and would culminate with MS signing the framework agreement in Moscow at the Victory Day (https://civil.ge/archives/107337)
  • During the visit, Lavrov and Zourabichvili agreed to intensify negotiations on six issues that would be taken out of the stalling drawer: framework agreement, military bases and anti-terrorism center, delimitation of border, conflict resolution and easing visa requirements (https://civil.ge/archives/107350)
    • For this, separate exert groups would be set up between both sides over the next two months.
    • Lavrov called this agreement a show that he left Georgia with a better stance, despite the fact that the visit was uneasy (https://civil.ge/archives/107364)
  • The Lavrov visit was followed the day after by a visit by Deputy FM Loshchinin to Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/107355)
  • During the Lavrov visit, Russia agreed to no longer demand a legally binding no-base agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/107343)
  • But Lavrov demanded the framework agreement to include a binding agreement to solve the conflicts peacefully (https://civil.ge/archives/107373)
• Shortly after the visit, MS admitted that negotiations were underway to sell the gas pipeline system to Gazprom (https://civil.ge/archives/107380)
  • This was criticized by the US government (https://civil.ge/archives/107400)
  • The Millenium inclusion of funds for pipeline rehabilitation which helped the gov rule out the pipeline trunk's privatization took place in April 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107909)
• The Russian MOD softened its stance by saying 3-4 years for withdrawal was possible on 10 March 2005. This was happening as Parliament was discussing making these bases illegal (https://civil.ge/archives/107524)
  • That same day, Parliament approved a resolution instructing the government to take measures against the bases (including visa and blockades) if an agreement was not reached before 15 May (https://civil.ge/archives/107531)
  • The resolution was called counterproductive by Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/107532)
  • Russia showed willingness to be constructive with SZ despite the resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/107537)
• Georgia delayed issuing a visa for Alexandre Bespalov, the new commander of the Russian Troops in the South Caucasus (HQed in Tbilisi). Some believed this was linked to the fact that Bespalov was unfavorable to Georgia because of previous ties to Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/107547)
• As Baghapsh and Kokoity visited Moscow on 18 March 2005 (context: Tbilisi prepares for SO political status proposal, Lavrov visited to Tbilisi took place weeks before, military base negotiations ongoing), Russian media reported and Tbilisi later confirmed that Sokhumi and Tskhinvali were preparing a proposal to Georgia on the creation of a State Union in the same format as Serbia-and-Montenegro. Moscow recognized that this was not acceptable to Tbilisi but the move was aimed at showing constriuctiveness through Russian intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/107595)
  • Russia offered a summit Saakashvili-Putin-Baghapsh-Kokoity in Sochi in April 2005, something that was refused by MS. (Context: Baghapsh previously refused to meet MS in Georgia) (https://civil.ge/archives/107707)
  • MS wantd such a summit to take place in Tbilisi only (https://civil.ge/archives/107753)
• Moscow stated during the Russian military base withdrawal that it needed 250-300 million USD for the process. It was announced on 22 March 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107621)
• Negotiations over the bases started in the format agreed during the Lavrov visit on 22 March 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107627)
  • Although the two sides saw they were deadlocked over timeframe (https://civil.ge/archives/107650)
• With the nomination of Irakli Chubinishili as ambassador to Russia on 13 April 2005, MS called for the warming of bilateral relations with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/107796)
• In late April, Tbilisi softened its stance and agreed on a pullout by 1 Jan 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/107885)
  • In parallel, Russia announced it would start working on border delimitation and visas with Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/107896)
  • Also in parallel, PM Noghaideli called for more Russian participation in privatization bids (https://civil.ge/archives/107908)
• SZ saw as normalization four issues: border delimitation, visa simplfication, shared conflict resolution understanding, and withdrawal of bases (https://civil.ge/archives/107910)
  • Moscow disliked MS's threat to not visit Russia for Victory Day if a base withdrwal treaty was not found (https://civil.ge/archives/107912)
  • Bush pushed Russia on base withdrawal during his Moscow visit on 9 May (https://civil.ge/archives/107958)
  • Ivanov intervened on 4 May as MOD and said Russia would need at least four years for the base withdrawal (https://civil.ge/archives/107944)
  • Ivanov was accused by Givi Targamadze of obstructing the negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/107969)
  • After the Ivanov intervention, Zourabichvili and Lavrov held a phone talk where they agreed that negotiations would continue on 6 May in Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/107970)
  • At their first session in Moscow, SZ and Lavrov failed to agree on a timeframe (https://civil.ge/archives/107987)
  • MS boycotted the Moscow visit as a result (https://civil.ge/archives/107988)
  • America intervened and stated that it would not ratify the Adapted CFE Treaty if Russia failed to meet its 1999 commitments (https://civil.ge/archives/107993)
  • As talks were failing, Tbilisi threatened to act on the resolution adopted before, which was qualified as blackmail by Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/108040)
  • Lavrov then threatened to pull out of the talks (https://civil.ge/archives/108044)
  • Okruashvili said the next day (May 13) that Georgia would not take radical steps in the nearest days as Moscow submitted new proposals (https://civil.ge/archives/108053)
  • The US Senate adopted a resolution calling for the withdrawal of the bases on 12 May (https://civil.ge/archives/108055)
  • Lavrov refused to meet SZ at the COE Summit of Warsaw on 16 May (https://civil.ge/archives/108059)
  • Lavrov after all met in Warsaw with SZ where the two agreed on resuming negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/108070)
  • Moscow said on May 17 it agreed to leave sometime in 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/108079)
  • On 23 May, talks resumed in Tbilisi between a group of experts (https://civil.ge/archives/108118)
  • As a result of these talks, Russia agreed to close the bases within 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/108121)
  • MS then pledged not to deploy foreign troops, which was praised by Russia, which still asked for a legally binding document (https://civil.ge/archives/108154)
  • Putin and MS held a phone talk on May 26 where they almost reached a compromise (https://civil.ge/archives/108160)
  • A final agreement was reached on 30 May in Moscow that envisioned the withdrawal first from Ahalkalaki and then from Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/108178)
  • It also envisioned first set of hardware withdrawal by 1 Sep 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108180)
  • Zourabichvili stated that a new stage in bilateral relations had started (https://civil.ge/archives/108193)
• MS said he was ready to lift the visa regime entirely with Russia on the basis of an agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/107930)
• In the 15 May 2005 submitted NS Concept, Russia was cited as a strategic partner (https://civil.ge/archives/108060)
• After the signing of the base agreement, MS continued to refuse to visit Moscow until Putin visited Georgia to sign the framework agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/108218)
  • On 8 June 2005, Putin approved the creation of a 21-member governmental commssion to work on the framework agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/108263)
• Russia handed over the Batumi Military Base to Georgia in an official ceremony on 13 November 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/113539)

• Glucksmann
  • His first meeting with Putin was in the Kremlin at the end of February 2004. After that meeting, he described Putin as a pragmatic leader concerned with the interests of his country and very hostile to diplomatic options but open to discussion. MS assessed that while chances for friendship were low, he preferred someone cold and calculating like Putin than someone warm and unpredictible like Yeltsin (153)
    • During that meeting, MS affirmed to Putin that he was not a CIA agent. Putin agreed, but nonetheless accused members of his government of being CIA agents (154)
  • When Yushchenko first met Putin, Yushchenko called MS, who had warned him to be careful and not to believe his first impressions, to tell him to listen to Putin, that he was a pragmatic leader (155)
  • In March 2004, MS participated in a political debate live on Russia's first channel. The debate was allegedly won by MS. After that, Gleb Pavlovski, head of strategic comms of the Kremlin, started restraining political debates on talk shows (157)

• The Force Awakens
  • Russia and Georgia had tough relations in the war against organized crime. Ivanov once negotiated the release of Chai-Chai. Chubais called Saakashvili a pathologist when he refused to release Mirtskhulava (129)
  • Large Russian investments from Georgian-Russian businessmen like Soso Orjonikidze (former vice-mayor of Moscow) who built a hotel in Kobuleti and the Kempinsky Hotel in Batumi (150-151) or also Malghania (from Gali, Russian) who built the Hilton Hotel in Batumi (151)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4950&i=1
  • In his February 2005 parliamentary address, he stated: "I am ready to go to Moscow again. I am ready to meet President Putin again. I am ready to extend our hand of friendship again, which, despite the fact that Georgian society welcomed this a year ago, has remained in the air."

Entre partenariat et tensions

• Zourabichvili
  • Bendukidze opposed the American offer to buy the pipeline linking Russia to Armenia via Georgia, instead favoring Gazprom (245)
    • This reveals to be a big deal in Russia's strategy to build itself a corridor toward Iran (245)
  • David Morshiladze, Gazprom's rep in Georgia, was very influential with Bendukidze and tried to be appointed as Deputy MFA under SZ (246)
  • Bendukidze's position to sell to the highest bidder privatization assets, even if the highest bidder was Moscow, worried the US, who had to dispatch Deputy SOS Elizabeth Jones to Georgia to warn the Georgian government (246)
  • America would be forced to include financing the pipeline's renovations in its Millenium Challenge agreement, as renovations were the biggest argument for the privatization (246)
  • In the days following Zhvania's death, Vano Merabishvili unveiled in February 2005 a bomb plot that killed three police officers in Gori, accusing directly Russia of being behind the terrorist attack and would later arrest three Russians for the attack (257)
  • On 27 January 2006, two explosions on Russian territory damage the pipeline that services Georgia and Georgia accused the same day Russia of sabotage, despite the lack of investigation. (259)
  • On 3 February 2006, on the anniversary of the death of Zhvania, Merabishvili accuses a terrorist attack of having taken place when an IGLA missile is found near Kareli near the SO conflict zone, right under the flight path of MS's plane. Merabishvili hinted this was an attack by Russia, even though the missile was destroyed immediately on the spot, its serial number was erased, and security forces could not investigate it. (260)
  • On 28 March 2006, Simon Kiladze, a press employee of the presidential administration, is arrested on allegations of spying for a foreign power, allegedly Russia (260-261)
    • After this arrest, MS set a deadline for foreign spies to cooperate with Georgian special services by 1 May or face arrest/deportations (https://civil.ge/archives/110237)

• In July 2005, Tbilisi (Merabishvili) accused Russian GRU of being behind the Gori terrorist attack, something denied as "depressingly stupid" by Ivanov (https://civil.ge/archives/108596)
  • Despite this report, MS stated publicly that he was still ready to cooperate peacefully with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/108585)
• The first convoy departed the Batumi base on 30 July (https://civil.ge/archives/108606)
• During a 27 Aug 2005 meeting in Kazan on the sidelines of the CIS Summit, MS stated to Putin that problems had not been created during their presidencies, but they could solve them (https://civil.ge/archives/108755)
  • At the same summit, SZ stated that bilateral relations had stopped worsening (https://civil.ge/archives/108761)
  • But Putin ruled out visiting Georgia in 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108775)
• In September 2005, Russia and Georgia agreed on an agreement that allowed Russia to use Georgia as transit for access to its base in Gyumri (https://civil.ge/archives/108817)
• On 9 September, MS accused Russia of militarizing the breakaway regions and claimed that SO was not an Ossetian-Georgian problem but a Russo-Georgian conflict, adding that Georgia benefited from the support of the US in this conflict although it tried to resolve it through peaceful means (https://civil.ge/archives/108822)'
  • Ivanov said four days later that Moscow would revise its policy toward Georgia in case of NATO integration (https://civil.ge/archives/108844)
  • Russia also complained about the delivery of arms by NATO member states and Tbilisi called on Moscow not to meddle (https://civil.ge/archives/108850)
• Relations hit a new low on 11 October 2005 when Parliament approved a resolution instructing the Georgian government to take steps for the preparation of the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers based on their performance in 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/109024)
  • Russia did not flinch (https://civil.ge/archives/109029)
  • A delegation of Russian senators visited Abkhazia two days later 9https://civil.ge/archives/109041)
  • A war of words started: Tbilisi condemned Moscow's support for separatists, Moscow condemned Tbilisi for wanting to use force in conflict resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/109048)
• On October 17, Russia boycotted the Russian-Georgian Economic Commission in response to Parliament's condemnation of peacekeeping forces (https://civil.ge/archives/109049)
• Russia demanded in October 2005 Georgia to enforce the Agreement on the Control of Portable Anti-Aircraft Missile Systems (which was not being enforced by Turkmenistan and Georgia) of the CIS (https://civil.ge/archives/109144)
• On 22 November 2005, NB hinted for the first time the idea of Georgia withdrawing from the CIS after it boycotted the CIS PA due to the Russian Embassy refusing to issue a visa to MP Givi Targamadze. (https://civil.ge/archives/109243)
  • MS stated on 1 December that he would not seek to withdraw from the CIS and denied attempting to form an anti-Russia coalition (https://civil.ge/archives/109306)
  • Despite this, the Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Relations adopted a resolution on 15 December instructing the MoE to submit information about the economic damages tied to withdrawing from the CIS, with Chair Kote Gabashvili publicly backing withdrawal in favor of NATO accession (https://civil.ge/archives/109396)
• On 24 November 2005, Tbilisi stated it would refuse Russia's bid to access the WTO in exchange for access to Roki and Adler-Leselidze border point (https://civil.ge/archives/109263)
• The National Military Strategy of Georgia was adopted in November 2005 and included the presence of Russian bases and peacekeepers as potential threats. This was slammed by Russia as "absurd" and "unreasonable". (https://civil.ge/archives/109297)
  • But Georgia's MFA doubled down on 1 December (https://civil.ge/archives/109303)
• The 16 December Russian-Georgian Intergovernmental Commissio for Economic Commission session (sixth) led to the signature of a final protocol envisaging the setting up of a joint consortium to open the railway (https://civil.ge/archives/109398)
  • Putin praised the signature of the protocol, saying it was a positive step in bilateral relations (https://civil.ge/archives/109408)
• At the Hong Kong December WTO Miisterial Conference, Georgia called on Russia to put the illegal trade at the Roki and Abkhazia checkpoints in check, calling them illegal checkpoints in violations of bilateral agreements, and to check the black of market of fake Georgian wines and mineral waters in Russia for Russia's accession to the WTO. It also demanded stronger controls at the Kazbegi Zemo Larsi checkpoint and the Port of Kavkaz. (https://civil.ge/archives/109402)
  • A few days later on Dec 19, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture imposed temporary restrictions on agricultural products from Georgia, citing sanitary cncerns (https://civil.ge/archives/109415) This was particularly a ban on tangerines.
  • This came as Gazprom was almost doubling its prices for Georgia, which MS called political pressure (https://civil.ge/archives/109463)
• Lavrov noted that political problems had risen between bth countries, even though this did not have to impact economic cooperation, since Zourabichvili left (https://civil.ge/archives/109457)
• On 3 January 2006, Grigory Karasin stated that Russia would sign a new framework agreement only after Georgia stopped its anti-Russia rhetoric and political relations improved (https://civil.ge/archives/100456)
  • In response, the Georgian MFA stated it was in no need to rush the signature (https://civil.ge/archives/109482)
• MS wrote an article in the Washington Post on 9 January 2006 slamming Russia's political pressure against Georgia and Ukraine using gas prices, claiming increased prices had nothing to do with free markets (https://civil.ge/archives/109537)
• MS directly blamed Russia for the energy crisis of January 2006 which happened when two gas pipelines and the Kavkasioni power line blew up following terrorist explosions in the North Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/109632)
  • The crisis was made worse as most of Georgia was left without energy, especially as equioment from rescue energy sources from Azerbaijan was damaged at the Russo-Georgian border (https://civil.ge/archives/109640)
  • Many criticized MS's sharp criticism and abrupt accusation of Russia as he tried to tone down his words in the following days (https://civil.ge/archives/109651)
  • Moscow stated that the explosions may have been planned by those wanting to see a deterioration in bilateral ties (https://civil.ge/archives/109677)
  • On January 28, Tbilisi cut off gas supply to the Russian Embassy and to the Gazprom office in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/109705), which was severely condemned by Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/109708)
  • After the end of the crisis, Putin said that MS's behavior hindred the improvement of bilateral relations (https://civil.ge/archives/109723)
  • On Jan 25, MS signed a decree withdrawing Georgia from the CIS Defense Ministers Council (https://civil.ge/archives/109760)
• The Tkviavi 31 January 2006 incident: NSC calls Russian peacekeepers a threat to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/109734)
• Example of complex situation: Peace, Freedom and Democracy for Geogia concert, which hosted Bryan Adams an was held in September 2008 to raise funds for victims of the war, was sponsored by Madneuli, owned by the Russian Industrial Investors Group (https://civil.ge/archives/117514)

• Stent
  • Stent states that originally, Putin was willing to work with Saakashvili, but the latter did not give Putin the respect he thought he deserved (161)

Embargo et conflit

• Some of Georgia’s western partners were left unconvinced following Saakashvili’s virulent verbal attack against Russia at the UN General Assembly on September 26 2007. (https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/attach/174/174106_CACIA18.pdf)
  • The President accused Moscow of carrying out “terror missions” in the country and of leading the Abkhazians into warfare, in reference to the two Russian officers killed on September 20 in the Kodori Gorge.
  • At the Dushanbe Summit of the CIS in 2007, Georgia refused to sign the final document which called for cooperation on migration, anti-terrorism and military.

• Anchabadze
  • The rapprochement between Georgia and the West caused Russian dissatisfaction, including the ban of Georgian products, severing trade and travel. (192)

• Russia built a military base in 2006 near Tskhinvali large enough to house 2,500 soldiers, violating international law (AD, 478)
  • In parallel, it increased its military forces illegally in Abkhazia, bringing additional detachements to Abkhazia, including paratroopers, assault units and heavy equipment.

• Zourabichvili
  • After SZ's removal, the mention of Gudauta was removed from a new agreement (113)
  • On 20 August 2006, the MIA launched a special operation across Georgia against Igor Giorgadze's party members, accused of trying to destabilize Georgia on behalf of Russia (262)
    • During that special op, TV presents widely money and weapns caches allegedly confiscated, but a trial, if it happens, is never made public and Irina Sarishvili, head of the party, continues to travel freely between Tbilisi and Moscow (262)
  • On 27 September 2006, one of the worst crises of the Tbilisi-Moscow relations took place when the MIA accused Moscow of operating a spy ring in Georgia from its embassy, arresting four men and leading to a diplomatic crisis between Putin and Saakashvili, with both leaders overreacting (262-263).
  • The 7 August 2007 Tsitel Ubani involved the violation of Georgian airspace by Russian planes and the dropping of a bomb that did not explode. This led to the most inflamatory anti-Russian comments by MS yet (266)
    • But questions arose quickly: why was the President allowed to get so close to an unexploded bomb? Why didn't the NSC gather immediately following this? Why was the bomb destroyed before the arrivl of foreign experts? Why were the radars shut off just before the bomb was dropped? (26-267)
  • Georgia had to allow Russian boats go to Abkhazia after threatening to drown even civil boats (268)
  • The sale of Enguri to Russia seems to be to have Russia consolidate MS's power (292-293)
    • Criticism was there as it justified Russian presence in Abkhazia (293-294)
  • The sale of vast strategic outlets to Russia included energetic distriction, water distribution networks to Tbilisi, port terminals, HPPs, azote factories, gold and manganses mines, vineries, hospitals, hotels and riviera lands, the communication sector, banks, real estate. (294)
  • The water distribution network of Tbilisi was actually bought by Russia in October 2008 despite French Veolia's bid. (294)
  • In February 2009, the Russians would purchase the railway (294-295)
  • The expulsion of the four spies from Georgia would lead to the violent deportations of 600 Georgians and a vast anti-Georgian racist campaign in Russia (304-305)

• Rayfield
  • Russia rfused visas and banned the import of Georgian wine and mineral water (398)
  • Georgians went around this and reached Moscow by taking the train from Minsk (398)
  • Wine-makers were encouraged to improve quality and sell to western markets (398)
  • Georgia blocked Russia's membership to the WTO (398)
  • Russia increased tensons by giving Russian passports to 80% of the separatist populations and holding intimidatory army and navy exercises in the Caucasus and Black Sea (398)
  • After the 27 September 2006 spy scandal, Russia closed all lins and frontier crossings with Georgia, gas supplies were cut or doubled in price. (398)

• Kavadze
  • In February 2006, Russia stopped issuing visas to Georgians (73)
  • In March 2006, the export of Georgian wine, mineral water, agricultural products and others were banned (73)
  • In July 2006, the Lars border checkpoint was closed temporarily, distrubing the main transportation connection with Russia (73)
  • After the 2006 spy scandal, Russia recalled its dilomatic staff from Tbilisi and suspended all transport and postal links. Georgian-run businesses in Russia were harassed and thoisands of Georgans were deported from Russia (73)
  • The Kremlin launched a vocifeoirous campaigned ant0Georgia using the media and anti-Georgian sentiments (73-74)
  • In January 2007, Gazprom doubled the price of gas imports to Georgia (74)
  • On 14 July 2006 (?) Georgia renounced its bilateral market access agreement on Russia's accession to the WTO (74)
  • It can be said that the first phase of Georgia-Russia relations under MS, which lasted more or less until the Tskhinvali battle, was one of close cooperation where Putin sought after the stabilization of Georgia through regular visits by Ivanov (355-356)
  • MS's first official visit was to Moscow where he promised Putin coordination on the international arena(356)
  • The spy scandal also arrested at least 10 Georgians (440)
  • Putin convened an urgent session of his NSC following the spy scandal in which he accused MS of trying to ridicule Russia (440)
  • Javier Solana and Jaap de Hoop Scheffer urged MS to not escalate the tensions (440)
  • On 2 October, OSCE Chairman in Office Karel De Gucht arrived in Tbilisi to oversee the handoff of the prisoners. MS staged a show: the detainees were escorted by pretty eorgian policewomen, paraded in the courtyard of the prosecutor general's office in front of the internaional and local media. (440)
  • Putin recalled Ambassador Kovalenko and began the evacuation of the embassy staff from Georgia, and then took other measures, including stopping the the issue of entry visas, cut all air, sea, land and railway links and stop all postal communications, eventually even mass detaining and deporting Georgians and banning the import of Georgian products and suspending the withdrawal of military forces stationed in Georgia (440)

• As the Kosovo example started to take shape, Kokoity met Ivanov in February 2006, after which Ivanov stated he met with the President of South Ossetia, in response to which Tbilisi stated that Russia was not an impartial facilitator any longer (https://civil.ge/archives/109754)
  • On 31 January, Putin instructed his MFA to make sure that the Kosovo solution was made universal, hinting that he would exchange recognition of Kosovo for that of Abkhazia. This was the same day as the truncated UNSC resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/109805)
    • The US officially rejected the universality concept, arguing that each conflict was unique (https://civil.ge/archives/110096)
• Tensions increased in South Ossetia in February 2006. However, despite serious conciliary steps taken by Tbilissi, Russia did not appease, particularly in the aftermath of the energy crisis. This new crisis was launched by Parliament's adoption of a resolution for the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers. On 21 February, Zurab Noghaideli's visit to Russia was cancelled by Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/109931)
  • The same day, the Russian Embassy in Georgia stopped issuing visas to Georgian citizens (https://civil.ge/archives/109932)
    • Small partial resumption of visas on 10 March (https://civil.ge/archives/110083)
    • Final resumption on 21 March (https://civil.ge/archives/110174)
  • Two Su-25 Frogfoot Russian jets violated the Georgian airspace in the Kazbegi district on 21 Feb (https://civil.ge/archives/109937)
  • MS called for ignoring Russia's provocative actions and rhetoric (https://civil.ge/archives/109939)
• WTO Issue: Russia and Georgia hold talks in Generva on 23 March 2006, during which both sides fail to reach an agreement or to make any progress. (https://civil.ge/archives/110199)
  • Georgia kept its previous demands and added two measures: giving up the practice of unilaterally banning imports of Georgian agricultural products and letting the import of wine and spirits through the Zemo Larsi border checkpoint. (https://civil.ge/archives/110200)
  • Russia was only willing to agree to the fight against falsified Georgian wine and mineral water on Russian markets.
  • On 27 March, Russia's Sanitary Service issued a customs ban of Georgian and Moldovan wines (https://civil.ge/archives/110236)
  • Georgia tried to soften Russia's position by signing a military transit agreement in Sochi on 31 March that gave Russia access to its Armenia base through Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/110264)
  • 90% of Georgian wine exports went to Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/110246)
  • MS called this an economic embargo (https://civil.ge/archives/110287)
  • On 4 April, Moscow banned spirits and sparkling wine from Georgia and Moldova (https://civil.ge/archives/110298)
  • The Geogian government provided tax exemptions to winemakers and worked with foreign partners like Ukraine and Kazakhstan to expand the remianing clientele (https://civil.ge/archives/110302)
  • Tbilisi proposed Moscow to do joint wine inspections (https://civil.ge/archives/110313)
  • MS at times led a mixed policy, condemning the embargo but also praising positive examples of cooperation, like the Azoti chemical factory (a symbol of Russian presence in the privatization sector) and the base withdrawal agreement and transit agreement signed the same days (https://civil.ge/archives/110315)
  • Parliament renewed talks of withdrawing from the CIS as a result (https://civil.ge/archives/110347)
    • At the Foreign Ministerial of 21 April, Georgia only sent a Deputy FM Antadze (https://civil.ge/archives/110402)
    • At that summit, Russia blocked the addition of the wine row on the agenda (https://civil.ge/archives/110421)
• The 31 March 2006 agreement signed on Russian base pullout ignored Gudauta, which was severly criticized by the opposition, while the joint declaration signed a year earlier under SZ secured Gudauta pullout under international monitoring (https://civil.ge/archives/110375)
  • Russia proposed German inspection of the Gudauta base (https://civil.ge/archives/110501)
    • But when a NATO MP led by Pierre Lellouche visited Abkhazia, it was refused access to the Gudauta base (https://civil.ge/archives/110531)
  • And Russia continued pushing in April 2006 for the establishment of a joint anti-terrorism center in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/110405)
• Despite other tensions, Georgia and Russia continued cooperating on border delimitation and in the end of April 2006, the two sides announced they agreed on several sections of the state border (https://civil.ge/archives/110458)
• On 2 May, Zurab Noghaideli said the government was starting discussions on possible CIS withdrawal (https://civil.ge/archives/110487)
  • Bendukidze proposed a series of bilateral free trade agreements instead of the CIS multilateral ones (https://civil.ge/archives/110487)
  • The same day, MS stataed he ordered the government to study the possible consequences of withdrawal (https://civil.ge/archives/110492)
  • He also launched massive criticism of Russia on several aspects: militarization of the so-called border with South Ossetia (where 25 border guards were allegedly employees of the Russian border guard department), MegaPhone replacing Georgian phone operators illegally. (https://civil.ge/archives/110493)
• On May 3, Tbilisi accused Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia of extortion of local residents and violence (https://civil.ge/archives/110502)
• On May 4, Russia banned the import of Borjomi, 60% of whose market shares were in Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/110520)
  • Nabeghlavi was banned on 5 May (https://civil.ge/archives/110530)
• The wine crisis pitted MS against wine manufacturers, who accused him of costing them their business for political purposes. MS publicly slammed winemakers for failing to reach new markets like China (https://civil.ge/archives/110548)
• 23 May 2006: As Igor Giorgadze returns to the public space from his Moscow exile, MS accuses Russia of being a safe haven for criminals (https://civil.ge/archives/110653)
  • Russian officials hinted that Moscow would grant political asylum to Giorgadze (https://civil.ge/archives/110619)
  • Giorgadze threatened to organize a Revolution of Nettles in Georgia if MS refused to hold early parliamentary and presidential elections, claiming Russia would provide him assistance (https://civil.ge/archives/110659)
  • The Russian Ambassador to Tbilisi was summoned (https://civil.ge/archives/110664)
  • The opposition alleged that MS was using Giorgadze as a scarecrow against his opposition, hinting at potential ties with the wanted terrorist (https://civil.ge/archives/110670)
  • In return, the ruling party offered the opposition joint participation in an investigative commission to prove the Justice Party's financing (https://civil.ge/archives/110698)
  • Giorgadze sought partnership with Kokoity (https://civil.ge/archives/110711)
• 30 May 2006: Georgia accuses Moscow of only partially following its obligations under the CFE Treaty because of its military prsence in Gudauta (https://civil.ge/archives/110707)
• Moscow and Tbilisi held another round of tensions in late May 2006 when Russia chose to rotate its peacekeepers in SO through the Roki Tunnel against Georgian demands, which led to Tbilisi threats of reconsidering once again the need for Russian peacekeepers in the region (https://civil.ge/archives/110718)
• 13 June 2006: Putin set to meet MS in Saint Petersburg, to discuss largely about the separatist conflicts (https://civil.ge/archives/110758)
  • No breakthrough was expected but officials underlined that the resumption of high-level dialogue was a positive sign in itself. (https://civil.ge/archives/110837)
  • In a press conference after the meeting, they both emphasized the importance of economic ties. Russia turned out to have increased its investments in Georgia fivefold in 2005. (https://civil.ge/archives/110838)
  • Putin also said that the countries' relations "are not normal" and the talks were very frank. He said solutions to the problems were not found during the meeting but the sides expressed the desire to work over these problems jointly. (https://civil.ge/archives/110839)
  • During the statements, some sharp comments were made. MS accused Russia of annexation of Georgian territories, while Putin mentioned the right to self-determination. MS accused Moscow of directly governing the territories. The wine issue was not discussed. Putin also accused Tbilisi of doing a 360 on Abashidze after it was MS who asked Russia to harbor Abashidze (https://civil.ge/archives/110840)
  • At home, the talks were thought to yield no result, although MS's attacks at the press conference were praised by the ruling party (https://civil.ge/archives/110836)
  • Lavrov said the meeting would lead to more measured bilateral relations, while criticizing Tbilisi for refusing to sign an agreement on non-resumption of hostilities (https://civil.ge/archives/110867)
  • MS eventually hinted he offered Putin to abandon Euro-Atlantic integration in return for territorial integrity (https://civil.ge/archives/110877)
• 29 June 2006: G8 Ministerial in Moscow. Moscow opposes the discussion of frozen conflicts at first, despite Georgian requests (https://civil.ge/archives/110911)
  • The issue was nonethtless discussed, along with Transnistria (https://civil.ge/archives/110939)
• 14 July: Following an explosion in Tskhinvali that some blame on Tbilisi, the Georgian MFA accuses Russia of plotting a military intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/111059). Georgia accuses Russia of sending military hardware to SO (https://civil.ge/archives/111067)
• 14 July: Georgia expresses willingness to reopen negotiations on Russia's WTO accession (https://civil.ge/archives/111064)
• July 17: Kremlin claims that Georgia has requested a Putin-Saakashvili meeting on the sidelines of an informal CIS summit on 21-22 July )https://civil.ge/archives/111084)
• July 18: Parliament passes anti-peacekeeper resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/111094) MS claims he will decide on the peacekeeper issue after meeting with Putin, which implied the whole resolution was a leverage (https://civil.ge/archives/111112)
• On 20 July, Okruashvili stated that Georgia would renounce all agreements with Abkhazia and South Ossetia within a month and act to solve the conflicts (https://civil.ge/archives/111124). The MS-Putin meeting planned in Moscow was cancelled (https://civil.ge/archives/111125)
• Border delimitation between both states was at a stalemate not only around the conflict zones but also with the Larsi, Pichvebi and Chero-Intsokhi sections of the border (https://civil.ge/archives/115050)
• 14 August: Bezhuashvili condemns the delay in reopening the Zemo Larsi border checkpoint, closed down on 8 July. It was believed the closure was an attempt to direct trade through Abkhazia and South Ossetia. (https://civil.ge/archives/115099)
• 17 August: Georgia refuses Russia's help in fighting a large fire in Adigeni (https://civil.ge/archives/115124)
• 31 August: The Zemo Larsi border checkpoint partially reopens until September 3 (https://civil.ge/archives/115230)
• 6 September: 29 activists linked to Giorgadze's Justice Party are arrested on coup plot allegations in a special operation across the country. Among them were Temur Zhorzholiani of the Conservative-Monarchist Party, Maia Nikolaishvili of the Anti-Soros Movement. Arrests take place in Batumi, Zugdidi, Samtredia, Gori and Kakheti (https://civil.ge/archives/115259)
  • This happened while MS was in Poland (https://civil.ge/archives/115264)
  • Duma Speaker Boris Grizlov called this the "establishment of an authoritarian regime in Georgia" (https://civil.ge/archives/115263)
• 8 September: In his Harvest Speech from Gurjaani, MS slams Russia and accuses it of fighting against Georgia using economic tools, a smear campaign and local collaborators through the Justice Party (https://civil.ge/archives/115283)
• 9 September: Another Justice Party activist is arrested for a failed bomb plot in central Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/115290)
• 10 September: Putin states that there is no difference between Kosovo and Abkhazia/SO (https://civil.ge/archives/115308)
• 11 September: Belgrade calls on a ban of arms export to Georgia because weapons may be used against Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115323)
• 12 September:
  • Russian MPs led by Boris Grizlov announce plans to observe South Ossetian elections (https://civil.ge/archives/115309)
  • A Kremlin official denies planning a coup in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/115314)
• 22 September: Saakasshvili does his UNGA address in which he proposes a fresh roadmap to conflict resolution and accuses Russia of trying to annex. He bashed Russia for linking Kosovo to Abkhazia/SO, claiming this was a "deeply immoral" attempt by Russia to block progress in the Balkans and warned that this path would promote separatism in the Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/115398)
  • Lavrov slammed him for "distorted facts" (https://civil.ge/archives/115396)
• 23 September:
  • Visiting Paris, Putin calls MS an "especially emotional person who is very concerned about the situation in his concern" and stated that Russia was ready to act as a guarantor in the settlement of frozen conflicts (https://civil.ge/archives/115403)
  • From New York, Lavrov hinted that "having hot and not frozen conflicts in the region is not in a long-term interest of those countries which try to have their influence there" (https://civil.ge/archives/115406)

SPY SCANDAL

• 27 September:
  • Police seals off an area around the HQ of the Russian Troops in the Transcaucasus. Moscow is not informed why (https://civil.ge/archives/115416)
  • Russian media announce that 4 Russian soldiers are missing, including 2 from Batumi and 2 from the HQ (https://civil.ge/archives/115431)
  • In the evening, Merabishvili announces the neutralization of a spy ring made of 4 Russian GRU officers and 11 Georgian citizens, commanded from Yerevan by Anatoly Sinitsin and allegedly behind the 1 February 2005 Gori terrorist act. (https://civil.ge/archives/115432)
  • They are soon charged with espionage while the Georgian Ambassador to Russia is summoned by the Russian MFA (https://civil.ge/archives/115430)
  • Russia claims the four officers are in charge of base pullout (https://civil.ge/archives/115433)
  • Okruashvili announces that Georgian forces would not remove the police cordon from the Russian HQ as long as Russia did not agree to extradite the fifth spy from the HQ (https://civil.ge/archives/115435)
• 28 September:
  • Ivanov claims seven Russian officers are beaten and arrested in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/115438)
  • Russia stops issuing visas to Georgian citizens (https://civil.ge/archives/115439)
  • Lavrov claims this is a Russian provocation aimed at a forceful resolution of the SO and Abkhazia conflicts (https://civil.ge/archives/115440)
  • Russian MP Victor Yluchkin, Deputy Chair of the Security Committee, called for a Union State between Georgia and Russia as a solution for the conflicts (https://civil.ge/archives/115444)
• Russia recalls Ambassador Vichaslav Kovalenko and launches a partial evacuation of its citizens from Georgia, which MS calls hysteria (https://civil.ge/archives/115448)
• 29 September:
  • Russia cancels border delimitation negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/115456)
  • The 4 Russian spy suspects appear in front of the Tbilisi City Court for a closed preliminary hearing (https://civil.ge/archives/115460). They are sent to pre-trial custody (https://civil.ge/archives/115468)
  • Okruashvili claims Russia has lost all measures to pressure Georgia with the occupied territories and embargo (https://civil.ge/archives/115461)
  • NATO refuses to play a direct role in the spy row and calls on both sides for restraint (https://civil.ge/archives/115466)
  • MP Sergey Mironov claims this arrest is a proof that preparations for war are underway (https://civil.ge/archives/115469)
  • The opposition backs MS in this (https://civil.ge/archives/115476)
  • In Sochi, Kokoity and Baghapsh participate in a roundtable discussion with Putin on Economic Development of South Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115484). In his speech, Putin welcomed them as Presidents. (https://civil.ge/archives/115486)
• 30 September
  • The Russian Embassy is entirely pulled out of the field, except for security guards and 2 diplomats (https://civil.ge/archives/115474)
  • Russia threatens to suspend base pullout (https://civil.ge/archives/115477)
  • Russia announces navy maneuvers in the Georgian EEZ (https://civil.ge/archives/115479)
  • MPs from Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transdnestria sign an agreement in Sokhumi on the creation of a Parliamentary Assembly HQd in Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/115486)
• 1 October:
  • OSCE Chair Karel De Gucht offers to mediate the spy scandal (https://civil.ge/archives/115491)
  • At a meeting of the Russian Security Council, Putin describes the arrests as state terrorism, which MS called a nervous overreaction (https://civil.ge/archives/185603)
• 2 October:
  • MP Sergey Mironov says Russia would not forgive being spat on (https://civil.ge/archives/115495)
  • Avlabari announces Georgia will transfer the arrested officers to the OSCE (https://civil.ge/archives/115496)
  • Duma starts considering a bill to ban money transfers to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/115497)
  • The Russian Ministry of Transportation cuts air, sea, railway and land traffic with Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/115498)
  • Seoaratist authorities announce pulling out of talks with Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/115499)
  • Karl De Gucht arrives in Tbilisi and meets MS (https://civil.ge/archives/115500)
  • Handover ceremony takes place on live television in front of the General Prosecutor's Office. On live TV, an officer from the Prosecutor's Office read their sentence of being banned from Georgia. Then they were moved to OSCE cars toward Airport (https://civil.ge/archives/185604)
  • The OSCE and he EU hailed the release (https://civil.ge/archives/115506) and the US (https://civil.ge/archives/115512) and Kofi Annan (https://civil.ge/archives/115524)
• 3 October
  • MP Boris Grizlov states that any possible sanction adopted against Georgia are directed at the Saakashvili regime and not the Georgian people (https://civil.ge/archives/115515)
  • In Russia, Georgian-owned businesses are brobed, Federal Migration Service scrutinizes invitation letters for entry visas, the Georgian National Ballet show in St Petersburg is cancelled (https://civil.ge/archives/115529)
• 4 October
  • In a public speech, Putin warns Georgia against speaking the language of provocation and blackmail (https://civil.ge/archives/115530)
  • From Strasbourg, Lavrov calls on PACE to investigate the constitutionality of the Saakashvili gvernment, calls on friendly relations with the Georgian people, and bashes the foreign patrons of MS (https://civil.ge/archives/115531)
• 5 October: Russia cancsls employment quotas for Georgians, with a major official saying that every 100th Georgia is a criminal (https://civil.ge/archives/115548)
• 6 October:
  • Russian authorities launch a campaign to track down illegal Georgian migrants by identifying students with Georgian last names in Moscow schools (https://civil.ge/archives/115567)
  • Zurab Tsereteli and Boris Akunin are targeted by Russian Tax Services (https://civil.ge/archives/115571)
  • Putin writes a letter to the OSCE Chair in Office to put pressure on Georgia to give up plans to solve the conflicts through force (https://civil.ge/archives/115578)
  • 130 Georgians are deported from Russia. Tbilisi denounces a light form of ethnic cleansing (https://civil.ge/archives/115583)
• 8 October: Saakashvili states being ready to meet Putin to defuse tensions after Russia's refusal of international mediation (https://civil.ge/archives/185483)
• 9 October:
  • Another 100 Georgians are deported (https://civil.ge/archives/111160)
  • The British Foreign Office calls on both sides for restraint (https://civil.ge/archives/111162)
• 10 October: 119 Georgians are deported (https://civil.ge/archives/111172)
• 12 October: Saakashvili publishes an oped on Wall Street Journal calling Russia's actions an "unprovoked onslaught" (https://civil.ge/archives/111191)
• 13 October: Georgia refuses to set a date for the next round of negotiations for Russia's WTO accession, postponing the issue indefinitely (https://civil.ge/archives/111195)
• 16 October: At a Foreign Ministerial of the CIS in Minsk, Georgia accuses Russia of launching a xenophobic campaign against Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/111210)
• 17 October: R
  • Russian MIA officials hint that Georgia had a hand in the Nalchik Attack (https://civil.ge/archives/111213)
  • 150 Georgians are deported (https://civil.ge/archives/111217)
  • A Georgian civilian being deported dies of an asthma attack at the Moscow airport. Georgia accuses Russia of causing the man's death through inhumane acts (https://civil.ge/archives/111219)
• 19 October:
  • Bezhuashvili reiterates that Georgia is ready for direct talks with Russia on the eve of the EU-Russia Summit in Lahti (https://civil.ge/archives/111232)
  • Yerevan claims the embargo is harming the Armenian economy by forcing new trade routes (https://civil.ge/archives/111233)
  • MS states that Georgia should respond to provications with "calm and with the contunation of reforms" and added that Georgia was the "dividing line between evil and good, principled and unprincipled approaches in international relations" (https://civil.ge/archives/111235)
• 20 October: EU-Russia Summit in Finland. Putin accuses Georgia of trying to solve conflicts through the use of force, while calling statements toward dialogue readiness a "positive signal" (https://civil.ge/archives/111243)
• 24 October:
  • Karasin wants Tbilisi to show willingness to improve ties before direct talks can start (https://civil.ge/archives/111261)
  • More reports of anti-Georgian actions by the Russian government, including ethnic Georgians detained in the streets, schools required to disclose list of pupils and students with Georgian last names, district inspectors confiscating passports of Georgian citizens in their homes and giving them to courts for in absentia deportation orders (https://civil.ge/archives/111267)
• 25 October:
  • According to Vedemosti, the total amount of deportees reached 800 (https://civil.ge/archives/111269)
  • In a nationwide QandA session, Putin claims that Georgia joined Russia voluntarily in 1801 and had neither Abkhazia nor South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/111272)
• 1 November: Bezhuashvili arrives in Moscow for talks with Lavrov on the sidelines of the BlacK Sea Economic Cooperation Organization Foreign Ministerial (https://civil.ge/archives/111320)
  • No tangible result was achieved and talks were expected to continue in Minsk at a meeting between Putin and MS on the sidelines of a CIS summit (https://civil.ge/archives/111330)
• 13 November: Noghaideli reiterates that Georgia would give its agreement to Russia joining the WTO only if it follows its commitment to carry out trade only through legally operating border checkpoints (https://civil.ge/archives/111397)
• 14 November: Saakashvili reiterates readiness to discuss with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/111409)
• 28 November: CIS Summit in Minsk. MS goes and expects a meeting with Putin but such a meeting does not take place, he puts the blame on Russia for the failure to hold talks (https://civil.ge/archives/111492)
  • The two discussed at a closed session of CIS heads of state but not alone (https://civil.ge/archives/111515)
  • Apparently, there were three conversations between the two on the sidelines of the summit but mutual accusations prevailed. One of the conversations lasted 40 minutes (https://civil.ge/archives/111520)
• 3 December: A Geogrian woman dies in a Moscow detention center (https://civil.ge/archives/111548)
• 6 December: The State Duma passes a statement calling on the international community to take into consideration the independence aspirations of the South Ossetian and Abkhaz people and accusing Georgia of stirring tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/111569)
  • Condemned as "extremely unfriendly" by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/111573)
• 7 December: Putin rejects international mediation of the conflict, stating Russia has no conflict with Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/111575)
• 8 December: Parliament reopens debate on Georgia's membership in CIS (https://civil.ge/archives/111577)
  • But UNM refuses to vote on the issue (https://civil.ge/archives/111582)
• 12 December: Kommersant reports on a Russian peace plan which envisages a confederation uniting Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/111598)
  • This is rejected by Burjanadze and Kokoity (https://civil.ge/archives/111605)

BREATH OF FRESH AIR IN JANUARY 2007

• 18 January: Russia announces sending back Ambassador Kovalenko to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/111777)
• 26 January: Moscow notes progress in WTO talks (https://civil.ge/archives/111816)
• 27 January: Saakashvili states being ready for a dialogue with Moscow to imrpove ties and admits mistakes were made by both sides (https://civil.ge/archives/111826)
  • He also adds that Georgia would not ignore Russia's historic role in conflict resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/111828)
• 31 January: Kovalenko submits his credentials to MS. In his comments, Kovalenko states that conflicts are a holdover of the past and that Russia is interested in a stable situation in the Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/111846)
  • MS praises that "sobriety has prevailed", which opens chances for deepening dialogue (https://civil.ge/archives/111847)
• 6 February: Ambassador Kovalenko declares that Russia wants an independent and neutral Georgia, demands a toning down of anti-Russian rhetoric and wants to separate conflict talks from the WTO negotiations as conditions for the development of positive bilateral ties (https://civil.ge/archives/111874)
• At the first, the government tried to back off from filing a lawsuit with the ECHR over the deportee case (total of 2,380 deportees), calling it a political decision, despite opposition pressure (https://civil.ge/archives/111923)
  • The lawsuit was finally filed on 26 March 2007, although Moscow stated this would go against the normalization of ties. (https://civil.ge/archives/112150)
• Rail ferry service between Poti and Kavkaz was resumed on 10 April, notably benefiting Armenia (https://civil.ge/archives/112200)
• 11 May: Russian planes violate Georgian airspace, over Stepantsminda District (https://civil.ge/archives/112366)
• 19 May: On the sidelines of the Railway Transport Council of CIS meeting in Kazakhstan, Georgia and Russia agree on launching a regular rail ferry service between Poti and Kavkaz. (https://civil.ge/archives/112422)
• Saakashvili tied his attendence to the CIS Summit of June 2007 to a bilateral meeting with Putin (https://civil.ge/archives/112434)
• 29 May: Russia resumes issuing visas to Georgian citizens partially, in particular to those with Russian citizens as family members (https://civil.ge/archives/112455)
• 30 May: Russia and Georgia resume negotiations over the WTO (https://civil.ge/archives/112460)
  • The negotiations fail, Russia only agreeing to discuss the border checkpoint problems after it joins the WTO. But they agreed to resume negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/112471)
• 9 June: Saakashvili meets Putin in Saint Petersbourg during an informal summit of CIS leaders. In the hours and days preceding the meeting, both leaders exchanged combative words in the media. (https://civil.ge/archives/112516)
  • Following the meeting, MS announced that Russia agreed to lift its trade embargo and to respect Georgia's territorial integrity. However, Russian officials downplayed the meeting, claiming the lifting of the embargo would be dependent on the change of atmosphere in Tbilisi. Putin did pledge, however, to support the territorial integrity of Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/112519)
• 30 June: Georgian Airways is granted a verbal approval to carry out a charter flight between Tbilisi and Moscow. Four days later, the flight is cancelled and Moscow retracts its agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/112623)
  • Despite this, Saakashvili said immediately after he was "cautiously optimistic" about the leveling of Russian sanctions. (https://civil.ge/archives/185523)
• 6 July: MS officially backs the Russian bid for the 2014 winter olympics (https://civil.ge/archives/112646)
• 19 July: Russia starts issuing visas for educational, business, working and transit purposes to Georgian citizens (https://civil.ge/archives/112719)
• 27 July: Media leaks and Bakradze confirms that talks were ongoing on a possible Saakashvili-Putin meeting in August (https://civil.ge/archives/112762)
• 6 August: According to Tbilisi, 2 Russian jets violate Georgian airspace and fire an air-to-surface guided missile near the villages of Shavshebi and Tsitelubani. N casualty. (https://civil.ge/archives/112807)
  • SO claims Georgia was behind the attack (https://civil.ge/archives/112806)
  • Murat Kulakhmetov of the Russian peacekeepers claims it was a Georgian aircraft that fired a rocket by mistake while escaping SO fire (https://civil.ge/archives/112810)
  • Saakashvili compares it to the Kodori Gorge attack and linked it to the Estonia cyberattacks (https://civil.ge/archives/112812)
  • Russia claims that Tbilisi masterminded the plot to sabotage the SO peace talks (https://civil.ge/archives/112804)
  • Georgia claimed that the jet responsible was an SU-24 and that the missile was a Raduga Kh-58, both unattainable for Georgian forces. (https://civil.ge/archives/185526)
  • The US condemned the attack on Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/112819)
  • Some questioned the Georgian version. Georgian media hinted that it may have been linked to ongoing Russian military exercises or even as a sabotage of a planned Saakashvili-Putin meeting in August (https://civil.ge/archives/112818)
  • An MIA leak to Reuters revealed that the investigation was pointing at the Kulakhmetov version and that the missile was jettisoned, not fired (https://civil.ge/archives/112822)
  • Ivanov called the incident a theatrical show (https://civil.ge/archives/112844)
  • The International Group of Experts (made of experts from Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and the US) concludes that the aircraft did come from Russia, although could not establish the origin of the aircraft (https://civil.ge/archives/112861) This version is backed by the US Embassy in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/112871)
  • Russia noted several flaws in the Georgian investigation, including: destruction of crucial evidence like the rocket serial number, the presence of fragments from various different missiles on site, and the authencity of the air traffic record provided by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/112873)
  • The OSCE appointed Miomir Zuzul, former Croatian FM, as special envoy into the case (https://civil.ge/archives/112874)
  • A group of European military experts themselves questioned the Russian findings and sided with the Georgian version (https://civil.ge/archives/112881)
  • Saakashvili would claim that the target of the strike was a Georgian air defense radar near the conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/112918)
  • The OSCE Chair stated eventually that things were not "black and white" in the missile incident (https://civil.ge/archives/185531)
  • The OSCE Special Envoy stated that it was "difficult to have a clear picture" (https://civil.ge/archives/112987)
  • On 7 September, the OSCE pulled out of investigating the incident (https://civil.ge/archives/112992)
• 21 August: Tbilisi doubles down on its desire for a Putin-Saakashvili meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/112888)
• 22 August: Tbilisi notes violation of Georgian airspace over Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/112890)
• 30 August: Russian MFA states wanting to see a Georgia "sovereign, neutral and friendly" (https://civil.ge/archives/112938)
• 24 September: Ambassador Kovalenko calls Georgia a "dying out nation" in loght of globalization (https://civil.ge/archives/113093)
• 25 September: Lavrov claims Bezhuashvili cancelled a meeting with him in New York on the sidelines of UNGA (https://civil.ge/archives/113099)
• 26 September: Saakashvili lashes out at Russia during a speech at UNGA, condemning Lavrov for comments made about Georgian special ops killing Abkhaz soldiers, condemning the Russian increased presence in Java, the escalation of tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/113119)
• 5 October: Georgia refuses to sign the CIS Concept Paper outlining CIS development plans during the Dushanbe CIS Summit (https://civil.ge/archives/113192)
• 19 October: Russia and Georgia resume WTO negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/113285)
• 25 October: Saakashvili rules out neutrality (https://civil.ge/archives/113326)
• 2 November: Tbilisi claims and Moscow denies 3 Russian aurcrafts violating Georgian airspace around Stepantsminda (https://civil.ge/archives/113409)
• 5 November: Saakashvili accuses Russia of orchestrating troubles in Georgia for Russia's internal consumption in the context of the November 2007 protests. Russia denies (https://civil.ge/archives/113424)
• 7 November: Georgia recalls Ambassador Irakli Chubinishvili from Russia for consultations, moments after Georgia accuses Russian counter-intelligence services of being involved in the protests and Russia recalling Ambassador Kovalenko (https://civil.ge/archives/113453)
  • Leaked video and audio materials allegedly show Levan Berdzenishvili, Giorgi Khaindrava, Kote Gamsakhurdia and Shalva Natelashvili cooperating with Russian counter-intelligence (https://civil.ge/archives/113454)
• 8 November:
  • 3 Russian diplomats are expelled (https://civil.ge/archives/113463)
  • Moscow accuses Georgia of violating human rights (https://civil.ge/archives/113478)
  • 3 Georgian diplomats are expelled from Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/113481)
• 9 November: Moscow calls its ties with Georgia in a "sharp crisis" (https://civil.ge/archives/113502)
• 12 November: Tbilisi accuses Russia of deploying new military hardware and 200 Chechen soldiers into Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/113526)
• 22 November: Russia and Georgia resume WTO talks in Geneva (https://civil.ge/archives/113605)

• 27 January 2007 Interview with Ekho Moskvy: http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6866&i=2
  • Interview done by Sophio Shevardnadze
  • He said that the continuation of deterioration of ties between both states would lead to a final and irreversible break between Georgian and Russian cultures.
  • He admitted mistakes in bilateral ties were made by both sides, including by himself, who should have avoided some statements at times.
  • He said that the Russian embargo had "helped Georgia" and mocked the idea that the embargo had been decided by Russian chief public health officer Gennadiy Onishchenko, refusing any negotiations in Moscow on the matter.
  • He refused to make corresponding steps when Moscow returned its ambassador to Tbilisi, claiming that Georgia's ambassador was still working there. He linked the return to internal Russian politics, calling it an unexpected move.

Relations transcaucasiennes et nouvelle dynamique entre Asie et Europe

• In 2004, Saakashvili visited Israel to attend the official opening of the Modern Energy Problems Research Center, and Dr. Brenda Schaffer, the director of the center, described Saakashvili as the Nelson Mandela of the 21st century.
• In August of the same year, Saakashvili, who holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Haifa, travelled to Israel to attend the opening of the official Week of Georgian-Jewish Friendship, held under the auspices of the Georgian President, for which the Jewish leaders were invited as honoured guests.

• Zourabichvili
  • The Iranian President visited a week before Bush but neither one nor the other made it problematic (90)
  • SZ's strategy was to make the Caucausus, with Georgia at its center, the point of contact of the great regional powers, something based on its own history (90)
  • Georgia would have been the place for dialogue and meetings of the Caucasus between great powers (90)
  • This would have used Georgia's potential for pipelines, energetic and commercial routes, railways and highways (90)
  • Saakashvili would himself visit Iran in July 2005 at the invitation of the Iranian President durng the latter's visit (124)
  • In Israel, his government would lay claims to the Monastery of the Cross and Badri Patarkatsishvili would finance Georgia's research in the matter (235)

• Rayfield
  • Lobbyists in Brussels and Washington even managed to overcome Armenian pressure in EU and America and won a victory of the BTK railway project, bypassig Armenia to give Azerbaijan a link to Turkey. (397)
  • MS had a dream of catching a train in Tbilisi and stepping off at London (397)

• Starting in the early months of 2004, Tbilisi starting seizing and fining boats carrying Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian flags heading for trade or fishing purposes to Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/105420)
• In March 2004, upon his first visit to Baku, he called Alyiev a friend and a brother and pledged to not let environmental groups hurt the economic relationship (https://civil.ge/archives/105381)
• Armenia pushed for the resumption of railway links with Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/105603)
• Tbilisi and Baku started working in April 2004 against drug trafficking (https://civil.ge/archives/105605)
• Kocharian Aliyev and Saakashvili met on 29 April 2004 in Warsaw (https://civil.ge/archives/105788)
• On 16 May 2004, Iran made the first ouverutres, offering to boost ties with Georgia following the end of the Adjara crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/105928)
• Relations with Turkey signficantly increased following Ankara's assistance during the Adjara crisis, after which MS called Turkey a natural friend (https://civil.ge/archives/105956)
• On 25 May 2004, MS ordered the easing of customs procedures on the Turkish border after visiting Turkey (https://civil.ge/archives/105971)
• During Aliyev's first official visit to Georgia on 14 June 2004, Tbilisi and Baku agreed to stardardize the transit tariffs for rail-transported freight, which meant reducing the tariffs of Georgian railway. They also laid the groundwork for the future BTK railway (https://civil.ge/archives/106106)
• His first official visit to Iran was on 6-9 July 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106237)
• Gorgia started considering alternative gas supplies from Iran after Gazprom lowered its deliveries in July 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/115748)
• In his first visit to Israel in July 2004, which happened in the midst of the Shota Rustaveli fresco defguration, MS pledged to grant the Georgian citizenship to those Israelis who left Georgia since 1991 (https://civil.ge/archives/115754)
  • MS also tried to launch military cooperation with Israel Aircraft Industries, Israel Military Industries and Elbit Systems (https://civil.ge/archives/115766)
• Turkey showed high interest to invest in the new Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/115843)
• In August 2004, Turkey showed full support to the new government through several steps: fully supporting territorial integrity despite the ships, offering to mediate Georgia's accession to NATO, proposing to fund the opening of a third checkpoint at the bilateral border (Karsi-Kartsakhi), and resuming the construction of the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi railway suspended since 1996 (https://civil.ge/archives/115850)
• When Russia closed its border with Georgia at the Larsi checkpoint in September 2004, Armenia urged Russia to reopen the border (https://civil.ge/archives/116158)
  • After which, Russia urged Armenia to trade with Russia via Iran (https://civil.ge/archives/106336)
  • When Armenians decided to come through the Roki Tunnel, Georgia gave them special entry permits (https://civil.ge/archives/106386)
• China took interest in the new government in October 2004, when it donated 890k GEL worth of office equipment to the Georgian MFA and Tbilisi announced the opening of a Georgian embassy in China (https://civil.ge/archives/116165)
• Georgia refused in 2004 to repatriate Meskhetian Turks, citing the IDP problem (https://civil.ge/archives/106416)
• Turkey said it wanted to double its trade with Georgia in October 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106457)
• The Russia-Armenia railway was controversial as Russia unilaterally restored the Russia-Abkhazia section in September 2004, but both Tbilisi and Moscow agreed in November to set up a joint working group on the full restoration (https://civil.ge/archives/106486)
• It seems that the first time the Azerbaijan-Georgia border issue was raised was in December 2004 when Badri Bitsadze met Ilham Aliyev in Baku (https://civil.ge/archives/106784)
• Mikheil Ukleba was appointed as the first ambassador of Georgia to China in December 2004 and the embassy was scheduled to open in 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/106859)
  • A few days later, China approved a 5 million yuan grant to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/106895)
  • The Georgian embassy in China was opened ahead of schedule in December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106930)
• Russia encouraged Georgia to open the Abkhazia railway for the entire South Caucasus. Delegations from the four countries met in Tbilisi in January 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107000)
• A preliminary attempt to reach a border agreement with Azerbaijan failed in 29 March 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107681)
• Georgia, Turey and Azerbaijan signed the Baku Protocol on 6 April 2005 over the construction of the BTK railway (https://civil.ge/archives/107751)
• While Turkey and Azerbaijan and Russia were cited as strategic partners in the May 2005 NS Concept submitted, Armenia had a 'pragmatic cooperation' only (https://civil.ge/archives/108060)
• The Azerbaijan border delimitation issue was once again addressed during rhe visit of Elchin Guliyev, Commander of the Azerbaijani Border Guard Service in July 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108451)
• MS visited Armenia on 22 Aug 2005 where he met with Kocharian and stated that he had no political problems with Yerevan. He met with Kocharian at the latter's shummer residence on the shore of Lake Sevan (https://civil.ge/archives/108724)
• Batu Kutelia, head of Georgian Intelligence Service, visited Baku in August 2005 after the arrest of Georgian citizen Merab Jibuti for his participation in an Armenian-backed overthrow of Aliyev. Jibuti had met an Armenian operative in Tbilisi after which he tried to cross the Azeri border where he was arrested. This took place around the same time as the MS visit to Armenia (https://civil.ge/archives/108774)
• Armenia opposed the construction of the BTK railway (https://civil.ge/archives/108776)
• The Kazakh President visited Georgia in October 2005 to plan out cooperation over TRASECA and Georgia's status as an energy corridor (https://civil.ge/archives/108965)
• Black Sea cooperation also became important and the chiefs of border and coast guards from the six BS nations held a summit in Tbilisi in October 2005 to cooperate on compating illegal navigation and launch testing of information exchange systems (https://civil.ge/archives/108972)
• Tbilisi and Vilnius signed a declaration in October 2005 envisaging cooperation between the three Baltic and three South Caucasus nations (https://civil.ge/archives/109004)
• Azerbaijani exiled opposition leader Rasul Guliyev accused the authorities of Georgia of working with the Aliyev government against him and against Azeri dissidents to prevent them from setting base in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/109122)
  • The Georgian CEC assisted Azerbaijan in its election system (https://civil.ge/archives/109135)
  • These happened as Azerbaijan was gearing for its 2005 parliamentary elections. It seems that MS was very careful not to be implicated in opposition activities in Azerbaijan and publicly backed stability in Baku ahead of the election (https://civil.ge/archives/109166)
• Georgia-Azerbaijan border delimitation talks restarted in Baku during the visit of FM Gela Bezhuashvili on 22 December 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109435)
• Georgia and Turkey instituted a bilateral visa free regime in 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/109452)
• The Poti-Baku-Aktau-Alma-Aty route (railway/ship) was inaugurated on 24 December 2005 from Poti, launching regular trips twice a month and increasing the competitiveness of the TRACECA route (https://civil.ge/archives/109453)
  • Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan started negotiating in April 2006 for the expansion of the route to the Dostlug station at the Kazakh-Chinese border (https://civil.ge/archives/110464)
• MS successfully incentivized and lobbied for heavy azakh investments into Adjara tourism sector (https://civil.ge/archives/104076)
• In a sign of support for Beijing, Tbilisi condemned Taiwan's pullout of the National Unification Council in 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110021)
• Georgia backed Turkey's EU membership in 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110106)
  • During a visit by the Turkish President in March 2006, an agreement was signed that increased Turkey's economic presence in Adjara and brought the Batumi airport in the network of Turkey's internal flights
  • Turkey backed Georgia's accession to NATO
• A commission on border delimitation with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia was set up on 17 March 2006 by MS (https://civil.ge/archives/110194)
• MS visited China in April 2006 to encourage Chinese investments in the privatization process (https://civil.ge/archives/110327)
  • During that visit, the Chinese President called the two countries friends and stated that they supported each other in state independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. (https://civil.ge/archives/110353)
  • China wrote off most of Georgia's debt during the visit, GE only repaying 400,000 USD from 3 million (https://civil.ge/archives/110356)
• On 27 June 2006, the Armenian FM visited Georgia and the two sides agreed to reach a final agreement on border delimitation by the end of the year (https://civil.ge/archives/110929)
  • The same day, Kote Kemularia (Secretary of NSC) held talks with Aliyev (https://civil.ge/archives/110933)
• Armenian lobbying resulted in the Financial Services Committee of the US House of Reps to support a proposal in June 2006 to ban the US EXIM Bank from helping any railway project that connects Baku to Turkey without Armenia (https://civil.ge/archives/110930)
• In March 2006, the Border Delimitation Commission, chaired by Deputy FM Giorgi Manjgaladze, was created. On 3-4 August, it started negotiations with the Azeri side in Tbilisi and agreed on 300 km of the bilateral border, except for the Tsiteli Khidi and Davit Gareji sections (https://civil.ge/archives/115050)
  • By that same time, Georgia had already agreed on 110 km with Armenia, although another 110 km was still disputed.
• A session of the Georgian-Azerbaijani Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation was held in Batumi on 16-18 August (https://civil.ge/archives/115111)
• On 18 August 2006, Azerbaijan rescheduled Georgia's 13.4 million USD debt (https://civil.ge/archives/115133)
• There was judicial cooperation between Iran and Georgia established in 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/115294)
• Saakashvili and Ahmadinejad met in New York on 21 September 2006 on the sides of UNGA to boost bilateral cooperation (https://civil.ge/archives/115382)
• In October 2006, Iran called for expanding bilateral relations in energy and underlined that the close Iran-Russia relations were not meant against Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/111250)
  • It even offered mediation in the events following the spy row (https://civil.ge/archives/111251)
  • In October 2006, Ahmadinejad called for an expansion of economic ties between both states (https://civil.ge/archives/111260)
• In November 2006, it was revealed that Putin had attempted to lobby Alyiev to join an anti-Georgia alliance in the CIS during Aliyev's visit to Moscow on 9 November https://civil.ge/archives/111369)
• On 21 November, an Iranian-Georgian Business Forum was opened in Tbilisi with the participation of 20 businessmen frm Iran (https://civil.ge/archives/111461)
• The first-ever Georgian-Chinese Business Forum was opened in Beijing on 14 December 2006 with the paricipation of MoE Girogi Arveladze (https://civil.ge/archives/111615)
• On 13 January 2007, Georgia and Azerbaijan signed an agreement per which Baku would provide Georgia a 200 million USD loan for the construction of its section of the BTK (https://civil.ge/archives/111753)
• On 7 February 2007, in Tbilisi, the Presidents of Georgia, AZ and TU signed the Tbilisi Declaration on Common Vision for Regional Cooperation between the three countries which confirmed plans for the Baku-Akhalkalaki-Kars railway as a "modern version of the new Silk Road" (https://civil.ge/archives/111884)
  • The same day, Georgia and Azerbaijan signed a loan deal to grant Georgia a 200 million USD loan with a 1% annual interest rate for 25 years for the construction of the railway.
  • MS called it a geopolitical revolution
  • Among the opponents were Armenia and Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/111899)
• In February 2007, MS started a push toward the Arabic Gulf: he visited the UAE to meet with the ruler of Dubai to attract investments to Adjara (https://civil.ge/archives/111933)
  • Followed by Noghaideli in Kuwait to attract investments in the construction of a new highway and a new HPP (https://civil.ge/archives/111952)
  • Ras al-Khaimah agreed on a 817 million USD real estate nvestment in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/111953)
  • Kuwait announced a 720 million USD investment deal into the energy sector (https://civil.ge/archives/111958)
  • Reps from Dubai World visited Poti Port on a fact-finding mission (https://civil.ge/archives/111995)
  • On 2 March, Georgia removed visa requirements for the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman (https://civil.ge/archives/112011)
• Negotiations on border delimitation with Armenia continued in February 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/111961)
• Negotiations on border delimitation with Azerbaijan continued in March 2007 but the Davit Gareji monasterial complex remained the topic at hand. Saakashvili stated there was no dispute and this was only the subject of discussions (https://civil.ge/archives/112023)
  • On 7 March, the two sides announced they had agreed on a key part of the border, meaning that only 35% remained to be negotiated on (https://civil.ge/archives/112040)
• In March 2007, MS visited Kazakhstan to convince the Kazakh to invest more in Georgian economy, including a 1 billion USD project for an oil refinery in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/112027)
• In March 2007, MS visited Japan where he met with the Emperor. This came shortly after FM Taro Aso talked publicly about the lack of Japanese diplomacy in GUAM member states. The two sides agreed during the visit that embassies would be opened in 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112042)
  • He backed Japan's bid to the UN Security Council election that year.
• Kazakhstan pledged to direct at least 10 million tonnes of cargo every year through the BTK after negotiations with Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/112186)
  • In 2006, Kazakhstan had already become the third biggest foreign direct investor in Georgia with 152 million USD.
  • On 2 April 2007, a memorandum of cooperation on economic partnership was signed between the two countries.
• 27 March 2007: war of words between Baku and Tbilisi over Davit Gareji begins. AZ Deputy FM Khalap Khalapov and co-chair of the border commission says Baky would not give up "Kheshikchi". (https://civil.ge/archives/112192)
  • Bezhuashvili responds critically, going against involving a historical debate in the commission's work as Khalapov "should instead read up on world history".
  • Georgia had proposed a land swap, which Azerbaijan rejected because of the strategic high ground of the complex.
• Georgia joined the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism on 27 April 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112305)
• Aliyev visted Georgia in May 2007, during which Saakashvili stated that the two countries would agree on the border delimitation "soon". At the time, 65% of the border had been agreed upon. (https://civil.ge/archives/112382)
  • Saakashvili stated also that an agreement would be reached on the Davit Gareji monasterial complex in which the strategic heights would remain with Azerbaijan and the religious sites with Georgia, a statement criticized by Conservative Party MP Zviad Dzidziguri who stated the two could not be separated (https://civil.ge/archives/112386)
• Georgia was part of Jordan's G11 (https://civil.ge/archives/112423)
  • Saakashvili vsited Jordan in May 2007.
  • King Abdallah planned n visiting Georgia in June 2007.
• MS met the Turkem President on 10 June 2007 in St. Petersbourg on the sidelines of an informal CIS leaders' meeting, during which the sides discussed the possibility of opening a Turkmen embassy in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/112518)
• UAE company Rakeem(n) announced in June 2007 a 1.5 billion USD investment into Georgia, particularly into the newly-announced Free Economic Zone of Poti. Rakeem is owned by the Ras Al Khaimah Emirate. (http://civil.ge/archives/112528)
  • The same month, Rakeen bought for 67.5 million USD the Sheraton Metechi Palace in Tbilisi at an auction organized by the Ministry of Economy. (https://civil.ge/archives/112556)
    • A week later, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al-Qassimi, deputy ruler of RAK, visited Georgia and toured different parts of the country for investment opportunities. (https://civil.ge/archives/112556)
• In June 2007, Kazakhstan announced a 10 million USD construction project for a grain terminal at the Port of Poti, with the signature of an agreement between the two governments on 16 June. (https://civil.ge/archives/112557)
• On November 21 2007, despite the political crisis, Presidents Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Gul of Turkey travelled to Georgia to inaugurate the BTK. (https://civil.ge/archives/113595)
  • Georgia and Turkey signed an FTA
  • Saakashvili called the BTK a "geopolitical revolution" and that it "means that Chinese cargo, now going through the Trans-Siberian railway will move via this route." (https://civil.ge/archives/113597)
  • Turkey admitted it was responsible for canceling Baghapsh's visit to Turkey in November 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/113599)
• The beginning of military cooperation between Georgia and Armenia dates to February 2008 during a visit of the Armenian MOD to Georgia. During the visit, Georgia announced sending a military attache to Yerevan (https://civil.ge/archives/114395)
• In the March 2008 Armenian political crisis, Tbilisi backed the authorities while the opposition condemned the use of force against protesters (https://civil.ge/archives/114418)
• In April 2008, the government signed an agreement with the Investment Authority of Ras Al Khaimah on the development of the FEZ of Poti (https://civil.ge/archives/114734)
• Rakeen also took over Mtatsminda Park in July 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/116683)
• Following the 2008 war, the CSTO (including Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) sided Russia and criticized Georgia over its use of force in South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/117380)
  • 22 September: Kazakhstan drops its grain terminal plan in Poti (https://civil.ge/archives/117528)
  • 24 September: Kazakhstan drops its oil refinery plan in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/117546)
• In September 2008, Saakashvili proposed the simplification of visa rules between Georgia and Armenia as a step to improve bilateral relations, stating that the Georgian-Armenian border should be a "border of friendship" during a press conference with President Serzh Sarkisyan in Tbilisi. (https://civil.ge/archives/117592)
  • The two leaders also announced the setting up a of a consortium to attract funds for the construction of a new transit highway through the Goderdzi Pass in Adjara to half the traveling time from Armenia to the Black Sea.
  • He called for the delimitation of the bilateral border.
  • He backed a future of the Caucasus through the creation of a "uniform market, human, cultural and economic spheres"
• On 7 October, Kazakhstan was expected to sell its gas distribution business in Georgia (KazTransGaz-Tbilisi) for "financial reasons" (https://civil.ge/archives/117641)
  • The company ruled out selling its oil terminal in Batumi.
• 2 December 2008: Investment Authority of Ras Al Khaimah becomes 100% owner of Poti Port (https://civil.ge/archives/118001)
• During the January 2009 tensions in Israel, Saakashvili's government supported Israel and condemned Hamas attacks (https://civil.ge/archives/118173)
• In February 2009, former PM Noghaideli alleged that Ras Al Khaimah's investment fund was being used by authorities to purchase assets using revenue from weapons procurement. This was just as the investment fund bought 90% of shares of Imedi, after already buying the Poti FEZ, the Mtatsminda Park and developing a large shopping mall in Tbilisi. Saakashvili visited the UAE as part of "economic diplomacy" amidst these allegatons on 1 March 2009. (https://civil.ge/archives/118430)
  • He signed a visa-free agreement with local authorities during the visit
  • The Mtatsminda Park had been closed down on 7 November 2007 when the City of Tbilisi accused the park's private manager Lynx Ltd of violating leasing terms. In July 2008, it was given to RAK George Holding in exchange of 300,000 GEL per year to the City. Lynx had invested 25 million USD in the park before being confiscated. (https://civil.ge/archives/118445)
• In March 2009, Saakashvili and Erdogan held the inauguration of the new Sarbi border checpoint. Saakashvili proposed and Erdogan welcomed joint administration of the border checkpoint to reduce red tape while crossing the border by 70% (https://civil.ge/archives/118451)
• On 7 March 2009, Saakashvili said that the Armenian economy had crashed because of its reliance on the Russian economy, which led to criticism by the Armenian president (https://civil.ge/archives/118478)
• Fresh Electric, an Egyptian company, signed an agreement with the Georgian government to establish a 27-ha FEZ in Kutaisi in April 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/118588)
• In 2009, Armenia was strongly lobbying for the reopening of the Zemo Larsi border crossing as its closure was seriously impacting the Armenian economy and offered mediation in normalization between Tbilisi and Moscow. Armenia had been severely impacted, especially because of the high transit fees for cargo shipped to and from Armenia from Georgian ports. During his visit to Armenia on 25 June, Saakashvili discussed the idea of building a road directly linking Yerevan to Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/119082)
• It looks like the President of Armenia played a major role in the reopening of the Zemo Larsi border checkpoint as he visited Georgia in a private visit and was highly praised by Saakashvili the day after th announcement a deal had been struck in February 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/119928)
• The Georgian Parliament continued to not recognize the Armenian genocide during his presidency (https://civil.ge/archives/185684)
• Saakashvili praised the 2010 Iran deal brokered by Brazil and Turkey as "a matter of survival" for small countries in the region (https://civil.ge/archives/120183)
• In May 2010, Georgia announced it was working on visa-free regime with Iran (https://civil.ge/archives/120204)
  • But as there may or may not have been concerns about the depth of Georgia-Iran, Saakashvili stated on 25 May that there was no new invitation for Ahmadinejad to visit Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/120208)
  • Also in May, there were signs of deeper agricultural cooperation between Tehran and Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/120254)
• At his 2010 UNGA speech, Saakashvili said, "I came here today to tell you that these times are vanishing, that the dream of unity and peace is possible. I strongly believe that a common market, shared interests and political and economic interdependence will one day give birth to a united Caucasus. That is what I am calling for today. We might belong to different states and live on different side of the [Caucasus] mountains, but in terms of human and cultural space, there is no North and South Caucasus, there is one Caucasus, that belongs to Europe and will one day join the European family of free nations, following the Georgian path," he said. "Our unity would not be directed against anyone and we will not aspire to change any borders. The historical move towards Caucasian unity should start with projects in energy, education and cultural fields and the civil society sphere." (https://civil.ge/archives/185714)
• During a meeting with Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglyu in February 2011, Saakashvili spoke about the idea of creating a united Caucasus with opened borders in the region. For this, the two sides agreed to simplify border crossing starting in May 2011 so that one does not need to leave his car to cross the border. (https://civil.ge/archives/185807)
• By June 2011, 66% of the Georgia-Azerbaijan border had been agreed, although no breakthrough was expected on the rest (https://civil.ge/archives/121190)
• In October 2011, Saakashvili caused controversy when he said Georgia would have handled the fallout from the Tavush landslide faster than Armenia could. Allegations arose that the Armenian President cancelled his plan visit at the time, although Tbilisi denied (https://civil.ge/archives/121518)
  • Ultimately, President Sargsyan visited Georgia on 29 November. During the meeting, Saakashvili talked about the United Caucasus concept. He said all regional conflicts were sponsored by Russia and that a common path of common interested through united economic space and united political commonwealth was the only perspective for the region (https://civil.ge/archives/121575)
• On 6 May 2012, Azerbaijani border guards positioned themselves through the Savid Gareji monastery complex. As it took five days for the news to break after monks blew the whistle, allegations came out that a secret deal had been struck. Soon, Deputy FM Nino Kalandadze stated that the parts of DGM under contention had not been part of Georgia, which caused uproad. On 17 May, the FMs of both countries held a phone conversation. (https://civil.ge/archives/121940)
  • In 2006, Tbilisi offered land exchange to Baku in return for the DGM, which Baku refused. DGM is built on strategic heights.
  • On 20 May 2012, Saakashvili and Aliyev met in Chicago over this (https://civil.ge/archives/121942)
    • The two leaders agreed to restore status quo (https://civil.ge/archives/121943)
• During the Obama administration, in part following the Tbilisi Israeli Embassy terror attempt, Georgia tried to distance itself from Tehran. In June 2012, Deputy FM Nikoloz Vashakidze stated that 'Georgia follows internationally recognized policy, which is reflected in relevant UN resolution and fulfills requirements envisaged by these resolutions' (https://civil.ge/archives/121984)
  • On 13 June 2012, Ambassador Bass said he did not want to see Georgia to become a venue where targets of international sanctions would find ways to evade those sanctions (https://civil.ge/archives/122017)
• On 8 June 2012, the FMs of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey signed the Trabzon Declaration that support each other's territorial integrity, underline protracted conflicts emanating from existing occupations as the main obstacle to peace and stability in the South Caucasus and pledge to promote further development in trade, energy, transportation, finance and banking, environment (https://civil.ge/archives/122001)
• In June 2012, FM Vashadze opposed a military conflict with Iran because it would increase the threat of Russian military action against Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/122030)

• The Force Awakens
  • During his visit to Iran, he made a speech in front of 10,000 Fereydan Georgians along with the Mollah. This was the first Georgian leader to speak to those Georgians since their exile in the 17th century. (152)
  • He granted the Georgian citizenship to 78,000 Georgian-origin people (153)
  • He backed Erdogan during his election and campaigned in the Laz regions of Turkey, meeting people and doing campaign rallies, including one in front of 20,000 with Erdogan and Erdogan won that region for the first time (153)
  • During the 2008 war, Turkey did not close its borders with Georgia (184)

• He's backed Palestine's right to statehood, while Israel's right to security (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6855&i=1)

• The Japanese FM Taro Aso in 2007 stated that the world saw a new arch of stability that included Scandinavia, the Baltic States, Eastern Europe, Georgia and went to Japan and pledged Japanese assistance to Georgia (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4952&i=1)
• On 1 March 2009, he visited the UAE and was driven personally by Sheikh Nahian of the royal family. During that visit, the parties reached an agreement on visa-free regime for Georgians (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=2169&i=8)

Organisations internationales

• The UN membership fee issue (https://civil.ge/archives/116215)
  • SZ was summoned by the Committee for Foreign Relations on 6 October 2004 over the UN membership fee arrears issue.
  • She claimed the government had partially repaid ts international debt, including its 2004 membership fee, and expected restoration of voting rights imminently.
  • The gov elaborated a repayment plan of 766,299 USD to the UN budget over a period of 10 years.
  • She was criticized for inactivity before UNGA.
• At the beginning, GUAM also included Uzbekistan and was known as GUUAM, but Uzbekistan stopped attending meetings in 2004.
  • On September 23, the GUUAM PA was established in Kyiv.
  • In September 2004, the FM Council of GUUAM announced interest in cooperation with the EU in the framework of the TRACECA and INOGATE projects. (https://civil.ge/archives/116132)
• UNGS passed a resolution restoring Georgia's right to vote at the UN temporily until June 2005, waiting for the next payment arrears, on 12 October 2004. (https://civil.ge/archives/106316)
• Georgia announced it would partially ratify the European Charter of Local Self-Government (https://civil.ge/archives/106339)
• Following his visit to Chisinau in March 2005, Saakashvili envisioned the role of GUAM as an engine for stability in the Baltic-Black Sea regions and of promoting European integraiton in the post-Soviet space. (https://civil.ge/archives/107644)
  • GUAM agreed to drop Uzbekistan in March 2005 after years of inactivity.
  • Romania participated in the April summit, raising hopes for Eurpean participation
  • Azerbaijan remained wary of the organization because of Russi
• The relations with the COE were complicated as it insisted on the ratification of the Social Charter of Europe, a convention o the rights of minorities and a convention on the use of minority languages (https://civil.ge/archives/107819)
  • Georgia ratified the Convention on 13 October 2005 but made a clause refraining undertaking a commitment to ensure the conditions which would make it possible to employ minority languages in relations between the representatives of the national minority groups and administrative authorities in areas predominantly populated by national minorities (https://civil.ge/archives/109046)
• The Prsidents of Lithuania, Romania and Poland participated at the 22 April 2005 GUAM Summit (https://civil.ge/archives/107865)
  • That Summit was hailed by its leaders as the organization turning into a meaningful vehicle for regional cooperation and as a forum for organizing solutions to Caspian-Black Sea problems (https://civil.ge/archives/107874)
• At the Tbilisi CIS Summit of June 2004, Georgia insisted on downplaying the CIS in favor of GUAM (https://civil.ge/archives/108209)
  • Out of 34 documents signed by CIS states during the summit, Georgia only signed 9, indicating for the need for reforms, a call joined by Ukraine and Moldova (https://civil.ge/archives/108216)
• Georgia made a bid to host the 2014 winter olympics in Bakuriani and Borjomi (https://civil.ge/archives/108352)
  • It was out of the contest in June 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110904)
• In August 2005, Russia indicated it was ready for reforms of the CIS and was not opposed categorically to Western presence in South Caucasus and Central Asia (https://civil.ge/archives/108748)
  • MS stated dring the Kazan Summit that Georgia would not leave the CIS (https://civil.ge/archives/108752)
  • But he opposed attempts for more integration within the CIS (https://civil.ge/archives/108757)
• At the 60th anniversary of the Yalta Conference, MS called for changing the UN to promote conflict resolution and called on reforms on the UN Scurity Council to become a more representative body. He also called on reforming the Human Rights Commission to effectively monitor human rights abuses (https://civil.ge/archives/108860)
• Tbilisi criticized the OSCE for failing to effectively monitor demilitarization in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/108940)
• Georgia failed to sign and ratify the European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Cooperation between Territorial Communities or Authorities and the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages before September 2005, as had been engaged in the past, which led to criticism by the COE (https://civil.ge/archives/109399)
• Recall that Terry Davis was elected SG of COE with help of Georgia.
• In February 2006, Georgia delayed its submission of information required by the COE on the use of Georgian territory for extrajudicial activities by the CIA (https://civil.ge/archives/109958)
• Georgia was a candidate for the Human Rights Council membership election of May 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110300)
• On 22 May 2006, GUAM became GUAM - The Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, at a Kyiv foreign ministerial that saw the organization develop into a democracy-promoting organ (https://civil.ge/archives/110647)
  • This was in direct response to the wine embargo (https://civil.ge/archives/110648)
  • The new organization also hoped to address separatist movements (https://civil.ge/archives/110651)
  • They also signed a protocol on the establishment of a free trade area (https://civil.ge/archives/110651)
    • It sought to become a US-backed CIS alternative.
  • GUAM soon started considering launching its own peacekeeper force (https://civil.ge/archives/110715)
• In June 2006, as Georgia was starting to eye leaving the CIS, it pushed Kazakhstan for reforms as it held the chairmanship that year. "An impulse for serious reforms" was thought to be the condition for Georgia's remaining in the Commonwealth (https://civil.ge/archives/110738)
• Alasania was appointed as UN Ambassador in 2006. This was meant as a push to internationalize the Abkhazia cnflict. Some in Georgia were concerned this would be bad for the Tbilisi-Sokhumi negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/110834)
• Tbilisi pushed for GUAM to start doing anti-corruption operations and cooperation (https://civil.ge/archives/110981)
• In August 2006, GUAM leaders under the leadership of Georgia, starting considering setting up a joint peacekeeping force (https://civil.ge/archives/115126)
  • In response to which the CSTO considered setting up its own peacekeeping force (https://civil.ge/archives/115138)
• On 13 September 2006, after a strong debate, the UNGA agreed to include a new item on its 61st session's agenda to discuss Black Sea-South Caucasus conflicts. The final vote was 16-15 with Russia opposing, and 65 abstentions. This was the result of strong lobbying by GUAM (https://civil.ge/archives/115327)
• Georgia may have backed the candidacy of Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga for UN SG in 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/115371)
• Deputy FM Valery Chechelashvili was elected on 25 September 2006 as the first SG of GUAM for a 4-year term during a Foreign Ministerial in New York which also discussed involving a GUAM peacekeeping force in Abkhazia and South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/115401)
• GUAM moved from an informal group to an official ODED with HQs in Kyiv in 2006. (https://civil.ge/archives/112558)
• Problems between the 4 allies of GUAM led to shooting down the peacekeeping debate by June 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112588)
• Following the UN SG's report on Abkhazia that criticized the Ganmukhuri youth camp in 2007, MS lashed out and said Georgia did not "need international organizations and in particular the UN's amoral and meager recommendations" (https://civil.ge/archives/112988)
• During a speech at the UN in September 2007, he lashed out at the UN, saying it "failed in making Georgia whole" (https://civil.ge/archives/113119)
• GUAM was largely weakened by Moldova's Voronin, particularly the peacekeeping option (https://civil.ge/archives/114487)
• On 15 May 2008, UNGA approved the first UN Abkhaz IDP resolution, which was praised as historic (https://civil.ge/archives/185626)
• Speaking at the OSCE Summit in Astana on 1 December 2010, Saakashvili called for a "common vision for how to enforce the principles that define the OSCE, how to foster a cooperation to quarrel rivalries and the strategy to help us overcome the danger of tensions and the so-called frozen conflicts that undermine the stability of our common area." He lamented that Russia had violated the 1999 Istanbul OSCE Summit. (https://civil.ge/archives/185756)

Migration et commerce libre

• On 9 September 2004, the government simplified universal visa rules. This led to every foreigner traveling to Georgia being able to obtain visas directly at the airports of Tbilisi, Batumi or any other border checkpoint. (https://civil.ge/archives/116015)
  • Visa tariffs were also reduced: 10USD for a one-month visa, 30USD for 3 months, and 100 USD (against 200) for annual visa.
  • These changes aimed at attracting tourists in Georgia
• Georgia unilaterally cancelled visa requirements for citizens of the US, Japan, Isral, Canada and EU member states on 13 April 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107794)
• The government started working on liberalizing the customs code in October 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109020)
• Trade turnover increased by 33% in 2005, and there was a 36% increase in exports (https://civil.ge/archives/109860)
• In June 2006, the government proposed a massive customs liberalization: 16 to 3 different customs tariffs and a reduction from 6-30% to 5-12%. Parliamentary leaders, including Burjanadze, opposed the move because of fears for the local agricultural sector. (https://civil.ge/archives/110811)
  • MS guaranteed he would never support a 0% tariff rate on agricultural products (https://civil.ge/archives/110907)
• Starting on 1 Sep 2006, up to 90% of imports were entirely exempted from customs duties, including non-agricultural and raw materials (https://civil.ge/archives/115214)
• On 21 February 2007, while visiting the Opiza Customs Terminal, he fired publicly Chairman Zurab Antelidze of the Customs Dept, accusing him of inefficiency that made customs clearance a difficult process for importers. after listening to complaints by importers . (https://civil.ge/archives/111965)
  • The same day, he ordered a complete reorganization of the Customs Service within 6 months (https://civil.ge/archives/111979)
• By 2011, Georgia had simplified or implemented visa-free rules with 70 countries. On 20 May, Albania, Bosnia, Iraq, Montenegro and Serbia were added to the list. (https://civil.ge/archives/121090)
• Starting in May 2011, Georgians and Turks were able to cross border with just an ID (https://civil.ge/archives/121150)

• By the end of his presidency, citizens from the following countries did not need a visa to enter Georgia: EU, US, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Israel, Vatican, Andorra, San Marino, Iceland, UAE, Kuwait, South Korea, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Brunei, Singapore, Australia, Monaco, New Zealand, Bahamas, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, Seychelles, Botswana, Croatia, Chile, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Argentina, Malaysia, Mexico, Uruguay, Mauritius, Panama, Costa Rica, South Africa, Brazil, Thailand, Belize, Saudi Arabia, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Iraq.
  • This also applied to foreigners with permanent residency in some EU countries, some Arabic countries.
  • Also applied to Russian citizens registered in Ingushetia, Chechnya, Karachay-Cherkess, Daghestan, North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkar Republic and Adyghea
  • EU citizens could come in with just an ID card. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/WelcometoGeorgia/VisaInformationAndEmbassi)

Économie libertarienne

Réformes et privatisations

• Saakashvili reformed the economy by cutting red tape which had made business difficult, courting foreign investment, simplifying the tax code, launching a privatization campaign, and tackling widespread tax evasion.
• Due to the establishment of a functioning taxation and customs infrastructure, the state budget increased by 300% within three years.
• The economy began growing and the standard of living rose.
• The World Bank named Georgia as the leading economic reformer in the world, and the country ranked 8th in terms of ease of doing business- while most of the country's neighbors are ranked somewhere in the hundreds.
• The World Bank noted a significant improvement in living conditions in Georgia, reporting that "Georgia's transformation since 2003 has been remarkable. The lights are on, the streets are safe, and public services are corruption free."
• Doing Business report founder Simeon Djankov has given Georgia as an example to other reformers during the annual Reformer Awards.

• Decreasing taxes and adopting a liberal tax code helped jump-start the economy (AD, 472)
  • Business startup was spectacularly simplified
  • Customs procedures were improved
  • The number of licensing was slashed
  • This led to a strong influx of FDI
  • Georgia ranked twice in a row as the world's top economic reformer by the World Bank
  • There was an aggressive privatization campaign
  • Companies provided an influx of funds to the state budget.
  • By 2007, Georgia's annual economic growth rate reached double digits and was estimated as the world's fastest growing economies among non-oil countries by The Economist.

• Zourabichvili
  • The economic reforms were personified by the entrance of Kakha Bendukidze, a Russian oligarch who was a staunch supporter of free markets and said "everything is for sale, except our conscience." (73)
  • The processus of privatization may have been the right one but it was criticized by those who saw that the Georgian people were not developed enough to take part in the process, which eventually led to a policy of disapropriation (73)
  • The privatization policy led to budget surpluses and salaries were paid out in time for the first time in years (73)
  • The banking sector developed hugely and became one of the foundations of the new economy (73)
  • Zhvania encouraged Patarkatsishvili to invest in the Georgian economy by buying the petroleum terminal of Kulevi (232)
  • Kakha Bendukidze built a series of housing complexes and a sports center through his sister while he was Minister (232-233)
  • Bendukidze would maintain large financial interests in Russia and his family would continue to live there, something that became odd after the war and the rupture of diplomatic relations (235)
  • Bendukidze's privatization drive involved electric stations, HPPs, port terminals and ports, energy distribution networks, mineral resources, factories, lands, forests, water streams, beaches, ski resorts, thermal resorts, the water distribution network, etc. (244)

• Sandra Roelofs
  • He put a two-year moratorium on technical inspections for cars because of unreliable systems and corruption (126)
  • But he made seat belts mandatory in 2005 and banned talking on the phone while driving (126)

• Rayfield
  • Kakha Bendukidze's widespread privatizations encouraged foreign bankers and the EU to advance money which would be used to pay pensions and government salaries in full and on time for the first time in 15 years (395)
  • Criticism of privatization included state assets being sold too cheaply and too rapidly and to companies whose directors interested Interpol (396)
  • Turkey ended up owning three border crossings and the Batumi and Tbilisi international airports. (396)

• Kavadze
  • MS said Georgia should be "like Switzerland with elements of Singapore" (435)

• Bluashvili 2016
  • Passing a new tax code drastically improved the economy (382)

• The Financial Police was launched in March 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/115048)
• Tax Arbitration was introduced first in December 2004 before being abolished in April 2005)
• The first step toward tax liberalization took place on April 16 2004 when MS announced tax exemption for self-employed entrepreneurs, or around 800,000 businessmen. (https://civil.ge/archives/105710)
• Kakha Bendukidze was announced on 1 June 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106026)
• In his first speech, he outlined his prioritites: radical deregulation and privatization, including of the ports of Poti and Batumi, but not the railway, gas pipelines, Enguri HPP. Privatization would be made without discrimination and based on who pays the most. He also criticized high taxes and set a goal of 12% of annual growth. He planned to abolish the ministry in 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/106082)
• Kakha Bendukidze announced upon his nomination that "everything can be sold, except conscience". The first obstacles were the 2002 parliamentary resolution requiring parliamentary approval for the sale of strategic facilities and the Law of Georgia on State Property Privatization, which banned the privatization of water resources, ports and landing piers of national importance, hydraulic engineering constructions, railways, gas pipelines, highways, aircraft flight management systems and landing strips, state postal communications, TV-radio broadcasting, trunk-line and international telephone communications, etc. (https://civil.ge/archives/106111)
• Shortly after his appointment, the governmnt announced having the ambition of developing the most liberal taxation system in the post-Soviet sphere by 2005. The original proposal cancelled 12 out of 21 existing taxes: on ownership of motor vehicles; on transfer of property; on economic activity; on polluting the environment with harmful substances; on bringing overloaded vehicles into the territory of Georgia; a fixed tax; on small business; on resorts; on hotels; on advertisement; on use of local symbols and of use of local roads.
  • What was meant to rmain: income tax; social tax; profit tax; value added tax (VAT); excise tax; property tax; gambling tax; property tax and tax on use of natural resources. Although with drastic reductions (https://civil.ge/archives/106195)
• The first wave of privatizations began on 5 July 2004, with state-run hotels in Adjara and work launched to privatize airports and ports of Batumi and Poti, despite the law (https://civil.ge/archives/106232)
• On 15 July, Bendukidze presented a list of 372 privatization objects, including the TbilAviaMsheni, the Rustavi Metallurgical Plant, Georgia Telecom, the airports of Tbilisi, Poti and Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/115680)
• A point of contention between Gov and Parliament was a proposed bill that would have banned the sale of public property to companies whose shares amount to no more than 25% of government-owned. (https://civil.ge/archives/116133)
• The reforms immediately attracted international investment interest, such as AIG which announced the opening of an office in Tbilisi in 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106013)
• Parliament approved the major tax reform of the government proposed in December 2004. The reform kept only 8 out of 22 taxes, reducing the remaining 8 (social tax reduced from 33 to 20%, the VAT from 20 to 18%, and the profit tax remaining at 20% (https://civil.ge/archives/106770)
  • The government compromised with Parliament on the property tax, agreeing on a property tax of 0.05 to 0.2% on their total property assets to those families whose annual income exceeds 40,000 GEL
• The tax amnesty that applied to those guilty of tax evasion before January 2004 was not applied to high officials including the President, MPs, ministers and their deputies, Chief of the State Chancellery and his deputies, heads of the state departments and their deputies, top officials from customs and tax departments and chairman and deputies of the Chamber of Control, governors and their deputies, heads of city counciles, leaders of the National Bank, etc. (https://civil.ge/archives/106722)
• Georgian insurance companies complained against the Finance Ministry's reforms that allowed international insurance companies to avoid Georgian regulations (maybe to attract AIG) (https://civil.ge/archives/106825)
• Lexo Alexishvili, appointed Minister of Economy in December 2004 after Bendukidze, vowed to continue the libertarian policies of his predecessor and to boost privatization (https://civil.ge/archives/106838)
• On 19 December 2004, Georgia privatized the Georgian Ocean Shipping Co, LTD, a public shipping company, to the Greenoak Group, for 107 million USD. The deal was criticized for being covert by the opposition, leading to a parliamentary probe (https://civil.ge/archives/106857)
  • As a result of the criticism, the government prolonged the bidding process besides the preliminary agreement signed with Greenoak (https://civil.ge/archives/106900)
  • Another company would end up winning the bid for 161 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/107143)
• The major new tax code was finally approved on 22 December 2004. It also increased taxes on gambling, petroleum, tobacco, ethyl alcohol and wine to fill the deficit of 300 million GEL created by the cancellation of other taxes (https://civil.ge/archives/106867)
• The government also sold the Krtsanisi Governmental Residence for 15 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/106882)
• The Vartsikhe HPP and Chiaturmanganumi were also both put up for privatization (https://civil.ge/archives/106884)
• Tax and financial amnesty, which included a legalization of undisclosed property, was approved in December 2004 without applying to officials (https://civil.ge/archives/106889)
• The National Communications Commission of Georgia abolished the minimal tariff for international phone calls in March 2005, leading to a price war that brought prices down by an estimated 30-40% (https://civil.ge/archives/107044)
• Metromedia International Group Inc bought 51% of the shares of Georgian Telecom in February 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/107204)
• One of the criticisms of tax reform was that it did not bring any help to SMEs, as raised by Koba Davitashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/107340)
• On 26 Feb 2005, the Professional Unions of Georgia handed ovr 90% of its assets to the State after parliamentary threats that it would file a bill to confiscate. The goal of asset transfer was privatization (https://civil.ge/archives/107433)
• MS pushe for a "revolutionary step" in cutting red tape by creating a one-stop principle to guarantee a single destination for business licensing (https://civil.ge/archives/107793)
• The government abolished tax arbitration councils after they ruled several times against the government, which led to several complaints by the business sector (https://civil.ge/archives/107793)
• State gold mining companies were put out for privatization in May 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107928)
• The number of licenses was reduced from 909 to 150 (https://civil.ge/archives/107943)
• Also privatized were the Azot chemical factory of Rustavi, the Electric Locomotive Repair Plant of Tbilisi, and the oil infrastructure in Batumi and the Metallurgical Plant of Rustavi (https://civil.ge/archives/107974)
• In May 2005, Bendukidze pushed for a law that would allow the privatization of farm lands within a 5-km area of the borders, which was controversial as borders had not been set up with Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/108077)
  • Parliament approved the law on 21 May 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108111)
  • This caused tensions within the ruling party (https://civil.ge/archives/108124)
• The September 2005 Economic Freedom in the World rated Georgia 66/127 (ahead of all CIS countries) (https://civil.ge/archives/108826)
• The World Bank's Sep 2005 Doing Business in the World rated Georgia as the number 2 reformer globally, making it asier to start a business, cutting the number of licenses, easing the cost of firing redudant workers, cutting the time and cost to register property, and introducing new tax laws (https://civil.ge/archives/108837)
• British Stanton Equities Corporation won the privatization bid of Madneuli Mining Company and 50% of shares of Trans Georgian Resource LTD (ore explortion) for 51.1 millio USD. Stanton was founded by Promyshlennye Investory, the Russian Industrial Investors Group. It won the tender over a Hong Kong company (https://civil.ge/archives/109149)
• On 2 November 2005, he slammed his cabinet members for lacking direct contact with the people, slammed lower-level bureaucrats for being scared, inactive and unreasonable and ordered a "Red Tape Revolution" in every ministry (https://civil.ge/archives/109149)
• In 2006, the Heirtage Foundation's Economic Freedom Index moved Georgia from the mostly unfree to the mostly free category, ranking it at 68 out of 161 (https://civil.ge/archives/109504)
• In February 2006, MS stated that the speed of economic growth and reforms wuld allow Georgia to defeat poverty by 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/109860)
  • He announced at his state of the nation address that the GDP per capita would reach 2,400 USD
  • 816 subjects were privatized in 2005 for a total of 522 million GEL
• Georgia sold its 91% controlling share of the country's largest telephone operator company for 50 million USD (United Telecommunications Company) in 2006n (https://civil.ge/archives/109844)
• April 2006: New tax amendments to boost tourism and exports - Foreign citizens to collect VAT paid for goods from Georgia from customs authorities; VAT exemptions for the import of materials and goods purchased under soft credit provided in frames of the rehabilitation of electricity facilities; VAT for gas imported solely for generated electricity; excise tax on imported tobacco reduced from 90 to 60 Tetri and on local tobacco from 70 to 40 Tetri (https://civil.ge/archives/110403)
• Environmentalists opposed the government proposal to lease forest lands for 49 years (https://civil.ge/archives/110714)
• In August 2006, he announced a new economic plan aiming at a twofold reduction of unemployment by 2009 through business-friendly policies, reform of the tax administration, the reintroduction of a tax arbitration system and the launch of a 22.5 million GEL government program to sponsor three months of internship in private companies for 50,000 citizens. (https://civil.ge/archives/115048)
  • His plan involved integrating the Financial Police into the Tax Administration and using it only for last resort, effectively decriminalizing tax offenses.
  • The reintroduction of his failed tax arbitration system envisaged the use of foreign arbiters.
  • Envisioned the luanch of a microcredit program for those willing to launch themselves into the agricultural sector, starting in January 2007.
• The WB's Doing Business report in 2006 placed Georgia in 37th place in terms of ease of doing business. In 2005, it was 100th. (https://civil.ge/archives/115258)
• The Financial Police, the Tax Service and the Customs Department were united into the Revenue Service on 1 January 2007, which also worked to prvide services and information to taxpayers (https://civil.ge/archives/111358)
• On 16 November 2006, MS ordered the Finance Ministry to cancel the property tax on motor vehicles (https://civil.ge/archives/111427)
• MS announced his plan for a free economic zone in Poti in December 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111696)
  • In May 2007, MS introduced a draft law envisioning FEZs to cover 10 hectares, to be established through either private initiative or the government and will provide for profit and property tax and VAT exemption and customs duties exemption (https://civil.ge/archives/112325)
  • UNM MP Vladimer Papava publicly criticized the idea of FEZs because, as he claimed, it could be used by neighboring countries to push Georgia to establish them in regions with ethnic minorities or border areas and cause potential confusion. He also saw the risk of FEZs growing beyond Poti. (https://civil.ge/archives/112412)
• Stemcor buys the Chiaturmanganumi and Vartsikhe HPP for 77 million USD on 5 January 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/111725)
• In January 2007, mining permits for arsenic, polymetallic deposits, talc, mineral limestone, diatomite and agate deposits were starting to be sold to international investors through auction (https://civil.ge/archives/111838)
• As part of tax reform, MS proposed to bring European judges for fair arbitration, although we don't know if this idea materialized (https://civil.ge/archives/112012)
• In his 2007 State of the Nation address, MS announced a new tax reform: reduction of the profit tax from 20 to 15%, combination of the 12% income tax and the 20% social tax and reduce the total to 25%. (https://civil.ge/archives/112089)
• He stated his goal to make Georgia the "Hong Kong, Singapor or Dubai of the Caucasus" (https://civil.ge/archives/112261)
• On 1 May 2007, the government launched leases for large tracts of forested land for 20 years in a move that was severely criticized by environmental groups, albeit with a revenue total of 7.7 million GEL for timbering licenses. (https://civil.ge/archives/112323)
• Free Economic Zones Act passed Parliament in a 110-1 vote on 3 July (https://civil.ge/archives/112630)
• On 27 May 2007, Saakashvili proposed a new tax reform to reduce the profit tax from 20 to 15% and to combine the 12% income tax with the 20% social tax starting in 2008, a net 2% average-weighted rate of combined taxation reduction. Some in the opposition claimed this would lead to a net increase in taxation for private sector workers (12 to 25%). He spoke about the reform during a fundraising dinner for the Ilia Chavchavadze Museum (https://civil.ge/archives/112451)
  • As the social tax was, up to then, responsibility of the employer, criticism was that the tax reform was beneficial to employers but harmed employees (https://civil.ge/archives/112512)
• The first minimum age for gambling was set up in June 2007 at 21 in a parliamentary vote (https://civil.ge/archives/112496)
• In June 2007, the International Finance Corporation noted that business worries were down in corruption, political instability and taxes, but optisim overall was lower than in 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/112524)
• In June 2007, the Government asked Parliament to amend the list of state-owned properties that could not be privatized for strategic purposes, including: Railway infrastructure; Water supply systems and its infrastructure with pumping stations and pipelines, as well as sewer systems; Postal communication; Technical means of Channel One of the TV and Radio Broadcaster and antenna-feeder equipment; Buildings housing kindergartens; Administrative buildings of the state agencies; State-owned cemeteries, berths at ports; landing tracks, state archives, including film and photo materials and museums. All that remained in the list after the proposal if approved would be very small, including the North-South Gas Pippeline, motor roads and the air space. (https://civil.ge/archives/112612)
• With a rapidly-changing economy, the Saakashvili government pushed for training education to bring the workforce into a new age. In July 2007, he opened a training school in Kobuleti and stated vocational education would be a new need in the capitalist economy (https://civil.ge/archives/112642)
• Despite criticism, management of Georgian Railay was handed over to Parkfield for 89 years, a British investment fund (https://civil.ge/archives/112864)
  • The deal fell through in October. Parkfield was seen as a mysterious company (https://civil.ge/archives/113320)
• Georgia went from 37th to 18th i Ease of Doing Business Index in the WB report (https://civil.ge/archives/113104)
• Shortly after his reelection, Saakashvili announced a new economic package in parliament aimed at turning Georgia into a global financial center in the inspiration of Singapore: (https://civil.ge/archives/114177)
  • Liberalization of the financial sector
  • Decrease taxes from 25 to 15%
  • Liberalization of customs
  • Economic Zone in Poti
  • Establishment of two new state funds (view section First Months)
  • Mandatory budget surplus of 0.1% of GDP
  • Mandatory NBG Chair resignation if annual inflation reaches 12%
• In April 2008, the government signed an agreement with the Investment Authority of Ras Al Khaimah on the development of the FEZ of Poti (https://civil.ge/archives/114734)
• When he inaugurated the construction of the Free Economic Zone on 15 April 2008, he said his dream was to make Georgia into the Dubai and Singapore of the region and predicted the launch of a new golden age for Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/114739)

• Glucksmann
  • An example of the deregulation is the abolition of the post of inspector for state standards of food products (136-137)

• The Force Awakens
  • It was at a meeting with Russian businessmen during his first visit to Moscow in 2004 (also attended by Deripaska) that he met with Kakha Bendukidze and came up with the idea of appointing him (89)
  • Saakashvili and Zhvania were at the origin of the deregulation policy (96)
  • Zhvania and MS opposed each other on taxation policy, with Zhvania supporting compromise with IMF to avoid lowering taxes too low, but MS sided with Bendukidze (98)
  • He entertained close ties with international (particularly Russian, Ukrainian and Turkish) investors, taking them to concerts, befriending their families, taking them around the country (151)

• Georgia in the World Context
  • 2004-2008 largely seen as economic progress (516)
  • In 2005, there was a tax reform, regulatory procedures were decreased, the number of taxes were decreased and tax rates lowered, while revenue increased as the Black Market came out of the shadows (516)
  • The 12.3% GDP increase of 2007 led to thoughts of an economic boom (516)
  • Some explain the boom with a spike in privatizations that led to drastic revenue increase, which was translated into GDP increase until the second half of 2008 (516)
  • This took place at the same time as a global economic boom (516)
  • 2007 FDI pushed above 2 billion USD, linked with global economic prosperity (516)
  • An economic boom in Russia at the same time also meant more intermittences (516)
  • The intense construction business was shaped like a pyramid scheme, with companies building for an owner using funds gathered from a future client. This led to heavy speculation (516)
  • All prices increased as a result (516)

• Some Index ratings
  • 4th Place in Forbes's Tax Misery and Reform Index of 2008 (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainFigures?p=6862&i=1)
  • Moved from 61st to 52nd place in the BTI from 2006 to 2010. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainFigures?p=6860&i=1)
  • 37th place in WEF's 2010 Enabling Trade Index (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainFigures?p=6859&i=1)
  • 29th place in the 2010 Free Economy Index of the Heritage Foundation (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainFigures?p=6852&i=1)
  • 1st place in the 2012 World Bank's Ease of Doing Business index (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainFigures?p=7056&i=1)

• He abolished many inspection services, like the Epidemiological Station (for restaurant checks) and the Fire Inspection Service (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6876&i=2)

• In his 2007 parliamentary address, he pledged to cut the unemployment rate by half by 2010. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4952&i=1 )
  • He also pledged to enhance technical retraining programmes
  • He also pledged to create a commission to study tax-related disputes with the goal of resolving all economic disputes. He claimed that foreign judges had already been invited and that consultations were ongoing with EU countries on this.
  • He went by the Laffer Curve theorem, which claimed that the lower the taxes, the more state revenues would grow.
  • In that same speech, he proposed to start a debate on reducing the profit tax from 20 to 15% starting in 2008. He also announced that the government was ordered to start reviewing a reform that would combine the 12% income tax and the 20% social tax with a flat 25% income tax.
  • He also pledged to create by the end of the year FEZs in Guria and Samegrelo, based on the experience of Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong.

• Hoesli
  • Hoesli claims that the government managed to drastically cut taxes thanks to an outpour of international aid that filled the state coffers (884)

Politique monétaire

• Kavadze
  • Russian involvement, including 1 billion USD annually in remittances, kept the GEL alive (79)

• The GEL reached its highest level in three years in March 2004, 1.98 GEL to 1 USD (https://civil.ge/archives/105367)
• Another 3-year record was hit in August 2004, with 1.8 GEL to 1 USD. This growth was linked to significant budgetary surplus increases, the privatization process and the BTC construction.
  • The National Bank's policy was to let it freely move on the free currency market without setting a fixed rate, something criticized by some like Roman Gotsiridze.
  • Starting in September, a new regulation required individuals to submit their IDs to exchange currency into GEL, a move to curb money laundering, something that was expected to put a pause on the GEL growth (https://civil.ge/archives/115951)
• A 5-year record was hit on 7 September 2004, with 1.71 GEL to the dollar. (https://civil.ge/archives/115996)
• Roman Gotsiridze was appointed President of the National Bank by MS to succeed outgoing Irakli Managadze, whose 7-year term expired on 25 March 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107594)
• Georgia's first-ever international credit rating was issued by Standard and Poor's as B+ for long-term and B for short-term sovereign credit ratings, with a positive outlook in December 2005 due to efforts to raise revenue by reducing corruption and the black market and efforts to pay back debts (https://civil.ge/archives/109347)
• For the first time since 2002, the inflation rate did not go past 7% and dropped to 6.2% in 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109538)
• The IMF lobbied in 2006 for the Central Ban to receive more power in influencing the money supply than its current power to purchase and buy foreign exchange. IMF and Tbilisi reached an agreement on an arrangement where the gov would take some of its debt to the NB and turn it into gov securities of varying maturues for the NB to then buy and sell to affect the money supply.
  • The IMF also warned that the exchange rate of the GEL to the USD was considerably lower than their equilibrium due to various policies (https://civil.ge/archives/109880)
• In Feb 2005, the WB approved a 5 million USD grant for infrastructure (https://civil.ge/archives/109894)
• In 2006, the government aimed for an annual inflation rate of 5-6% but it reached 10% in the summer, partially because of increased energy prices. The IMF urged Georgia to rein in spending in response (https://civil.ge/archives/110956)
• By August 2006, the inflation rate had reached 14.5%, much higher than the 6 target. The IMF warned Georgia about tightening monetary policy. Georgia claimed this was due to rising oil prices in the world (https://civil.ge/archives/115137)
• 6 % inflation rate in October 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/115579)
• 10.2 inflation rate in October 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111462)
• S&P's revised its outlook on the government of Georgia from positive to stable on 21 November 2006 due to increased geopolitical risk (https://civil.ge/archives/111471)
• The NBG reserves reached 958 million USD, a historic high, in January 2007. This was opposed to 196 million USD at the end of 2003 (https://civil.ge/archives/111766)
• The reserves exceeded 1 billion USD on 19 March (https://civil.ge/archives/112119)
• The 2006 inflation rate was 8.8%, 5.6% of which was due to external factors, particularly the Russian embargo (https://civil.ge/archives/112362)
  • But the Central Bank came under fire even by UNM MPs who claimed that it failed to assess risks and challenges agead and that only one third of the inflation could be tied to external factors (https://civil.ge/archives/112365)
    • Gotsiridze's resignation was demanded even by some in the ruling party (https://civil.ge/archives/112432)
  • On 12 July, Parliament refused to approve Gotsiridze's report, instead passing a series of recommendations, including: activating measures to forecast inflation, focusing on the possible negative consequences of further appreciation of the GEL, reinforcing supervision over commercial banks, reducing the Central Bank's administrative expenses. Bendukidze also came critical of Gotsiridze, claiming the CB should have been more vigorous in its efforts to reduce risks posed by the inflow of foreign investment. (https://civil.ge/archives/112676)
• Roman Gotsiridze claimed having stepped down on 10 September 2007, although it was in the midst of a confirmation battle with Noghaideli protege Lexo Alexishvili tapped to be new chairman, while Burjanadze fumed at her opinion not being taken into consideration (https://civil.ge/archives/113006)
• The 2007 inflation rate was 9% although official numbers were questioned by economists (https://civil.ge/archives/113201)
  • In November 2007, the IMF contradicted the inflation numbers of the Georgian government and stated it was 11.2% (https://civil.ge/archives/113538)
• Following the Saakashvili reeleciton, days after, Bendukidze proposed to mandate the resignation of the NBG chair if annual inflation reached 12% (https://civil.ge/archives/114177)
• New measures led the IMF in March 2008 to warn against threats to Central Bank independence (https://civil.ge/archives/114454)
• Government and Parliament reach an agreement on 14 March 2008 on NBG reform: no automatic dismissal of chair if 12% barrier crossed. Instead, Parliament will be allowed to recommend the President to dismiss the chair if the single-digit inflation is not met. Foreign citizens were allowed to be appointed on the Board (https://civil.ge/archives/114520)
• The March 2008 inflation rate was 12.3%. In response, the NBG increase dits key interest from 11 to 12% and announced a reduction in the money supply growth by 15% to 35%. Government spending was blamed by the NBG on the hgher-than-expected money supply (https://civil.ge/archives/114755)
• The interest rate of the NBG was brought down again to 11% on 20 Aug 2008 following the war, in a need of loosening monetary policy (https://civil.ge/archives/117196)
• The NBG cut its rate to 10% on 10 September 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/117458)
• While the inflation rate had been brought down to 7% by November 2008, the post-war GEL was in bad shape and feel down to 1.65 to the USD on 10 Nov (https://civil.ge/archives/117866)
• Giorgi Kadagidze was elected as the new Prsident of the NBG on 27 February 2009. He was 29 years old. He served before as head of the Financial Supervisory Agency. (https://civil.ge/archives/118425)
• On 25 May 2009, Kadagidze announced that the rate of GEL would be detemined through currency auctions instead of Central Bank interventions on the Tbilisi currency exchange. This meant that the monetary policy of the bank became more flexible and was welcome by the IMF. (https://civil.ge/archives/118909)
• In May 2009, Nona Karalashvili, a senior adviser to the PM, said in an interview with Liberali that the government was considering allowing a multi-currency regime. This was strongly denied by the MOF, although it was known to be supported by Kakha Bendukidze (https://civil.ge/archives/118928)
• To fight off inflation, the NBG increased the key rate from 5 to 6.25% in June 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/120298)
• The rate was again increased to 6.5 on 21 July 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/120407)
• In December 2010, Saakashvili warned that inflation would keep rising as the inflation rate reached 10.5% in November. MS blamed it on increasing food and fuel prices around the world (https://civil.ge/archives/185765)
• The December 2010 inflation rate reached 11.2%, the largest in three years (https://civil.ge/archives/120773)
• To fight off inflation, the government issued a 20 million GEL subsidy for individual electricity use (https://civil.ge/archives/185796)
  • As well as 30 GEL food coupons starting in March 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/185806)
• On 13 April 2011, the government issued a second 500 milion USD Eurobond to refinance the previous one, which Saakashvili praised as having lengthened debt maturity till 2021. (https://civil.ge/archives/185872)
• Annual inflation hit 13.5 in April 2011, with food and non-alcoholic beverages increasing by 28.6 (https://civil.ge/archives/121045)
• Annual inflation reached 14.3 in May 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/121167)
  • By that point, the NBG had raised its interest rate to 8%
• Inflation went down to 10% in June 2011, although there were questions about the accuracy of the number. For example, Geostat did not do a breakdown of the inflation decrease in food, maybe to hide the fact that meat continues to hike because of a state-patronized monopolistic system in slaughterhouses (https://civil.ge/archives/121255)
  • After this announcement, the NBG reduced its rate to 7.75% on 20 July (https://civil.ge/archives/1212950
• Inflation went down to 8.5% in July (https://civil.ge/archives/121323)
  • NBG lowered rate to 7.5% on 17 August (https://civil.ge/archives/121338)
• Inflation went down to 7.2% in August (https://civil.ge/archives/121376)
• Inflation went down to 4.6% in September (https://civil.ge/archives/121437)
• NBG cuts rate to 7.25% on 26 October (https://civil.ge/archives/121495)
• Inflation went down to 2.3% in October 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/121507)
  • NBG cut rate down to 7% on 22 November (https://civil.ge/archives/121554)
• Inflation rate went down to 1.9% in November (https://civil.ge/archives/121589)
• Inflation rate was 2% in December (https://civil.ge/archives/121673)
  • The NBG cut rate down to 6.5% on 18 January 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/121692)
• Inflation rate was 0.5% in January 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/121724)
• Deflation reached 2.1% in February 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/186244)
• Deflation reached 2.2% in March 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/121843)
  • NBG cut rate down to 6.25% on 25 April (https://civil.ge/archives/121885)
• Deflation at 2.1% in April (https://civil.ge/archives/121898)
  • NBG cut its rate down to 6% on 23 May (https://civil.ge/archives/121952)
• UIn December 2011, Fitch upgraded Georgia's sovereign credit rating to BB- (https://civil.ge/archives/122018)
• Deflation was 3.3% in May 2012 and the NBG cut its rate to 5.75% on 20 June (https://civil.ge/archives/122024)
• Deflation rates: 0.2% in June (https://civil.ge/archives/122058)
• Inflation rate at 0.6% in July (https://civil.ge/archives/122135)
• Inflation rate at 0.1% in August (https://civil.ge/archives/122198)
• Deflation at 0.5 in November 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/122441)
• Deflation at 1.4% in December (https://civil.ge/archives/122511)
• Deflation at 1.6% in January 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/122576)
• NBG cut rate to 4.75% on 13 February 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/122610)
• Deflation at 2.1% in February 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/122649)
  • NBG cut rate down to 4.5% on 27 March (https://civil.ge/archives/122724)
• Deflation at 2.1% in March (https://civil.ge/archives/122736)
• Deflation at 1.7% in April (https://civil.ge/archives/122825)
  • NBG cut the rate to 4.25% on 8 May (https://civil.ge/archives/122834)
• Deflation at 0.1% in May (https://civil.ge/archives/122909)
• Geostat reported 0% economic growth in May 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/122980)
• Inflation was at 0.2% in June (https://civil.ge/archives/122991)
• Deflation was at 0.2% in July (https://civil.ge/archives/123067)
• Inflation at 0% in August (https://civil.ge/archives/123129)
• Deflation at 1.3% in September (https://civil.ge/archives/123202)
• Inflation at 0.2% in October (https://civil.ge/archives/123304)

Relations avec les organisations financières internationales

• Kavadze
  • In January 2004, WB and IMF reps arrived in Tbilisi with the arrival of a new government to elaborate new assistance strategies for Georgia (229)
  • The IMF had been disappointed by the inadequate policies of the Shevardnadze governmet (228-229)
  • The WB started drafting new infrastructural programmes (229)
  • The IMF considered it necessary to implement gradual structural and isntitutional reforms (229)

• On 22 January, at a joint press conference during the Davos WEF, UNDP Administrator Mark Malloch Brown, George Soros and MS announced the creation of the Capacity Building Fund to fund reforms in Georgia. It was made of 2 million USD at first to provide administrative and legal reforms. This was a parallel program as something created in Serbia and Montenegro (https://civil.ge/archives/105105)
• BTC announced allocating 1 million USD to help Georgia cope with the refugee crisis by covering their electric fees on Jan 28 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105143)
• In February 2004, Parliament approved, based on an IMF recommendation that authorities make anti-money laundering legislation fully effective, amendments to the Law on Money Laundering to create a Financial Monitoring Service aimed at analyzing every financial transaction made above 30,000 GEL. (https://civil.ge/archives/105326)
• Starting in April 2004, Capacity Building Fund, set up by UNDP and Soros, started paying the salaries of 5,000 state officials, particularly in law enforcement. These salaries included those of President, Speaker and PM (1500 USD) and Ministers, NSC Secretary and Prosecutor General (1200 USD) (https://civil.ge/archives/105507)
• Relations with the IMF improved drastically when Zhvania and Russian PM Fradkov reached an agreement on restructuring Georgia's debt to Russia, leading to Moscow removing obstacle to debt relief efforts by the Paris Club (https://civil.ge/archives/105990)
  • The agreement was not implemented and it was assumed that Moscow was demanding Tbilisi to write-off the 50 million USD debt of VneshEconomBank (https://civil.ge/archives/106000)
• IMF approved a three-year 150.3 million USD assistance program to Georgia on 4 June 2004 to support the Georgian economy. The IMF directly pointed out at the ambitious reform efforts of the new government and its efforts to restructure its existing debts. This was after a more-or-less tense beginning, with MS warning that not all IMF recommendations would be listened to (https://civil.ge/archives/106054)
• On 17 June 2004, the Donors Conference in Brussels, co-led by the European Commission and the World Bank, pledged 1 billion USD to Georgia for 2004-2006 for budget support, investment in energy, governance, poverty reduction, key infrastructure rehabilitation and food security. (https://civil.ge/archives/106122)
• Praising new economic reforms (days after the nomination of Bendukidze), the World Bank approved a 47 million USD loan to Georgia on 24 June 2004, for reform support, energy and infrastructure (https://civil.ge/archives/106170)
• The total foreign debt of Georgia reached 1.7 billion USD in his early months. On 21 July 2004, the Paris Club agreed on a restructuring plan. The agreement consolidates 160.6 million USD in debts accrued before Nov 1999. (https://civil.ge/archives/115718)
• On Sep 27 2004, the EBRD issued a new strategy for Georgia which emphasized power and energy, regional transportation, water utilities and telecommunications, although the pre-existing climate required a non-sovereign basis (no government guarantee) and appropriate regulatory and institutional reforms. (https://civil.ge/archives/116144)
• IMF welcomed the reforms and tax reforms and fight against corruption in October 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106409)
• Thee IMF approved the disbursement of 21.5 million USD to Georgia on 21 December 2004, the first tranche of the 4 June 3-year arrangement, after reviewing Georgia's performance under the 3-year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility arrangement (https://civil.ge/archives/106871)
• Switzerland agreed to double its financial assistance program for techncal, financial and humanitarian cooperation. Switzerland granted nearly 13 million USD in 2002-2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/107069)
• Georgia made a bid in 2005 to join the Asian Development Bank (https://civil.ge/archives/107972)
• The World Bank approved 143 million USD loan to Georgia for 2006-2009 in Sep 2005 to focus generating growth and job creation, education, social protection and community services (https://civil.ge/archives/108866)
• The EBRD and Georgia also started building common projects in 2005 to push privatizations and the development of the private sector economy (https://civil.ge/archives/109040)
• Relations with the IMF seem to be very close in 2006, with John Wakeman-Linn, Division Chief at the IMF's Middle East and Central Asian Department, statin that 2005 had been a very good year for Georgia and anticipating 2006 to also be very good.
• In May 2006, the International Financial Corporation and the EBRD provided a 54 million USD loan to help the construction of the Batumi International Airport (https://civil.ge/archives/110607)
• In May 2006, the IMF claimed that Georgia's macroeconomic performance remained strong and praised reforms. But it also urged the government to adopt a cautious fiscal stance through the greater accumulation of international reserves and warned against high interest rates (https://civil.ge/archives/110624)
• In May 2006, EBRD President Jean Lemierre promised to increase EBRD investments from 85 to 150 million EUR annually. Tbilisi and the EBRD set up an investment council and the EBRD agreed to participate in the rehabilitation of the Inguri HPP and the Nrth-South Gas Pipeline (https://civil.ge/archives/110636)
• The EBRD opened a regional center on 25 September 2006 in Tbilisi to cover the Caucasus, Moldova and Belarus (https://civil.ge/archives/115411)
• On 29 Nov 2006, the Bank of Georgia made its debut at the LSE, the first initial public offering of a Georgian company (https://civil.ge/archives/111510)
• Georgia and the World Bank signed a 19 million USD credit agreement for the First East-West Highway Improvement Project on 15 December 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111624)
• The IMF stated that Georgia had a very good reputation in the international community (https://civil.ge/archives/112012)
  • And praised the establishment of the Revenue Service
  • But criticized the Financial Police as potentially violating property rights
• In June 2007, the IMF concluded another review of the Georgian economy in which it prased the Georgian economic performance as "impressive despite the external shock associated with Russia's economic embargo" and praised the high amount of imports (https://civil.ge/archives/112478)
• Georgia and EIB signed an agreement paving the way for EIB investment in Georgia o 21 June 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112580)
• In April 2008, PM Lado Gurgenidze toured London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna and Dubai as the country was preparing to issue its first-ever eurobonds worth 500 million USD, to be managed by JP Morgan and UBS, and with a maturity of 5-10 years (https://civil.ge/archives/114660)
• The first eurobond coupon was issued on 13 April 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/114727)
• In September 2008, the IMF approved a stand-by agreement envisaging 750 million USD financial package to help Georgia cover part of its external financing gap and to ensure macroeconomic stability. In July 2009, the IMF raised the SBA to 1.164 billion USD (https://civil.ge/archives/119217)
• On 10 September 2009, the World Bank Group launched a new Country Partnership Strategy according to which the Bank would lend Georgia 740-900 million USD in 2009-2012 to invest in transport infrastructure, deepening of reforms in social assistance and health coverage for the poor, improvements in the business environment and strengthening of expenditure efficiency. (https://civil.ge/archives/119365)
  • On the same day, the WBG approved 147 million USD loan for the east-west highway project (https://civil.ge/archives/119365)
• In March 2010, the EBRD approved a 180 million EUR loan for Georgia to finance a railway route bypassing the center of Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/119989)
• On May 4 2011, IDA and IBRD announced a new lending program of 235 million USD for secondary roads and regional development (https://civil.ge/archives/121048)
• In March 2012, the World Bank approved two loans for a total of 130 million USD to fiannce infrastructure development in Kakhaeti and road rehab projects (https://civil.ge/archives/121815)
• On 11 April 2012, the IMF approved a 24-month 385.6 million USD loan program for Georgia (precautionary) as Georgia upscaled all of its expectations: 7% growth, inflation turning into deflation, government debt faling to 34% of GDP and international reserves increasing to 2.8 billion USD (https://civil.ge/archives/121868)
• Soros visited Georgia in December 2012 and met with Saakashvili, who introduced him to the Public Service Hall (https://civil.ge/archives/122439)

• Glucksmann
  • Early on, MS asked from UNDP funding to hire young qualified people. The UNDP proposed a 50 million USD program for a consulting mission, which MS refused as he feared a consulting mission would have attracted qualified people into the consulting sector and would have prevented them from joining the administration. MS wanted money to hire for the government to do the job itself. UNDP was relunctant because such a program had not been done before (128)
    • MS met with Soros to discuss this. Soros negotiated with UNDP and agreed to write himself a 2 million USD check and the UNDP provided another 40 million.
    • Based on MS's estimates, Soros's contribution amounted to 2% of what was needed (128)
    • Soros lobbied international financial organizations at the beginning on behalf of Georgia (129)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • At first, it was wildly believed that George Soros was the main financial backer behind the anti-corruption reforms in the early months of Saakashvili. It was eventually revealed that Bidzina Ivanishvili financed most of these reforms, including bureaucratic salary increases and the police reforms (514)

• The Force Awakens
  • The IMF at first opposed the government's radical low taxation policy and stopped its relations with the Georgian government, although it could not abandon its local programs because of the popularity of the Rose Revolution across the world (98-99)

• The World Bank partially financed many infrastructure projects, including the Gombori road project (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=5227&i=6)

• Hoesli
  • International contributions increased dramatically after the Rose Revolution, with some believing this was done at the beset of US lobbying (883)
  • In June 2004, the IMF opened a 144 million USD credit, the EU added 150 million USD, and at the surprise of many, during the international donors conference on 16 June consecrated to Georgia, the World Bank provided one billion USD, more than twice what the Georgian government was asking for. Hoesli writes that, "from the memory of an international banker, it's never seen before" (883)

Réorganisation gouvernementale

• AD
  • A number of state regulatory bodies associated with corruption were abolished (AD, p. 472)
  • A significant number of old personnel were dismissed from work at once.

• Roelofs
  • The Revenue Service's new-found efficiency led to an increasing growth in the Treasury (275)
  • Pensions and public officials' salaries arrears were being paid (275)

• Kavadze
  • Thousands of bureaucrats were dismissed (435)

• Bluashvili 2016
  • Several oversight government agencies were abolished because of their past links to corruption (377)

• Republican Party
  • Before 2007, the first Justice Houses were built (190)
  • His first term has been largely recognized as the building of state institutions after a period of chaos (190)

• In the first wave of restructuring of Feb 2004, the Ministry of Construction and Urbanization was merged into Transport and Communication to form the Infrastructure and Devevelopment Ministry. 16 independent agencies were integrated into ministries, such as Intelligence Department into Ministry of Security, and Border Guard Dept into MIA. (https://civil.ge/archives/105228)
  • Cabinet decisions were taken by vote
• The presidential staff, renamed from State Chancellery to Presidential Administration, was reduced from 600 to 120 (https://civil.ge/archives/105240)
• On 13 May 2004, the Parliament approved an ambitious budget set at 1.7 billion GEL, the largest budget in Georgian history with a 530 million GEL increase from the previous year, with a special accent done on social programs, energy and defense (https://civil.ge/archives/105914)
• On 15 June 2004, the Ministry of Infrastructure was abolished and its functions transferred to the Ministry of Economy (https://civil.ge/archives/106103)
• On 17 June, the government increased its budget by another 200 million GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/106126)
• On 26 July, another 220 million GEL was added to the budget (https://civil.ge/archives/115744)
• On 22 September 2004, the Justice Ministry announced the creation of a one-stop shop for all civil documentation to streamline the entire process and reduce corruption in the civil registry offices (https://civil.ge/archives/116116)
  • It also announced the creation of a Unified Civil Registry
• Georgia started registering some 250,000 IDPs in December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106762)
• On 14 December 2004, a government reshuffle was announced which planned a new structure: Security Ministry to be merged with MIA (with an autonomous counterintelligence service) led by Vano Merabishvili, a new State Ministry for European Integration Issues, a new State Ministry for Economic Reforms under Bendukidze to oversee rapid reforms in all sectors (https://civil.ge/archives/106811)
• A Foreign Intelligence Service was also announced as an independence structure directly under the President, while it previously served under the Security Ministry (https://civil.ge/archives/106824)
• The 2005 final budget added up to 2.2 billion GEL, with defense and social spending as key priorities, as well as energy and road infrastructure. (https://civil.ge/archives/106911)
• By late 2005, MS was taking a more active role in directly criticizing his cabinet for lacking direct contact with the people and maintaining old bureaucratic systems. These criticisms often took place on live TV, which looked like PR stunts (https://civil.ge/archives/109160)
• He announced a public employee cut by 10% for 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/109356)
• When the Russian wine ban hit in April 2006, Okruashvili was instructed by MS to promote Georgian wine abroad. He was MOD at the time. This led to beliefs that Okruashvili's power had increasingly risen (note: he was the only one to publicly call for a military solution to SO even when the government was formally pushing for a peaceful resolution of the conflict and everyone thought he was alone) and some believed he would become PM, replacig Noghaideli. At the same time, Merabishvili's stock was dropping because of Girgvliani but h remained powerful (https://civil.ge/archives/110360)
• In 2006, we saw more clashes: Burjanadze and Okruashvili led a hidden war, while Patarkatsishvili, now in the opposition, was believed to have financial ties with Burjanadze, as Imedi was showing programs criticizing MS and praising her (https://civil.ge/archives/110523)
• On 14 July, a scandal began with police detaining a car of Russian diplomats in Gori heading to Tskhinvali. Khaindrava condemned Georgian police. Okruashvili engaged in harsh criticism against Khaindrava. (https://civil.ge/archives/111126)
  • These led to a war of words between the two (https://civil.ge/archives/111130)
  • On 21 July, a cabinet reshuffle was announced and Khaindrava was expelled (https://civil.ge/archives/111129)
    • Khaindrava's removal was explained by Noghaideli as a prevention of emergence cracks in the cabinet, a clear sign that Okruashvili had won. Khaindrava was expected to meet the President before his dismissal but that was cancelled (https://civil.ge/archives/111138)
• Anna Zhvania, presidential aide on civil integration issues, was appointed as Chief of Intelligence on 19 September 2006 to replace Batu Kutelia, who became Deputy FM (https://civil.ge/archives/115367)
• Officially, the 10 November 2006 government reshuffle was directed at the economy: Okruashvili was moved from Defense to Economy, Kezerashvili was moved from Financial Police to Defense, Irakli Chogovadze (Economy) was moved to GD of GOGC, Mikheil Svimonishvili (Agriculture) was moved to Guria, Petre Tsiskarashvili (Kakheti) was moved to Agriculture. (https://civil.ge/archives/111379)
• On 20 November 2006, as Okruashvili left politics, MS announced Giorgi Arveladze, his head of administration, would serve as the new Economy Minister (https://civil.ge/archives/111452)
  • Arveladze would be replaced in Avlabari by Eka Sharashidze, MS's aide for economic issues (https://civil.ge/archives/111463)
• He called the Transport Regulatory Commission a "total leech" on the economy and ordered it shut down on 21 February 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/111963)
• Zurab Adeishvili, though General Prosecutor, was praised by Saakashvili for being behind the renovation of Sighnaghi (https://civil.ge/archives/112767)
• In September 2007, there was a government reshuffle that notably targeted the President of the NBG. Burjanadze publicly criticized the government for not taking her into account, indicating a major rift within the ruling party (https://civil.ge/archives/112963)
• Shortly after, she criticized the cadre problem of the government (https://civil.ge/archives/185537)
• In April 2012, PM Gilauri announced the setting up of the Georgia Reforms and Partnership Enterprise (GRAPE) as an agency meant to advise other countries in reforms (https://civil.ge/archives/186306)
• Georgian electronic state procurement system and public service halls were among the recipients of 2012's annual UN Public Service Award, described by the United Nations to be “the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service.” (https://civil.ge/archives/121935)

• Glucksmann
  • Within weeks, they icnreased revenue by 40%. (129)\
  • In 4 years, the budget increased elevenfold (129)

• Georgia in the World Context
  • Justice Houses were built in which documents could be given within minutes. Became a world example of reform, especially among post-Soviet republics (516-517)

• Entire ministries were abolished and 30,000 bureaucrats lost their jobs (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=5554&i=2)

Changements des forces de l'ordre

• In addition, the U.S. State Department noted[158] that during 2005 "the government amended several laws and increased the amount of investigations and prosecutions reducing the amount of abuse and ill-treatment in pre-trial detention facilities". The status of religious freedom also improved due to increased investigation and prosecution of those harassing followers of non-traditional faiths.

• One of the first reforms was the transformation of the police force. (AD, p. 472)
  • The corrupt auto-inspection dating back to Soviet times was replaced by a patrol police.
  • Almost the entire police force was replaced and fired by new personnel picked through merit-based selection.
  • They were equipped with new cars, modern technology, good training and motivated with good salaries.

• Zourabichvili
  • New financial grants allowed for the building of new modern prisons (135)

• Roelofs
  • The entire police force was sacked (279)
  • This was followed by new selection procedures that created a reduced but more efficient police force (279)
  • The new officers started receiving high salaries (279)

• Rayfield
  • Traffic police was sacked and instead of burly Ossetians in Ladas, polite young girls in Volkswagens monitored traffic. (395)
  • Police bribery stopped at a stroke (395)
  • Criminal and security police were purged (395)
  • Merabishvili built police stations with walls of glass where his employees can be seen from the street as they sit at their desks in a PR move for transparency (402)

• Kavadze
  • In 2004, the Ministry of State Security was merged into the MIA, which also combined the Department of Emergency Situations, the Pipeline Protection Department and the Border Guard Services (428)
  • Merabishvili was appoited minister of the united ministry and was given carte blanche to conduct police reform and fight aainst organized crime. (428-429)
  • 15,000 police officers were fired overnight (435)

• On 23 March, Georgia and the US signed an agreement to provide Georgia 2.5 million USD to assist law enforcement agencies of Georgia, ncluding the Police Academy, the creation of a forensic lab; the assistance also considers appointment of legal advisor for the Georgian government. (https://civil.ge/archives/105517)
• There were often small military parades for the President (https://civil.ge/archives/105606)
• By July 2004, thousands of police officers had already been fired by the MIA cutting down the number of its employees. The initial reform scheduled 650 officers in the Patrol Police (https://civil.ge/archives/115697)
• Following a conflict between MOD Giorgi Baramidze and former Internal Troops COmmander Gogi Tatukhashvili (himself a former bodyguard of MS before becoming Commander), MS ordered the creation of a National Gendarmerie in November 2004 to incorporate the former troops of the Internal Troops. Tatukhashvili was power-hungry (https://civil.ge/archives/106587)
• The US granted 4 million USD in March 2005 to the MIA, the Prosecutor's Office and the MOJ to help establish an information management system and communications infrastructure to enable police officers to do their jobs more efectively, assist law enforcement agencies establish anticorruption initiatives (https://civil.ge/archives/107603)
• The OSCE participated in police training in 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108785)
• Purges continued after the reformation: in September 2005, the Shida Kartli police force was purged, non-conflict related checkpoints were dismantled after it was revealed that several police officers were taking part in the black market of the region (https://civil.ge/archives/108920)

• Glucksmann
  • The decision to fire the entire police force was taken in summer 2004 (130)
  • The great firing led to the firing of the entire patrol police and 80% of criminal police (130)
  • The remaining 20% of the criminal police was fired within the following year (130)
  • More than 90% of the entire police force was replaced with the first 18 months of his presidency (130)
  • The period of time when there was no police saw no increase in crime. Accordig to MS, there was a 20% decrease in crime (130)
  • Approval ratings for the police increased from 5 to 60% between June and December 2004 (131)
  • New young hires were paid 400 EUR a month (131)
  • One of the very first reform was the abolition of the State Security Ministry, making Georgia the first post-Soviet country to centralize all its law enforcement within the MIA (134)

• The Force Awakens
  • At a meeting, he talked about firing the entire Traffic Patrol, to which even some members of his government opposed fearing of increased road fatalities (122)
  • According to him, crime went down when the firing took place (122)
  • A new concourse was announced to staff a new traffic patrol, and American trainers were used to train the new staff (122)
  • In 2007, he opened the Police Academy and at its head was Khatia Dekanoidze (122)
  • New forms, new cars were distributed (122-123)
  • Counter-intelligence was also heavily reformed, old Soviet-era cadres were fired. Gia Lortkipanidze was at its head (125-126)
  • There was a big prosecutorial reform, with also many cadres being fired (127)
    • Prosecutors worked with petty criminals, offering them amnesty in exchange of cooperation with greater investigations (127)
    • Prosecutors also worked to return money from corrupt officials (127-128)

• The 15,000-strong traffic patrol was replaced by 2,300 American-style road patrollers (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=5554&i=2)
• Not only the Police HQ but most police departments were built with glass walls as a move to symbolize transparency (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6884&i=1)

• He admitted to the use of undercover officers who tried to incite police officers to take bribes. In one example, an undercover officer in Gori was taken out of his car and beaten. This was used as an example of efficiency by Saakashvili during his 2005 parliamentary address (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4950&i=1)

Guerre contre le crime

• Crime rate was decreased significantly (AD, 473)

• Kavadze
  • A zero tolerance policy on crime was implemented (429)
  • Intensive stop and search operations were implemented, as well as surveillance and extensive police patrolling (429)
  • The number of crimes and offences in Georgia were significantly reduced (429)
  • But this increased complains against the police (429)
  • "Special police checks" became common with this strategy (429)
  • Law enforceent agencies frequently used xcessive and brutal force and violated laws (429)
  • TV-broadcasting became a tool to demonstrate how police could "skilfully act to protect public order" (429)

• In his first days in office, MS banned street traders in Tbilisi as part of a campaign against smuggling, which led to protests because of the large number of IDPs working in outdoor markets (https://civil.ge/archives/105169)
• 30 members of an armed gang in Mingrelia would be arrested on 4 February 2004 for smuggling and alleged cooperation with Abkhaz armed gangs. 10 of them would be liberated after it was reported they were Zviadists (https://civil.ge/archives/105188)
  • This group was the Forest Brothers. In a deal with the MIA, they agreed to surrender their arms on 11 February and transferred all their ammunition, including their assets on the other side of the ABL (https://civil.ge/archives/105225)
• On 3 March 2004, dozens of police officials in Samegrelo were fired after refusing to obey the orders of a new regional security chief (https://civil.ge/archives/105368)
  • This event forced MS to convene a NSC meeting during which he pledged to crack down on criminal law enforcement officials. (https://civil.ge/archives/105370)
• On 3 March 2004, the govenrment launched an anti-mob operation in Kutaisi. Four were killed the first day, including two policemen and one passerby. 15 mob bosses would be arrested a few days later in Kutaisi (https://civil.ge/archives/105363)
  • On 11 March, MS went to Kutaisi to attend the funeral of the police officers, where he said, "I declare war on criminals" (https://civil.ge/archives/105419)
• ex-chief of the Security Ministry’s Anti-Terrorist Center Levan Kenchadze was arrested on April 29 for allegedly selling weapons to Chechen fighters (https://civil.ge/archives/105792)
• In June 2004, the US DOS issued a report noting Georgia's progess in the fight aganst the trafficking of persons, despite hrrible results before (https://civil.ge/archives/106114)
• Gigi Ugulava was appointed as Governor of S-ZS after a term as Deputy Security Minister, to oversee anti-crime operations. 19 major criminals were arrested on 6 October 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/116201)
• Mikheil Kebadze, former commander of Georgian peacekeepers in SO, was arrested on 13 October for illegal possession of arms. The Security Ministry accused him of divulging secret information. He was released and charges dropped on 17 October 2004 under mysterious circumstances (https://civil.ge/archives/106349)
• Georgia was in between 2nd and 3rd category countries in trafficking, risking its financial support from the US. In January 2005, MS signed an anti-trafficking plan that made the NSC coordinate all agencies in the fight against trafficking (https://civil.ge/archives/107374)
• Outdoor tobacco trade was banned from Tbilisi in March 2005 to fight against smuggling (https://civil.ge/archives/107442)
• Beso Giorgashvili, chief of Kareli PD, was arrested on 13 March for ties to smuggling with South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/107549)
  • Later that same day, the MIA sacked the Chief of Police of Shida Kartli and all local Shida Kartlian PD chiefs (https://civil.ge/archives/107550)
  • MS confirmed that they were involved in smuggling (https://civil.ge/archives/107551)
  • MS called the smuggling clan the 'Gori Police Mafia', which aimed at restoring old smuggling routes cancelled after Ergneti closure (https://civil.ge/archives/115801)
  • There were beliefs that the Shida Kartli police reshuffle was in reality linked to a struggle between Merabishvili and Okruashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/107558)
• The government closed down Eliava market because of smuggling and another outdoor trade market in Zugdidi in late March 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107642)
• Selling alcohol at outdoor markets was baned on 1 April 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107697)
• In the May 2005 submittd NS Concept, contraband and transnational organized crime were cited as national threats (https://civil.ge/archives/108060)
• In August 2005, the MIA launched a program of a 1000 GEL bounty for drug tips (https://civil.ge/archives/108702)
• On 26 August, Ermile Tortladze, Honorary Consul of Cote d'Ivoire, was arrested for drug trade (https://civil.ge/archives/185393)
• On 9 November 2005, Parliament approved a law on organized crime and racketeerin that envisaged the confiscaton of property acquired through racketeering and defined thief in law as a group of persons who acts in accordance with special criminal rules and aims at gaining profit through intimidation, trheates and crime. Parliament claimed it declared war on the criminal world with this law (https://civil.ge/archives/109186)
• On his State of the Natio address of February 2006, MS devoted part of his speech on crime, during which he: (https://civil.ge/archives/109861)
  • Proposed a ban on conditional sentences for petty offenses as part of zero tolerance campaign against petty crime.
  • Slammed judges or showing too much merci toward criminal suspects
  • Pledged to root out thieves in law
• The ban of markets without cash registers in February 2006 led to several protests (https://civil.ge/archives/109993)
  • Up to 1,000 people gathered in front of Parliament on 1 March to continue the protest. The same day, protests had grown to Signagi, Batumi and Kakheti. The government tried to block protesters from entering Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/110004)
  • 3000 people protested on 9 March in front of the Presidents Administration (https://civil.ge/archives/110071)
  • When Noghaideli refused to meet 4 opposition MPs on this issue, they went on hunger strike on 9 March (https://civil.ge/archives/110070)
  • Protests continued every day until mid-March for several weeks (https://civil.ge/archives/110144)
• The UN's International Narcotics Control Board warned in 2006 that the South Caucasus had become an important hub for drug transit and noted that the number of drug abusers had increased by 80% since 2003, up to 275,000. (https://civil.ge/archives/109995)
• The MIA cooperated with other countries, such as Ukraine, to arrest Georgian criminal bosses around the world (https://civil.ge/archives/110322)
• The US Secret Service and Georgian police worked together to investigate an international counterfeiting operation that stretched from SO to the US according to the WP in Nov 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111502)
• Davit Shengelia, a former commander of the Forest Brothers, which was disbanded in early 2004, was arrested on 17 Dec 2006 for drug trafficking (https://civil.ge/archives/111628)
• On 20 December 2006, the MIA arrested 18 criminal suspects and a large obshiak in a special operation directed at criminal bosses (https://civil.ge/archives/111651)
• UNM MP Nika Gvaramia proposed on 15 May 2007 a draft law that would allow the confiscation of property from drug dealers. Gvaramia shaped the administration's anti-drug policy, launching public campaigns against narcotic use, confiscating driver's licenses for 3 years of drug addicts and denying their right to work in the medical or educational spheres, taking away their right to own a frearm and to be elected or work for a state agency. (https://civil.ge/archives/112393)
  • According to the International Narcotics Control Board, there was an 80% increase in drug abusers in Georgia from 2003 to 2006
• He transformed two holiday villas worth 15 million USD confiscated from criminal kingpins into rehabilitation sites for police officers (https://civil.ge/archives/112850)
• The Safe School project, which provided for police officers in schools and the compilation of personnal files on students, was heavily criticized after its launch in September 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/113073)
• In June 2010, the Austrian Federal Criminal Police Office wrote a 66-page report in which it claims that in 2009, Georgian opposition groups were in contact with Vienna-based Georgian organized crime network through the owner of a local Georgian restaurant, aiming at overthrowing Saakashvili's government. The criminal network was trying to use assistance from senior Austrian MIA officials and members of the Georgian embassy in Vienna (https://civil.ge/archives/120318)
  • The report also confirmed that Georgian organized crime was funding the cell protests (https://civil.ge/archives/120412)
• The zero tolerance policy led to prison overcrowding according to Ombudsman Tugushi
• In July 2010, Saakashvili said he was proud of eradicating crime from Svaneti, stating that the 2004 operation: I only regret in this operation that this tower was blown up, I do not feel regret about those bandits." (https://civil.ge/archives/120380)
• A 2010 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report by the State Department called Georgia a "major transit corridor"for drug trafficking, with drugs coming from Afghanistan and Iran through Azerbaijan and Georgia toward Western Europe. (https://civil.ge/archives/185825)
  • In 2009, European law enforcement agencies had intercepted seven-eight tons of illicit narcotics in trucks that had at one point crossed through Georgia.
  • The report stated that visa-free regime with Iran would potentially worsen the situation.
  • The report criticized the lack of coordination between Georgian agencies to combat the problem and stated the Anti-Narcotics National Strategy of 2007 lacked implementation. (https://civil.ge/archives/185825)
• Georgia has been classified as tier one country in the Department of State's Trafficking in Persons report since 2006, although the 2012 report highlighted that Georgia remained a source, transit and destination country for sex trafficking and forced labor. The Georgian government demonstrated improvements in anti-trafficking prevention efforts (https://civil.ge/archives/122022)

• Glucksmann
  • He shut down several nightclubs once in power as it was believed that they were under the control of organized crime and were a safe haven for drug trafficking (138-139)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • Quote: სწრაფი რევოლუციური ცვლილებები, მართალია, ისეთი მეთოდებით დაიწყო, რომ შეიძლებოდა მათ კანონიერებაში ეჭვის შეტანა, მაგრამ "გვიანი შევარდნაძის ეპოქის" ბოლო წ;ები იმდენად დამთგრუნველი იყო, რომ სასიკეთო ცვლილებების მომლოდინე ხალხმა თვალი დახუჭა კანონთან, მორალთან ან, უბრალოდ, საღ გონებასთან მრავალ შეუსაბამობაზე. (513)
  • A major piece of legislation was the criminalization of being a member of the criminal world. Thieves-in-law were traditionally not allowed to deny their affiliation. Punishment resulted in years in prison (514-515)
  • Many thieves-in-law moved their operations to other countries like Russia and Ukraine (515)
  • His government launched a battle against organized crime in the streets and in schools (515)
  • As well as a battle against drug trafficking (515)

• The Force Awakens
  • When he came to power, some of the most powerful thieves-in-law were Tariel Oniani, who was heavily involved in the narco-business, gas business and had close ties with the MIA of Shevardnadze (118)
  • Shakro Kalashov's house in Tskneti was confiscated (118)
  • One time, he found out that Tariel Oniani was in Georgia and he ordered the MIA to tell him to leave within 24 hours or risk arrestation (119)
  • When he arrested thief-in-law Jemal Shavladze (Chai-Chai) in April 2004, Russia FM Ivanov asked for his release, which was refused. Chai-Chai was eventually released in the context of tough negotiations with Moscow (119)
  • He once asked Putin why he was fighting so much for Oniani when he gave him asylum. Putin answered that Russia was a free country (119)
  • He passed the Law on Thieves-in-Law which criminalized membership into the criminal world and allowed the confiscation of their property (such as homes, some of which were used by the government) (120)
  • He shared information with the Spanish government that led to the arrest of Shakro Kalashov in Spain in 2010 (120)

• During his 2005 parliamentary address, he praised the operation against the Aprasidze family, which was led by officer Shamil Kartoshadze. He accused the Aprisadzes of kidnapping people, killing dozens and robbing thousands. He recounted, "Mr.Kokoshadze deployed special troops there. One engine of his helicopter was damaged by a grenade launcher. With one engine a helicopter is not expected to fly. He made several flights from Kutaisi to Svaneti and with a new force completely destroyed this gang. He did not retreat a single step." (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4950&i=1)

• In his 2007 parliamentary address, he called drug abuse a 'horrible disease for society' and said that drug use should become a shameful activity. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4952&i=1)
  • He proposed to pass a law to confiscate all property of drug traffickers (same as organized crime).

Réformes dans le système judiciaire

• Zourabichvili
  • The 2004-2005 Eujust Themis program was meant to pursue judicial reform in Georgia (135)

• The President appointed Kote Kublashvili as Chair of the Supreme Court on 19 February 2004, hs former deputy as MOJ and non-partisan. MS vowed to establish an independent and impartial judiciary free from corrupt judges and independent from the state (https://civil.ge/archives/107357)
• The arrest of Merab Beridze, rector of the TSU branch in Akhaltsikhe, for misuse of power (he was accused of distributing jobs by opening a military department, although he did so per orders of TSU leadership in 2002) led to a serious belief and accusations by GYLA that the judge "ruled exactly as she was ordered to rule" (https://civil.ge/archives/107379)
• On 28 March 2005, Parliament approved amendments to the Criminal Code that envisioned: no arrest without particular evidence of guilt, speedy trial principle by decreasing term of standing accused from 24 to 12 months, preliminary detention reduced from 9 to 4 months, defendant must confirm his testimony in court for it to be considered as evidence. (https://civil.ge/archives/107720)
• The EUJUST THEMIS program was the first rule of law mission launched by the EU in the context of the European Security and Defense Policy. (https://civil.ge/archives/108501)
  • It ended its mission on 14 July 2005
  • It left leaving recommendations for MS to approve
  • It was led by Ms. Sylvie Pantz of France
• In November 2005, Judge Tamaz Iliashvili claimed authorities pressured him in decision-making (https://civil.ge/archives/109255)
  • This followed a press conference by SC Justices Nino Gvenetadze, Davit Sulakvelidze and Merab Turava accusing Chair Kote Kublashvili and Justice Council Chair Valery Tsertsvadze of pressuring judges across the country.
• In June 2005, the ruling party approved a law that granted equal-to-salary pensions to all judges who would resign by the end of the year, a law that was seen as pressure on the judicial system with threats for judges that retired naturally to be without pension (https://civil.ge/archives/109332)
  • Six judges of the Supreme Court, headed by Merab Turava, threatened to resign on 6 December 2005, citing governmental pressure.
    • In this case, they accused the Prosecutor's Office of instructing Supreme Court judges how to rule in cases important for the government (https://civil.ge/archives/109350)
    • The Judicial Discipline Commission was seen as a major tool of pressure against rebel judges. Also, MPs Nika Gvaramia and Giga Bokeria.
  • Nino Gvenetadze, Merab Turava, Tamar Laliashvili and Murman Isaev (Supreme Court) were sacked by the Discipline Commission on 26 December, while Davit Sulakvelidze was reprimanded for misconduct. (https://civil.ge/archives/109456)
  • When Judge Tamaz Iliashvili announced being ready to testify at a parliamentary hearing on authorities' pressure on 27 December, Parliament refused. (https://civil.ge/archives/109460)
• In December 2005, a public poll showed that the judiciary system was seen as the most corrupt institution in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/109358)
• In his State of the Nation address of Feb 2006, he slammed judges for being too lenient on crime, directly listing Turava as someone who is willing to let criminals go free (https://civil.ge/archives/109861)
• Controversial appointment at the Justice Council in March 2006: Two ruling party MPs including Nino Kalandadze, who was accused of having a fake diploma and who had been severely critical of sitting judges (https://civil.ge/archives/110146)
• In April 2006, the American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia noted the lack of judiciary independence in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/110336)
• In April 2006, amidst criticism, MS announced the formation of a governmental commission for judicial reform (https://civil.ge/archives/110393)
  • It was set up on 26 April but was only made of members of the cabinet and ignored the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/110478)
• Supreme Court Chair Kote Kublashvili blamed most of judicial problems on the lack of proper cadres. In April 2006, the government launched the High School of Justice to train future judges. (https://civil.ge/archives/110397)
• Khashuri Judge Tamaz Takadze was arrested for taking a 400 USD bribe. (https://civil.ge/archives/110411)
• In late April 2006, the government proposed amendments to the composition of the High Council of Justice, including: General Prosecutor no longer has a seat, total of 19 members (5 elected by Parliament including 4 MPs, 2 appointed by the President, automatic seats for the Chairs of the Committee for Legal Issues, the MOJ and the Chair of the Supreme Court, and 9 judges) (https://civil.ge/archives/110439)
• MS announced that judges would soon be appointed for life in June 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110816)
• In April 2007, the Venice Commission criticized judicial laws for being too vague and too open to interpretation as allowing government pressure (https://civil.ge/archives/112246)
• In June 2007, the government proposed to remove a clause from the criminal code that allows for the criminal prosecution of judges for illegal court rulings, something that was severely criticized by the opposition who claimed this was done to prevent guarantees for judges in the Girgvliani and Robakidze cases (https://civil.ge/archives/112533)
• On 11 June 2007, HRW condemned the decision to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12 years old, going "against international and European standards" (https://civil.ge/archives/112550)
• UNM tried in June 2007 to ban video and audio recordings and photo coverage from courtroom trials, although the first vote failed by 5 votes in Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/112608)
  • But it passed with 117-18 on third hearing on 11 July (https://civil.ge/archives/112673)
• In April 2008, there was a strike of lawyers accusing the justice system of being a "rubber stamp" of the prosecutor's office (https://civil.ge/archives/114688)
• In September 2008, the Government proposed and Parliament approved a constitutional reform envisioning the merger of the General Prosecutor's Office with the Justice Ministry, a move justified by the government as giving Parliament more overseeing powers over the GPO but opposed by the opposition as potentially increasing the President's powers, as he will now be able to dismiss the General Prosecutor/MoJ at his will. (https://civil.ge/archives/117447)
  • The change also created the Office of the Chief Prosecutor within the MoJ, appointed and dismissed by the President.
  • The constitutional amendment to that effect passed on 10 October 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/117684)
• In October 2008, Saakashvili pledged to "only interfere in judicial matters to ensure that no one interferes in the judiciary" (https://civil.ge/archives/117628)
• In June 2008, an amendment to the Law on Common Courts saved one seat on the Supreme Council of Justice to the opposition, but that seat was granted to MP Nika Laliashvili of CDM in October (https://civil.ge/archives/117685)
• The fist jury system was introduced in Tbilisi in January 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/117788)
• In November 2008, Saakashvili admitted that the judiciary system, along with other institutions, was still weak and not immune from interference from individual officials (https://civil.ge/archives/117965)
• In June 2009, TI published a report with a GORBI poll in which an overwhelming majority of respondents believed the judiciary was the most corrupt part of society Only 14% believed there was no corruption (https://civil.ge/archives/118968)
• The 2009-II Human Rights Report of the Public Defender showcased that there was a "lack of proper justification of interim rulings and final verdicts represent one of the most problematic issues in the judiciary system". (https://civil.ge/archives/120027)
  • Often, judge do not give detailed explanation when rejecting motions submitted by the defense.
• On 25 June 2011, Saakashvili criticized criticism against the judiciary system as gossip from some dirty newspapers. He expressed that judges had a full institutional independence and that the authorities have 'never interfered wither in any court case, or in organizational issues of the court' (https://civil.ge/archives/185955)
• On 13 July 2011, the European Commission approved a 50.73 million EUR grant to promote criminal justice reform to imporve juvenile justice and to enhance detention conditions in prisons (https://civil.ge/archives/121282)
• The first-ever jury verdict was delivered on 17 November, a guilty verdict in a murder case. Officially, the jury system was adopted in October 2010. The pilot project applied the jury system to only aggravated murders in Tbilisi, while it was expanded to murder in the heat of passion and rape in October 2012 and in Kutaisi (https://civil.ge/archives/186120)
• A January 2012 report by HRW stated that the country's system for handling administrative offenses was flawed and lacked full due process and fair trial rights for defendants. HRW said that the administrative code was routinely used to detain protesters, that trials into administrative offenses were often perfunctory, mostly lasting less than 15 minutes and decisions based almost always on police testimonies (https://civil.ge/archives/186166)
  • While 6511 individuals were tried for administrative offenses in 2009, the number increased to 8657 in 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/186166)
• The EU Commission approved an 18 million EUR grant for a 3-year program to help Georgia in its criminal justice reform and improve rule of law and human rights. This was meant as a follow up to the 16 million grant in 2008. (https://civil.ge/archives/121768)
• In March 2013, Ivanishvili would claim that SC Chair Kote Kublashvili felt obliged toward Saakashvili because during a serious illness, Saakashvili helped him (https://civil.ge/archives/186669)
• In March 2013, the GD government proposed a reform on the High Council of Justice that would allow for the replacement of some of its members, something opposed by the Venice Commission. Saakashvili called it anti-reform and refused to include it in the agenda of Parliament when calling a special session of the legislature (https://civil.ge/archives/122710)
• On 23 April 2013, President Saakashvili vetoed the GD Parliament's bill on the High Council of Justice, which was backed by over 30 NGOs and business associations as improving judicial independence. Saakashvili opposed to the sacking of judicial council members (https://civil.ge/archives/186693)
• On 23 April 2013, Saakashvili also vetoed a bill that would deprive the defendant's upper hand in choosing whether to have a trial by jury or a judge. The bill gave prosecution the upper hand (https://civil.ge/archives/122791)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4950&i=1
  • During his first parliamentary address in February 2005, he pledged to work on judicial reform toward more independence, though criticizing existing judges for a lack of "feeling of responsibility to the public".
  • He pledged to have Kote Kemularia, new chairman of the Council of Justice, to address this.

• In his 2007 parliamentary address, he claimed that some confused judicial independence with bribe-taking. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4952&i=1)
  • He went on to justify the Justice Council's disciplinary actions against non-complying judges as part of his campaign against corruption.

• By 2010, certain reforms were implemented: President no longer appointing judges, President no longer chairman or member of High Council of Justice, opposition has a rep within the High Council, judge-majority in the HCoJ, no more judges for life, new Code of Criminal Procedure, jury trial, prohibition of ex-parte communication and tougher punishment for trying to influence the court by government reps, strict 60-day terms for investigations, allowing only voluntary testimony by witnesses at preliminary investifation stage,

Bataille contre la corruption

• He systematically fired politicians, public officials, and police officers suspected of corruption and significantly raised the salaries of state employees to the point where they could depend on their salaries rather than bribes for a living.
• Many oligarchs who had dominated the economy were arrested, with most agreeing to pay massive fines into the state budget in exchange for their freedom.
• As a result, the rate of corruption in the country was drastically reduced and the business environment was improved significantly.
• Georgia's ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International improved dramatically from rank 133 in 2004 to 67 in 2008 and further to 51 in 2012, surpassing several EU countries.
• Saakashvili's government has been lauded by the World Bank for making "striking improvements" in the fight against corruption.
• The scrupulousness of Patarkatsishvili's political opposition toward the Georgian president has been questioned by the Jamestown Foundation's political analyst Vladimir Socor who attributed the businessman's discontent to Saakashvili's anti-corruption reforms, which "had severely curtailed Patarkatsishvili's scope for doing business in his accustomed, post-Soviet 1990s-style ways." Patarkatsishvili—who had fled the Russian authorities after allegations of fraud—was called "a state criminal" by Saakashvili, who accused him of treason while refusing to admit to any of his accusations.

• A number of former ministers and high-ranking officials were arrested with corruption charges (AD, p. 472)

• Zourabichvili
  • Among those arrested were David Mirtskhulava, the head of electricity, Jokhtaberidze (Shevardnadze's son in law) Sulkhan Molashvili (former president de la cour des comptes) (26)
  • This was described as a revolutionary purge (26)
  • These arrests are violent: hommes en cagoule, lourdement armes avec force brutalite et publicite (26)
  • While these arrests would be done in very controversial ways, most foreign observers would close a blind eye, because of the necessity (26-27)
  • In one episode, he publicly humiliated Tbilisi Mayor Chiaberashvili over a watch he accepted (285)

• Sandra Roelofs
  • In 2004, 12 of the houses of the Head of the Forestry Department would be confiscated (156)
  • Border checks were tightened (280)
  • Officials who had misappropriated public funds or evaded taxes were arrested and imprisoned or pressured into making a financial settlement (280)

• Rayfield
  • Customs and some civil servants were purged (395)
  • Fewer employees received higher salaries (395)
  • Spectacular stings against corrupt officials were shown live on TV (395)
  • Merabshvili introduced a law criminalizing just being a "thief-in-law", in a culture where TILs were required to admit their status. (395)

• Graney (https://books.google.ge/books?id=29ehDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA280&dq=saakashvili&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi0xof6ua3wAhV2gP0HHRsGAN4Q6AEwAXoECAIQAg#v=onepage&q=saakashvili&f=false)
  • In 2012, the World Bank said that Georgia's public services were virtually "corruption free" and that trust in public institutions was the same as Western coutries (280)

• Irakli Okruashvili was appointed as General Prosecutor while MS was still President-Elect. This led to several high-level arrests immediately. These included: (https://civil.ge/archives/105073)
  • Guram Akhvlediani (ES's daughter-in-law's father) involved in illegal transactions in connection with Poti Port. MS said he intended to target ES's family.
  • Okruashvili asked Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg to freeze former officials' bank accounts.
  • Former energy minister Davit Mirtskhulava was arrested on 17 January while undergoing medical treatment at a hospital.
  • On Jan 16, Akaki Chkhaidze, ex-chief of Georgian Railway Company, was arrested in Batumi. He and Mirtskhulava were previously thought to be "untouchables"
  • An arrest warrant was issued for Levan Mamaladze for misappropriation of state funds but he fled to Russia.
  • Merab Zhordania, President of the Georgian Football Association, was arrested and freed when he paid 750,000 GEL to the budget..
• Vakhtang Chakhnashvili, Deputy Chair of the Tax Department accused of misappropriating 500,000 GEL, was arrested on 29 Jan (https://civil.ge/archives/105157)
  • He was released after paying 1.35 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/105388)
• Mevlud Khachidze, deputy head of Khashuri, was arrested on 29 Jan (https://civil.ge/archives/105164)
• The Anti-Corruption Council, set up in 2001, was abolished on 30 Jan and its staff fired. Its powers and docs were transferred to the NSC (https://civil.ge/archives/105160)
• On 2 February, Ioseb Natroshvili, Deputy Director General of the Wholesale Electricity Market of Georgia, was arrested for misappropriation of funds, something that was condemned by the international company for lacking a proper arrest warrant. Former director Davit Jigbashvili was also arrested before (https://civil.ge/archives/105174)
• Merab Adeishvili, acting minister of tansport and communications, was arrested on 3 February (https://civil.ge/archives/105185)
• Gia Jokhtaberidze, son-in-law of Shevardnadze and co-founder of MagtiCom, was arrested aboard a Tbilisi-Paris flight on 20 February despite no being charges yet. The real cause for his arrest was unknwon but he had warned of government pressure against businesses. (https://civil.ge/archives/105285)
• On 20 February, Zurab Lobzhanidze, former president of state-owned gold mining Madneuli, was arrested in Switzerland (https://civil.ge/archives/105292)
• MS offered amnesty to businesses who came out the shadows and legalized their operations by 1 April 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105345)
• Shalva Ogbaidze, chief of the traffic police, resigned in early March 2004 after being interrogated over the illegal import of cars (https://civil.ge/archives/105349)
• Zurab Chankotadze, former Chairman of the Georgian Civil Aviation Administration was arrested on March 16. (https://civil.ge/archives/105471)
• British Airways pulled out of Georgia in March 2004 after Tbilisi suspended the license of British Mediterranean Airways for tax issues (https://civil.ge/archives/105514)
  • British Meditarrean Airways returned on the Georgian market in November after receiving "support from the government" (https://civil.ge/archives/115936)
• Police arrested former chief of the Customs Department Levan Kistauri was arrested on March 23, after he was sacked from the post. (https://civil.ge/archives/105520)
• Law-enforcement agencies brought criminal charges against former Education Minister Alexander Kartozia and his deputy Vladimir Sanadze on 26 March (https://civil.ge/archives/105538)
• Former chief of the Tax Department Iase Zautashvili, who was wanted for misuse of office, surrendered to the police on March 30. He was released after paying 300,000 USD (https://civil.ge/archives/105965)
• Former chief of the state-owned Georgian Railway company Akaki Chkhaidze was released from custody on 31 March after paying $3 million (https://civil.ge/archives/105596)
• Davit Kirvalidze, Minister of Agriculture and a Zhvania ally, was summoned for his work in the previous government and released after paying 225,000 GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/105604)
• By April 2004, the government reported a 40 million GEL surplus in the budget (https://civil.ge/archives/105612)
• Former Minister of Transport and Communications Merab Adeishvili was released from custody on April 3 after reimbursement of $1,5 million on 3 April (https://civil.ge/archives/105622)
• It was estimated that a total of 20 million GEL was returned by April 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105616)
• Parliament adopted in February his landmark anti-corrupt assets bill (https://civil.ge/archives/105627)
• Davit Mirtskhulava's pre-trial detention was postponed when he refused to make a deal (https://civil.ge/archives/105652)
  • He was sentenced on 30 March 2005 to 10 years in prison after continuing to refuse to make a deal (https://civil.ge/archives/107651)
• Jokhtaberidze was released on 26 April after paying 15.5 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/105763)
• SUlkhan Molashvili, former head of the Control Chamber, was arrested on 23 April for allegedly taking bribes in return of closing his eyes on companies not paying taxes (https://civil.ge/archives/105754)
  • He would be sentenced to nine years in jail in a trial that would last till September 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108809)
• On 17 April, MP-elect Tengiz Gogichaishvili of the Rightist Opposition had his immunity lifted by the CEC for past corruption allegations (https://civil.ge/archives/105709)
• On 23 April, Parliament approved unanimously a constitutional amendment allowing the Prosecutor to file charges against MPs without parliamentary consent, weakening immunity (https://civil.ge/archives/105712)
• On 19 May 2004, UNM MP Giorgi Kenchadze was arrested for racketeering when it was revealed he had asked for 100,000 USD from Adjaran businesses. MS pledged to crack down on corruption even in his party (https://civil.ge/archives/105949)
• Around August 2004, MS addressed the problem of low-level corruption (https://civil.ge/archives/115939)
• Valey Vashakidze, Minister for Refugees and Accomodations in 1995-2003, was arrested in September 2004 for issuing fake IDP IDs to 2,000 people, whch ended up costing 1.1 million GEL to the state (https://civil.ge/archives/116009)
• He hoped the appointment of Kote Kemularia as Georgian Supreme Court chief was a step against corruption and publicly criticized judges for taking bribes (https://civil.ge/archives/116018)
  • A judge of the Batumi Court was arrested for taking 3,000 USD in bribes, the first arrest of a Georgian judge in Georgian independent history.
• Vakhtang Tsaava, former GD of Tbilgazi, was arrested on 8 October 2004 for misappropriation of state funds (https://civil.ge/archives/116231)
• The reforms pushed Georgia to top of international anti-corruption agendas, as evidenced by Zhvania addressing a global anti-corruption conference in Kenya organized by TI in october 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/116243)
• Judge Alexandre Takiashvili was arrested for alleged corruption (https://civil.ge/archives/106302)
  • Batu Kutelia was Deputy Prosecutor General during the fight against corruption, shortly after serving in security apparatus
• Parliament approved the first-ever ethics code of legislative history of Georgia in October 2004, drafted by the OSCE (https://civil.ge/archives/106312)
• The EU continued praising Georgia's anti-corruption reforms (https://civil.ge/archives/116248)
• Koba Narchemashvili was arrested on Oct 24 2004 for illegal import of cars (https://civil.ge/archives/106407)
  • He would be released two months later after paying 300,000 GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/106931)
• The TI Corruption Perceptions Index of 2004 identified only very minor progress for Georgia, going from 127/133 to 136/146 (https://civil.ge/archives/185331)
• A Rustavi judge was arrested in Oct 21 for bribe-taking (https://civil.ge/archives/106387)
• Zurab Tchiaberashvili as Mayor of Tbilisi, sached five local governors o 27 October at a live press conference for gifting him a 1,500 USD watch (https://civil.ge/archives/106435)
• The first trial of a high-ranking official from Shevardnadze Gov was held in November 2003 and it was Mirtskhulava (https://civil.ge/archives/106498)
• Levan Mamaladze's assets and his family's were confiscated (https://civil.ge/archives/106522)
• In his first year in office, MS led an anti-corruption drive that collected 30 million USD to the State (https://civil.ge/archives/106970)
• Merab Zhordania, head of the Football Association, was arrested in April 2005 after MS ordered an investigation by the Financial Police when the Association raised ticket prices for football competitions (https://civil.ge/archives/107749)
• MS forced Finance Minister Valery Chechelashvili into resignation after he failed to rein down corruption in the Tax Department (https://civil.ge/archives/108401)
• In December 2005, 24 customs officers were arrsted at the Sarpi checkpoint (https://civil.ge/archives/109352)
• Aa 2006 report by the World Bank made Georgia the top reformer in the fight against corruption in transition countries from 2002-2005. The percentage of firms reporting tax officials bribery fell from 44 to 11% (https://civil.ge/archives/114975)
• Five officials form the State Pension Fund, including chief Zaza Sopromadze, are arrested for bribe-taking and misuse of power in October 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111230)
• UNM MP Gia Nutsubidze is arrested on 27 October 2006 for giving a 50,000 GEL bribe to an official of the Ministry of Education as he was lobbying for a construction company that had a 4 million GEL deal with the Ministry for the construction of new schools but the Ministry cancelled the contract for failing to fulfill obligations (https://civil.ge/archives/185490)
  • MS personally called on Parliament to impeach him (https://civil.ge/archives/111298)
  • He was impeached on 28 October (https://civil.ge/archives/111300)
• Transparency International's 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Georgia 99th, while it ranked 130th in 2005. (https://civil.ge/archives/111351)
• The January 2007 GRECO report on corruption in Georgia praised the government for tackling corruption (https://civil.ge/archives/111768)
• On 2 July 2007, Omar Kikvidze, Deputy Mayor of Kutaisi, and six businessmen are arrested by the Department for Constitutional Security of the MIA for embezzlement over a case of competitive bidding fraud. (https://civil.ge/archives/112628)
• When opposition MPs during a parliamentary debate criticized the government for the techniques of arresting individuals on corruption charges, including heavy-handed force and the presence of TV cameras (notably in the Kikvidze case), Saakashvili calls their behavior "abhorrent" and ties them to corruption (https://civil.ge/archives/112643)
• TI's Corruption Perceptions Index 2007 moved Georgia from 99th (out of 163) to 79th (out of 180) (https://civil.ge/archives/113113)
• The US State Department noted the sharp decrease in corruption in customs and border facilities in 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/114899)
• In July 2008, the arrest of a Ministry of Healthcare official for bribery charges was televised live, leading to controversy (https://civil.ge/archives/116677)
• On 30 July, two high-ranking Economy Ministry officials were arested, including Deputy Minister Beka Okrossvaridze (https://civil.ge/archives/116857)
• Privatization Agency head Tamaz Tabatadze was arrested on 31 July (https://civil.ge/archives/116863)
• In September 2008 (after Burjanadze's removal), the Georgian Border Police spoke of the MIA's persecution against its officers on groundless corruption charges, allegedly because the Border Police was ran by Badri Bitsadze (https://civil.ge/archives/117609)
• The Action Plan for the Anti-Corruption National Strategy was adopted in 2005. Kakha Bendukidze was in charge of overseeing its implementation (https://civil.ge/archives/118181)
  • Funding for political parties from the state budget was part of the anti-corruption strategy.
  • Corruption rankings based on TI: 2003 - 127/133 ; 2007 - 79/180 (country moved out of the rampant corruption problem group) ; 2008 - 67.
  • In December 2008, Saakashvili announced he would take further steps against corruption by further cutting down red tape and bureaucratic expenses.
  • In January 2009, Saakashvili launched an Anti-Corruption Council chaired by Adeishvili and including Levan Bezhashvili, Bendukidze, Vakhtang Lezhava and some MPs
• Saakashvili would estimate that 250,000 people were fired because of corruption during his first term. Thousands were also convicted, including 8000 in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/118709)
• Parliament tightened the punishment for political bribery with a sentence of up to 3 years in December 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/121660)

• Glucksmann
  • According to him, the reason he forced people to pay their tax debts was to avoid the nationalization-privatization fight. He wanted to keep these people in their positions but forcing them to regularize their activities (127)
  • Shevardnadze's son-in-law from Magticom was arrested because he refused to pay his taxes (127)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • He quickly abolished the auto inspection service and fired every inspector (514)
  • A new customs office was completely recreated with the financing of the US (514)
  • Another rapid action was to end the corruption linked with obtaining official documents, such as passports. One step was to require the payment to be done through a bank (514)
  • Public servants had their salaries increase, as a reason for corruption was the lack of proper salaries (514)

• Georgia in the World Context
  • In 2006, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Armenia called Saakashvili a “Caesar” in the fight against corruption (hint at authoritarianism) (517)
  • Georgia was an example to follow in the post-Soviet world, an example of American diversity against Russian totalitarianism (517)

• The Force Awakens
  • The first to have their salaries increased were the new employees of the Revenue Service (100)

• Some Indexes
  • 68th place in the 2010 Index of Fighting Corruption of TI (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainFigures?p=6854&i=1)
  • 1st reformer in the world according to the World Bank in 2011 for 5 years (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainFigures?p=6841&i=1)

• In October 2011, the Romanian Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies said she wanted to learn about the Georgian experience in fighting corruption (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=7069&i=4)
• A Ukrainian private-public delegation also was mainly interested in MS's corruption fight in October 2011 (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=7075&i=4)

Énergie et géopolitique

• The 15-year-old energy crisis was solved (AD, p. 472)

• Zourabichvili
  • In two years, electricity blackouts ended in Tbilisi. The situation was still a little bad in the regions (131)
  • On 25 Jan 2007, Merabishvili announced in the US that Georgia had intercepted a uranium sale by attracting sellers to Georgia, thus shifting the conversation away from human rights violations during his visit to the US (264-265)

• Rayfield
  • Electricity stations were repaird and bills were paid. (395)

• On 30 Jan, a banking syndicate made of mostly European banks signed a 1 billion USD loan agreement to make the BTC happen (https://civil.ge/archives/105168)
• The final BTC agreement was signed on 3 February by Tbilisi, Baku and Ankara (https://civil.ge/archives/105181)
• On 9 June 2004, riot police broke up and arrested some in a rally of 60 locals from Krtsanisi who were protesting the BTC and were demanding compensation for the land on which the pipeline was being built. The BTC Pipeline Company refused to pay compensation for lands in common use because they were not formally private. (https://civil.ge/archives/106081)
• The govenrment pledged it would not privatize energy facilities in the conflict areas, including Enguri (https://civil.ge/archives/106134)
• In July 2004, BP halted construction of the BTC pipeline over environmental concerns (https://civil.ge/archives/115730)
  • BP said there were security issues to consider. To note, this happened durng the South Ossetia crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/115753)
  • Elizabeth Jones of the DOS arrived in Georgia to pressure the government to not halt the BTC construction (https://civil.ge/archives/115765)
• BTC construction began again on 6 August under expert supervision (https://civil.ge/archives/115840)
• Police dispersed an anti-BTC rally on August 20 2004 in Borjomi. The protesters complained of environmental threats of the project. Five policemen were injured. This was the second protest dispersed in two weeks over the project (https://civil.ge/archives/115913)
• A power transmission line was exploded on 9 October 2004, days before the new beginning of the SO tensions, near Gori, an act of sabotage (https://civil.ge/archives/116237)
  • Again on 10 October (https://civil.ge/archives/116240)
• After the Borjomi BTC scandal, BTC gave a grant of 46 million USD to the Georgian government on 11 October 2004 and announced an investment program of 10 million USD in education, healthcare, cltural heritage, energy sector revitalisatio and the promotion of business and civil society links between GE and EU (https://civil.ge/archives/116251)
• The Georgian and Azeri sections of the BTC were linked on 16 October 2004 at a ceremony attended by MS and Aliyev (https://civil.ge/archives/106348)
• MS replaced Gia Chanturia, who was fired in Sep 2004, with Nikoloz Vashakidze as Pres of the Georgian International Oil Corporation. Vashakidze previously served at the NSC (https://civil.ge/archives/106363)
• MS claimed South Ossetian detractors were responsible for a series of sabotage actions to paralyze the energy system (https://civil.ge/archives/106382)
• MP Givi Targamadze of the Defense and Security Committee claimed that South Ossetian saboteurs continued to sabotage energy infrastrcture on 20 Nov (https://civil.ge/archives/106628)
  • With increased allegations of Russian sabotage, Lavrov denied (https://civil.ge/archives/106632)
• Chinese-financed Khadori HPP was inaugured in Nov 2004 in Pankisi, which allegedly provided enough electricity for those Kakhetian communities who stil laked (https://civil.ge/archives/106630)
• In Nov 2004, a conflict emerged between company UDC and Imereti Governor, who accused the company of not keeping its promise of 17-18 hours of electricity supply to Kutaisi, but the ciy was in a blackout for months (https://civil.ge/archives/106673)
• In January 2005, his government announced seeking alternative gas suppliers to not be entirely reliant on Russian deliveries (https://civil.ge/archives/107042)
• BTC Co granted 9 million USD to Georgia in February 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107183)
• By early 2005, Tbilisi was enjoying round-the-clock electricity, but the same was not true in regional towns. Nika Gilauri presented a special program in February 2005 that was based on security of energy supplies and profitability of the energy sector. The first included the diversification of sources of electricity supplies so that we do not depend only on one power transmission line or one power plant, and the second involved help by donor organizations.
  • Gilauri announced the construction of a gas turbine electricity generator with a total capacity of 200-300 megawatts by 2008 to cover the country's electricity deficit but that imports would still be required.
    • Gilauri visited the US in May 2005 for talks with General Electric and Pratt & Whitney over the possible purchase of gas turbine electricity generators (https://civil.ge/archives/107949)
  • MS favored less dependence on Russian imports (despite talks of privatizing the gas pipeline network to Gazprom) and more from Azerbaijan and Armenia (https://civil.ge/archives/107421)
• Kakha Bendukidze anounced a plan to unify all the energy infrastructure of the country into one entity for privatization (https://civil.ge/archives/107447)
• Russia already owned 75% of the shares in Telasi and wanted to acquire the rest 25% (https://civil.ge/archives/107497)
• Explosives were recovered in March 2005 near te construction side of the BTC pipeline (https://civil.ge/archives/107580)
• In March 2005, Georgia and CanArgo Energy reached an agreement over th purchase of gas products from the company and opening the door to CanArgo's gas appraisal and exploration program (https://civil.ge/archives/107607)
• The Iranian VP visited Georgia in April 2005 as Georgia was pushing for the import of Iranian gas to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/107886)
  • Iran agreed to reschedule Georgia's debt shortly after that visit (https://civil.ge/archives/107904)
  • Tehran also offered at the same time 2.5 million USD for the rehabilitation of the Iran-Azerbaijan-Georgia gas pipeline (https://civil.ge/archives/107911)
    • For Context: Georgia was eyeing the privatization of some pipeline (maybe same), potentially to Russia, but eventually backed down after US pressure (https://civil.ge/archives/107911)
  • Iran also announced at the same time spending 20 million EUR to boost trade with Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/107941)
• Privatization of the HPPs of Lajanuri, Rioni, Gumati, Shaori and Dzirula and the United Distribution Company was launched in May 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107947)
• Russia's state-owned Unified Energy System eyed the purchase of Adjara's electricity distribution company, despite it not being put up for privatization (https://civil.ge/archives/107950)
• BTC oil pumping started on 25 May 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108001)
  • The Kazakh president attended the ceremony in Baku, which boosted the project's perspectives and Kazakhstan's positioning in its ties with the US (https://civil.ge/archives/108138)
  • The same day, the WWF issued a report warning of the BTC's risks for the environment of the Borjomi Valley (https://civil.ge/archives/108142)
• Energy issues and opposition to privatization was one of the key themes of the Bush visit and NB came out and said Georgia would not privatize to Gazprom https://civil.ge/archives/108024
• In the May 2005 submitted NS Concept, dependance on one source of energy supply was cited as a national challenge (https://civil.ge/archives/108060)
• On 23 August, Iran approved a loan of 500,000 USD to Georgia to rehabilitate its gas pipeline (https://civil.ge/archives/108729)
• The September 2005 MCC agreement banned the privatization of the gas pipeline after months of discussions with Iran and Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/108849)
• As MS hyped up anti-Russia rhetoric in September 2005, Gazprom announced a doubling of its gas tariffs for Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/108852)
• On 22 November 2005, Gilauri traveled to Moscow to assure the transit of Kazakh gaz to Georgia via Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/109238)
  • Encouraged by US (https://civil.ge/archives/109247)
  • Gazprom had announced shortly before that it would nearly double its gas prices to Georgia from 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/109244)
    • MS said of this decision that it was political and that it would hit the country's economy, although it would hit Russian companies operating in Georgia even more (https://civil.ge/archives/109305)
• After negotiations between Noghaideli and Gazprom in late December, a few things were revealed: the increase from 63 to 110 USD per cubic meter would not be stopped, but Gazprom would increase its deliveries from 1,3 billion to 2.25 billion cubic meters, the same price would be applies to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, while Russia demanded the privatization of the gas pipeline system in Georgia that passes to Armenia, while demanding to pay money as an Armenia transit fee instead of 10% of the gas passing through the pipe to Armenia. (https://civil.ge/archives/109419)
  • Bendukidze stated then that Georgia should not listen to foreign experts (read: Washington) and should focus on its own national interests in the pipeline privatization issue (https://civil.ge/archives/109467)
  • On December 28, the Ministry of Energy announced putting gas pipeline privatization back on the agenda, the MS government aiming at securing cheaper gas imports from Russia for the next 25 years, basically being stronghanded by Gazprom (https://civil.ge/archives/104075)
  • The US called on Georgia to express caution (https://civil.ge/archives/109561)
  • One of the proposals was to set up a joint consortium with equal shares with Russia over the pipelines
  • This all happened as Russia was also eyeing to buy shares of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline (https://civil.ge/archives/109638)
  • Some accused Bendukidze of having veste interest in lobbying for the pipeline sale and opposition asked MS to sack him (https://civil.ge/archives/109649)
• In December 2005, state-owned TbilGazi was bought by state-owned Kazakh company KazTransGaz (https://civil.ge/archives/109458)
• Critics said that Tbilisi wasted time in negotiating with Kazakhstan over Kazakh gas an an alternative source instead of properly negotiating with Gazprom (https://civil.ge/archives/109530)
• Noghaideli stated that energy privatization was the government's top priority for 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/109578)
  • Less than a month, the government unveiled eight state-owned companies and HPPs for sale (https://civil.ge/archives/109845)
  • In parallel, MS stated that the top priority would be Georgia's energy independence and announced he was working with Ukaine to provide a safe alternative route of energy cming from Central Asia (https://civil.ge/archives/109612)
• 22 January: The explosion of two gas pipelines in North Ossetia leads to an energy crisis in Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/109625)
  • Russia claimed these were deliberate acts (https://civil.ge/archives/109626)
  • Also exploded was the Kavkasioni high-voltage power line (Karachevo-Cherkessia). MS accused Russia of heavy sabotage against Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/109627)
  • MS convenes a NSC meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/109631)
  • Gazprom announces it would increase its supply to Azerbaijan so that the latter could deliver it to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/109630)
  • 24: After equipment is damaged at the Russo-Azeri border, the gas supply from Azerbaijan decreases too (https://civil.ge/archives/109656)
  • 25: Energy deficit in Azerbaijan forces further gas supply decreases. Most of Tbilisi is without energy (https://civil.ge/archives/109678)
  • 26: Heavy snowfall damages the Imereti Powe Line, blacking out most of Eastern Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/109679) MS cancels Davos visit (https://civil.ge/archives/109680) Noghaideli claims Georgia is in an energy blockade (https://civil.ge/archives/109681)
    • Gilauri visits Tehran for the second time in a week to speed up the process of gas delivery from Iran (https://civil.ge/archives/109666)
    • Financial Police warns importers not to price gouge energy costs
    • Georgia starts importing electrcitity from Azerbaijan and a power generator is put in operation in Gardabani, slightly but not enough aleviating the situation (https://civil.ge/archives/109682)
    • MS makes an address to the nation, where he calls the crisis an offensive against Georgia in response to its strive to be energy independent and to join NATO and EU. (https://civil.ge/archives/109698)
    • Ukraine donates fuel to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/109694)
  • 27: MS announces a deal has been reached to bring gas from Iran started within days (https://civil.ge/archives/109695) for a symbolic price (https://civil.ge/archives/109699)
  • 29: Just as Iran is set to start supplying its gas to Georgia, Russia resumes gas delivery through the damaged pipelines (https://civil.ge/archives/109706)
    • Iran gas flowed into Georgia for the first time in 35 years (https://civil.ge/archives/109716)
  • 30: MS addresses the nation, announces the end of the energy crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/109719)
• In January 2006, Gilauri visited Iran where the two sides started working on making Iran Georgia's alternative energy supplier (https://civil.ge/archives/109657)
• On Iranian gas: Tehran clamed the deal would include the delivery of 30 million cubic meters of gas over a month for 7 million USD in cash (https://civil.ge/archives/109729)
  • And yet Georgia refused to confirm the full price of the deal, claiming it was a confidential deal (https://civil.ge/archives/109737)
  • Iranian gas delivery was stopped on 5 February after the full reestablishment of Russian delivery (https://civil.ge/archives/109780)
  • Eventually, Georgian media claimed that the deal was for 233 USD per thousand cubic meter, which was denied by the Energy Ministry (https://civil.ge/archives/110262)
• A the 2006 Davos forum, Georgia lobbied for the establishment of a Caspian-Europe gas pipeline to bypass Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/109752)
  • This was a joint Azerbaijan-Georgia proposal, voiced first by Baku (https://civil.ge/archives/109929)
  • As the EU published its Green Paper on Energy Policy, which supported the use of Caspian oil and gas to boost Eu energy security, Kazakhstan stated that it saw benefits to joining the project, although it needed to consider geopolitical elements (https://civil.ge/archives/110423)
  • The EU Green Paper also opened opportunities for the the building of a Georgia-Ukraine seabed pipeline (https://civil.ge/archives/110436)
  • Kazakhstan jointed the project in May 2006, despite Russian oppositon (https://civil.ge/archives/110519)
  • In April 2006, Georgia started negotiating to buy more and cheaper gas from the Shah Deniz Gas Field that will go through the BTE pipeline, which was previously agreed at 55USD per thousand cubic meters (https://civil.ge/archives/110446)
• At the 2006 Munich Security Conference, MS stated that the energy crisis in Georgia should be a wake up call to Europe, who should look into alternative sources (https://civil.ge/archives/109763)
• In March 2006, the government announced the merger of the three state-owned oil companies - Georgian International Gas Corporation, Georgian International Oil Corporation and SakNavtobi (https://civil.ge/archives/110012)
  • The opposition claimed the merger was a discreet attempt to privatize the gas pipeline trunk after public outrage made it almost impossible (https://civil.ge/archives/110181)
  • The government had to face serious criticism about constitutional violations - public officials not allowed to participate in entrepreneurial activities - and Parliament had to work on changing the law (https://civil.ge/archives/110475)
• On 3 March 2006, the USTDA gave Georgia a 356,000 USD grant to fund a feasibility study on the developing of a second high volate transmission line between the Zestaponi and Gardabani stations (https://civil.ge/archives/110019)
  • The same day, Georgia signed an agreement with the CanArgo Energy Corporation to supply gas from the Kumisi gas prospect at an original price of 55 USD per thousand cubic meter (much cheaper than Russian gas) (https://civil.ge/archives/110020)
• In an interview with Reuters on 13 March 2006, Gilauri claimed that selling the pipeline system to Gazprom was possible if the price and terms were agreeable (https://civil.ge/archives/110091)
  • The next day, he walked back his statement, claiming that the privatization was not considered (https://civil.ge/archives/110118)
  • He was seriously criticized by NB (https://civil.ge/archives/110127)
• In April 2006, tax code amendments: VAT exemptions for the import of materials and goods purchased under soft credit provided in frames of the rehabilitation of electricity facilities; VAT for gas imported solely for generated electricity (https://civil.ge/archives/110403)
• The Gazprom price increased force an increase in consumer tariffs from 27 to 25 tetri per cubic meter of gas in May 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110474)
  • The government had spent 19 million USD to subsidize individual costs and prevent the price increase but it increased on 1 May (https://civil.ge/archives/110474)
• MS stated that the gas pipeline trunk was not for sale in June 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110886)
• Czech companies were among the largest buyers of energy facilities. (https://civil.ge/archives/110888)
• In June 2006, Georgia started negotiations with Azerbaijan to increase the amount of reduced-price gas bought from the Shah-Deniz field than what was evisaged at the existing contract (https://civil.ge/archives/110892)
• Georgia tried positioning itself as necessary for Europe's energy security (https://civil.ge/archives/110900)
• The restoration of the Enguri HPP in August 2006 led Georgia to stop importing electricity from Russia through the Kavkasioni high-voltage power line, a further step toward energy independence (https://civil.ge/archives/115041)
• On 29 September 2006, Nika Gilauri signs in Yerevan a barter agreement that will let Georgia import electricity from Armenia and Iran with the Ministers of Energy of both countries. The deal was a no-cash one, guaranteeing that Georgia would receive it for free and export back the same amount in the summer (https://civil.ge/archives/115490)
• On 2 November 2006, Gazprom announced wanting to increase gas prices from 110 to 230 USD per 1000 cubic meters (https://civil.ge/archives/111328)
  • In response, Noghaideli conveneed the Energy Council, which called for intensified talks with Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran and immediately launch the construction of 2 new HPPs (https://civil.ge/archives/111334)
  • Gazprom demanded the sale of th North-South Caucasus Pipeline System in return for cheap gas (https://civil.ge/archives/111359)
    • Which Georgia called political blackmail and refused (https://civil.ge/archives/111361)
• As the winter loomed in 2006-2007 and Gazprom was threatening a new price hike, Georgia was desperately trying to purchase more than its alloted 50 million cubic meters of cheap (55 USD per 1000 cubic meters) has from the South Caucasus Gas Pipeline, but to do this it needed to make deals with Azerbaijan and Turkey, the two other parties of the SCP. (https://civil.ge/archives/111488)
  • MS met Ilham Aliyev on 28 November 2006 in Minsk during the CIS summit for key negotiations, while Noghaideli and Gilauri headed to Baku on 30 Nov. (https://civil.ge/archives/111525)
    • On top of the 50 million cubic meters of cheap gas Georgia was allowed to buy, it lso received 200 million cubic meters of gas as a transit fee.
  • During the talks in December, Gilauri revealed that Turkey was willing to give 800 million cubic meters of its gas share from the Shah Deniz field to Georgia in 2007. But talks continued (https://civil.ge/archives/111609)
  • On 15 December, an informal agreement was reached in Baku between Turkey, Aerbaijan and Georgia to provide Georgia with 1.01 billion cubic meters of gas from the Shah Deniz field. (https://civil.ge/archives/111625)
  • But Saakashvili visited Turkey nonetheless on 19 December as there seems to have been a block from the Azerbaijani side, which questioned how Georgia would be able to pay for the additional 800 million cubic meters (although Tbilisi denied Baku mae such statements) (https://civil.ge/archives/111644)
  • On 20 December, Noghaideli stated Azerbaijan would become Georgia's first has supplier in 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/111645)
  • At the same time, Russia upped pressure: increasing the price to 235 USD and demanding a rapid confirmation from Georgia of how much it would buy (https://civil.ge/archives/111654)
  • Gazprom announced having reached a deal to provide three Georgian companies for 1.1 billion cubic meters of gas in 2007 for 235 USD (https://civil.ge/archives/111666)
  • Noghaideli stated that importing Russian gas was necessary as technical problems blocked the deal with Azerbaijan (https://civil.ge/archives/111670)
  • On 23 December, Turkey and Georgia announced having reached a deal on Turkey giving its share of 800 million cubic meters to Georgia, although the details were not disclosed (https://civil.ge/archives/111671)
  • On 25 December, Noghaideli announced having reached a deal with Azerbaijan in Baku according to which Azerbaijan would provide Georgia with 1 million cubic meters of gas per winter day although details of the deal were not disclosed. This report put in question an earlier alleged agreement with Turkey (https://civil.ge/archives/111677)
  • The same day, a urkish official rejected the claim that a deal had been reached with Turkey, which just put more confusion in the process (https://civil.ge/archives/111678)
  • But when Gazprom signed a contract with Itera (Russian, Georgia-based) pn 27 December, Russia became the supplier of 80% of gas to Georgia in 2007, which forced the Finance Ministry to allocate credit to gas distributor companies in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/111687)
  • On 29 January, Noghaideli announced that Georgia would start purchase Azeri has for 120 USD per 1000 cubic meters in January (https://civil.ge/archives/111702)
  • Saakashvili hailed the process as a historic deal (https://civil.ge/archives/111713)
  • Georgia received its first gas frm Shah Deniz on 15 January 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/111761)
• On 24 November 2006, there was a new explosion that damaged the NO pipeline, although this did not affect Georgia directly (https://civil.ge/archives/111490)
• On 27 November 2006, in an interview with Kviris Palitra, Amb John Tefft stated that while a short-term deal with Iran on energy supplies was understood, any long-term relationship was "unacceptable" to the US (https://civil.ge/archives/111503)
• Russia failed to convince Azerbaijan to join its Anti-Georgia Bloc within the CIS in December 2006 as Baku threatened to reduce or even stop its oil through the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline (https://civil.ge/archives/111550)
• In February 2007, Czech company Energo-Pro became the leading electricity distributor in the country with control of 62.5% of the market after buying six HPPs and two electricity distribution companies for 132 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/111864)
• On 7 Feb 2007, Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan agreed to build an electricity transmission line to link Azerbaijan to Turkey via Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/111888)
• On 9 February, Saakashvili announced the construction of a new oil refinery in Samegrelo, on top of the one in Supsa and the one being finished in Kulevi (https://civil.ge/archives/111897)
• From 16 Feb to 1 April, Azerbaijan increased its gas supply to Georgia from 1 million cubic meter to 1.3 million cubic meter at 120 USD per thousand cubic meter (https://civil.ge/archives/111940)
  • A new agreement was signed on 16 April 2007 to increase daily receipts to 4 million cubic meters (https://civil.ge/archives/112243)
• The United States saw Georgia as instrumental to push Turkmenistan gas toward Europe (https://civil.ge/archives/112135)
• In early 2007, Georgia pushed its diplomacy toward Central Asia for that purpose (https://civil.ge/archives/112078)
• Despie already receiving 1.3 million cubic meters of gas from Azerbaijan daily by that point, Georgia started negotiations to get increased supplies from AzerGaz on 29 March 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112148)
• On 30 April 2007, the EU Commissioner on Energy Andris Piebalgs recognized Georgia's role as an important transit country in EU ambitions to increase oil and gas imports from Central Asia and Azerbaijan (https://civil.ge/archives/112317)
• The Trans-Caspian Pipeline project was opposed by Russia. In May 2007, as Poland was scheduling an energy summit involving Kazakh, Georgiam Azeri and Ukrainiani presidents, Putin did an "unprecedented long trip" to Central Asian states, including to Kazakhstan to prevent Nazarbayev from traveling to Poland (https://civil.ge/archives/112359)
• On 11 May, the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine and the Deuty Energy Minister of Kazakhstan signed a joint declaration following the Krakow nergy Summit calling for increased cooperation in transporting oil and gas from Central Asia to Europe via the South Caucasus. (https://civil.ge/archives/112377)
  • MS bashed the "parallel summit" between the Presidents of Russia, Turkmenistan and Kazkahstan (https://civil.ge/archives/112377)
  • On his return to Tbilisi from Krakow, Saakashvili was accompanied by Aliyev and the two inaugurated a statue of Heydar Aliyev in downtown Tbilisi. (https://civil.ge/archives/112378)
  • A street had been named after Heydar back in February 2007
• On 13 June 2007, MS met with Sarkozy in Paris, during which the two discussed possible cooperation in civil nuclear energy projects. (https://civil.ge/archives/185520)
  • The day after, MS met with Anne Lauvergeon, chef executive of AREVA.
  • There were media specialutions that the Georgian government was envisaging the construction of a nuclear reactor in Georgia.
  • PM Noghaideli eventually admitted talks were linked to an old reactor in Armenia that needed to be replaced, with France considering Georgia as an option for relocation (https://civil.ge/archives/112548)
• Energo-Pro, the Czech company, finalized its purchase of 6 HPPs and 2 electricity districution companies on 6 July 2007 for 132 million USD. This gave the company control over 60% of the national market (https://civil.ge/archives/112650)
• In August 2007, the Government set up a special commission to study the possibility of constructing a civil nuclear reactor in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/112866)
• On 13 November 2008, the European Commission released an energy package identifying six strategic initiatives as essential for EU energy security, including the Souther Gas Corridor to transport gas from the Caspian basin to Europe bypassing Russia. (https://civil.ge/archives/117901)
• During the 14 November 2008 Baku Energy Summit, Georgia and Azerbaijan signed a 5-year agreement on gas supplies that guaranteed no increase in gas tatiff for households for the next 5 years (https://civil.ge/archives/117908)
  • Some details of the agreement included:
    • Georgia to buy gas from SOCAR at 167 USD per 1000 cubic meters for retail and 143 USD for power generation.
    • Gas supply prices will not increase for the next give years.
    • 1.05 billion cubic meters provided in 2009 and 963 million in 2020 (Georgia needs at least 1.8 billion cubic meters annually at ths stage.
    • Gas tariffs had last been increased for companies in August 2008, reaching 69 tetri per cubic meter. (https://civil.ge/archives/117944)
• On 26 December 2008, SOCAR and the Georgian Ministry of Economy signed an agreement in which SOCAR purchased 22 small companies responsible for distributing gas to Georgian regions. The deal gave SOCAR distribution rights in Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Kakheti, Imereti, Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli, Samegrelo, Guria and Adjara. SOCAR pldged to invest 40 million USD in the next three years in gas network infrastructure, while the amount of the deal was not disclosed. Tbilisi distribution remains under KazMunaiGaz. (https://civil.ge/archives/118152)
• The Nabucco project aims at delivering has from the Caspian region to Europe via Georgia and Turkey. The European Commission proposed 250 million EUR for the Nabucco pipeline in January 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/118280)
  • Lado Gurgenidze was appointed as presidential lobbyist to the Nabucco project (https://civil.ge/archives/118295)
• On 8 May 2009, the EU signed a deal with Azebaijan, Georgia, Egypt and Turkey to boost plans for a souther energy corridor (Nabucco inc) during the Prague EaP Summit (https://civil.ge/archives/118809)
• On 15 September, Georgia launched the building (with a 260 million EUR loan from the EBRD, EIB and KfW) a power line to increase its exports to Turkey, starting in Gardabani. Saakashvili prioritized this project as part of energy security. (https://civil.ge/archives/119378)
• In May 2010, the State Energy Companies of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Romania agreed to set up a Bucharest-based joint venture to proceed with the AGRI project proposed by Romania which envisages transportation of 7 billion cubic meters of Azeri gas through pipeline toward the Port of Poti and then to the Port of Constanta (https://civil.ge/archives/120256)
• Turkey invested at least some in Georgian HPP energy, as seen with the Georgia Urban Energy, a Georgian subsidiary of Anadolu Group that received a 115.5 million USD credit to finance the construction of the Paravani HPP in June 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/121226)
• By 2012, the government's strategy had been to replace imported gas-operated thermal power generation (93% of the country's electricity generation) with hydro power (https://civil.ge/archives/121877)
  • Chinese company built the Nenskra HPP in Svaneti against environmental concerns

• He saw hydropower as a potential to make Georgia entirely energy independent and claimed that the reason why it was not exploited before was a Soviet ploy to keep Georgia dependent. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4954&i=1)
  • In his 2010 parliamentary address, he boasted about the beginning of construction for Mtkvari HPP, Paravani HPP, Bakhvi HPP

• In his 2011 parliamentary address, he pledged to launch an oil refinery in Georgia to work toward energy independence (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=6142&i=1)
• In May 2007, the presidents of poland, georgia, ukraine, azerbaijan and lithuania signed a joint communique in cooperation in efforts to shore up Europe's security and seek alternative energy routes. They reached an agreement on the creation of a new European energy corridor by which energy resources from the Caspian Sea basin countries would reach Europe bypassing rUSSIA. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=2166&i=9)

Réformes dans l'éducation

• When Saakashvili took office, the university entrance system was bribe-based, with a university spot costing up to $50,000 in 2003.
• His government introduced a common entrance exam, replacing the bribe-based system with a merit-based one. The quality of university education also improved.
• Despite this, Saakashvili was accused of failing to reform the quality of primary and secondary-level school education, which reportedly remained low at the end of his term in office.

• Education reform was revolutionary and uncompromising (AD, 473)
  • Teaching programs, textbooks and univiersities were modernized.
  • The corrupt system of university acceptance was replaced with the unified national entrance exams.
  • This allowed the talented to access higher education without bribes
  • Computerization and renovation of schools around the country begun
  • The accreditation of educational institutions of all levels was introduced
  • Schools and universities that failed to match new standards were closed down
  • State universities were reduced by consolidation
  • Many departments that were considered useless were ablished
  • The number of teachers and professors decreased greatly because of downsizing.
  • Alongside the funding appropriated from the state to financing science, competition0grant financing of research was introduced, which reduced the old Soviet model of managing science.
  • With the encouragement of merit-based science, staff rducton and institutional downsizing, the doors were open for young scientists
  • But this also left many old guard honored scientists and scholars out of the sphere and scholarship.

• Zourabichvili
  • He called for the intelligentsia to be 'flushed out' (213)
  • His young government was seeking a cultural revolution against anyone who was above 40 (213)

• Roelofs
  • The establishment of a central examination gave every student a chance at a higher education and eliminated corruption (279)
  • The number of universities and colleges was drastically reduced with a rigorous licensing system to close down the mushroomed in the 90s establishments (280)

• Rayfield
  • Alexander Lomaia, minister of Education, was the author of the reforms. (397)
  • The reforms included the Bologna standards, forcing professors to resign until they obtained credible doctorates. (397)
  • This led to mass outcry that forced his resignation but he never backed down (397)

• Kavadze
  • Through different funds, hundreds of Georgian students were sent to study abroad in western universities (66)

• On 26 Nov, Kmara forced Roin Metreveli to resign as rector of TSU but he returned to his position the next day as a result of protests by the student body and staff. (https://civil.ge/archives/116137)
  • MS announced on 28 Sep 2004 the need for higher education reform and backed Rusudan Lortkipanidze (Amb to Italy) as rector isntead of Metreveli.
  • The Scientifc Council of TSU and the Rector were publicly opposed to education reform proposed by UNM
• Metreveli resigned on 1 October 2004. (https://civil.ge/archives/116166)
  • There were allegations, denied by Metreveli, that he was pressured to resign by MS.
  • Some students accused him of heavy-handed rule and corruption.
  • He was interim succeeded by Rusudan Lortkipanidze, Ambassador to Italy and Deputy Rector, favored candidate of MS.
• Rusudan Lortkipanidze was formally elected Rector of TSU on 13 December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106800)
• Merab Beradze, rector of the Akhaltsikhe branch of TSU, was arrested for misuse of power in February 2005 over the opening of a military department in 2002. The case brought serious questions on both judicial independence and the interference of the state in education. After widespread protests, he would be released on bail at the reqest of a group of MPs (https://civil.ge/archives/107396)
• The entrance exam bill was passed in December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/107560)
  • Students of the State Medical College, which had signed an agreement with the State Medical University before the bill about entrance without examination, protested the reform. Police broke up the protest violently (https://civil.ge/archives/107560)
  • The students then went on hunger strike (https://civil.ge/archives/107587)
  • Following the protests, the Education Ministry demanded the President to dismiss acting rector Ramaz Khetsuriani of the TSMU over allegations of financial fraud (https://civil.ge/archives/107609)
    • The opposition tried but failed to launch impeachment procedures against MOE Kakha Lomaia over this (https://civil.ge/archives/107618)
• The first National Examination took place in July 2005 for 32,000 students.
  • This was a move aimed at ending corruption for university entrance (https://civil.ge/archives/108482)
• With public fears about the hinted abolition of the National Academy of Sciences, Gogi Bochorishvili, VP of the Georgian National Academy, was arrested for misappropriation of funds in August 2005. The MOE claimed it only wanted to reform the NAS to promote transparency (https://civil.ge/archives/108653)
• The reform was aimed at university acceptance based on knwoeldge alone (https://civil.ge/archives/108920)
  • In the first year, 17,000 out of 37,000 students passed the exams (https://civil.ge/archives/108922)
• Planned reforms on the financing of the NAS aimed at ending corruption was severely criticized by the opposition (New Rights), the NAS staff and its President Tamaz Gamkrelidze and Ilia II. Protesters gathered in front of the Philarmonic Hall in mid October 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109056)
• The opposition wanted to impeach Finance Minister Lekso Alexishvili for failing to increase teacher salaries up to 115 GEL in December 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109354)
• Education reform opposition was blamed on a blast that injured Lado Pataridze, chief of MOE's regional department in Kutaisi on 16 March 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110143)
• Rusudan Lortkipanidze was forced to resign in April 2006 as TSU rector and replaced by Giorgi Khubua after opposing the Ministry of Education's plan to cut the university staff from 2,000 to 600. (https://civil.ge/archives/110321)
• In June 2006, academicians protested against the acting rector and the new rule of competition for recruiting 550 new lecturers. The academicians insisted on the reestablishment of the Great Council, disbanded in 2005 and the disbanding of the Commission composed by the new administration of TSU. The police dispersed protesters and MoE Lomaia "called on law enforcement agencies to punish those who organize disorder". TSU's acting rector requested criminal proceedings against protesting academicians (https://civil.ge/archives/110961)
  • These protests continued and on 6 July, they started protested against police violence (https://civil.ge/archives/110987)
• In May 2007, protests started against Kakha Lomaia, accusing him of having embezzled 40 million GEL from various projects. Th deputy head of the Chamber of Control Levan Mkheidze would agree that "there have been certain types of misconduct" during a parliamentary hearing, although he did not issue details. (https://civil.ge/archives/112456)
  • A few weeks later, the Chamber of Control admitted that the 40 million GEL figure was correct, although this was continuously denied by Lomaia (https://civil.ge/archives/112593)
  • Lomaia's testimony to Parliament agreed many, with the Minister attacking, insulting, mocking and disrespecting more than one MP. Even Burjanadze was offended (https://civil.ge/archives/185522)
  • Saakashvili fully backed Lomaia despite everything (https://civil.ge/archives/112653)
• In July 2006, the Ministry of Education launched the Boards of Trustees as "democratic process of local governance and oversight in public schools", made of teachers, parents and one pupil. (https://civil.ge/archives/112663)
  • In July 2007, the Boards of Trustees of 1,500 public schools held elections for school principals, "putting an end to communist-type management" and "paving the way for democratic norms in schools" (https://civil.ge/archives/112663)
• In September 2007, he announced he would increase salaries of secondary school teachers to 200 GEL and a spending program to provide heating, computers and textbooks to all schools (https://civil.ge/archives/113097)
• Among other reforms: thirteenth month pay abolished, one-year contracts for teachers instituted, testing for teachers, closure of public schools in rural areas with small number of pupils, reduction of paid leave from 48 to 24 days (https://civil.ge/archives/114460)
  • In March 2008, he made a U-Turn and pledged to remove these reforms (https://civil.ge/archives/114460)
• In March 2010, Saakashvili stated that Georgia should become a mix of Switzerland and Singapore in education standards and stated the next stage of reforms after corruption eradication was raising the quality (https://civil.ge/archives/119958)
• In April 2010, Saakashvili announced that English would become a compulsory language from the first grade and every first-grader would receive an XO mini-laptop. He called it the linguistic and computer revolution plan. (https://civil.ge/archives/120039)
  • The Ministry of Education launched the Teach and Learn with Georgia project with the aim to recruit 1000 native English speakers who will be willing to teach Georgian schoolchildren English for 2010-2011.
  • The mini-laptops were officially called "President's Gift".
  • The laptops were developed by the US non-profit One Laptop Per Child
• In June 2010, the government had to drop a plan to impose a VAT on universities after serious controversy (https://civil.ge/archives/120331)
• The Teach and Learn with Georgia program was compared by Saakashvili as King David IV's bringing of 50,000 Kipchaks to modernize Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/185705)
• State of the Nation address of February 2021: five new vocational training centers would be launched every citizen willing to learn a new profession will receive a GEL 1,000 voucher, which “will completely cover their retraining course tuition.” He also said that the state would provide free trainings in English language and computer skills for 20,000 people. (https://civil.ge/archives/186238)
• Political control became obvious in May 2012 when Maia Miminoshvili, head of the National Examinations Center, was fired abruptly by Minister Shashkin after a son attended a Ivanishvili rally (https://civil.ge/archives/121968)
  • Dozens of employees quit (https://civil.ge/archives/121969)

• The Force Awakens
  • Opened training centers for teachers across the country (104)
  • For English-speakers and computer-specialists, salaries were increased by 150 GEL, and another 300 GEL for those with a further level (104)
  • Teachers who refused to take exams within five years would be fired (104)
  • Exam results were made confidential (104)
  • Teacher salaries were increased from 20-30 GEL a month to 1,000 GEL (104)
  • Incentivized the private school system: lowered taxes on private schools and introduced the voucher system (104)
  • Made free textbooks for the 1st grade (104)
  • Programs to encourage young people to become teachers (104)
  • He sent thousands of Georgian teachers to regions with national minorities, paying then 1000 USD (104)
  • To fight against heavy crime in schools, he introduced the school "mandaturi", with a salary similar to police officers, dressed in uniforms, regularly trained, and whose responsibility was to keep order and prevent corruption schools (105-106)
    • This was criticized by some as "military-communistic" (106)
  • In 2006, he launched the Learn and Study with Georgia program, bringing from other countries 1,500 and then 2,500 English-teachers from around the world, out of which 80% were professionals, working in almost every school, and it cost almost nothing to the State as many stayed with families and the State was only paying then a 300 USD monthly salary and two plane tickets a year (106)
    • 16 were raped the first year, 6 on the second year, 2 on the third. He blamed it on national culture (106)
    • The program lasted for 5 years and was abolished by the new government (106)
  • Before the centralized exams system, there were individual university entrance exams where corruption was important (107)
  • He promoted private universities (107)
  • He changed almost every university rector and university administrations, which would lead to permanent opposition to his government (108)
  • He also went on to prosecute some rectors on corruption. For example, the rector of the Foreign Languages Institute was accused of illegally selling land next to the institute. The Agrarian University's rector was also prosecuted (108)

• Bendukidze opened Free University in 2007 (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=5554&i=2)

• In 2008, the Government gave free insurance to teachers and technical personnel of schools, all teachers were given a thirteenth salary, teacher salaries were increased by 33%, and abolished the annual contract system. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4953&i=1)
  • On the annual contract system, he said in his 2009 parliamentary address that: "nobody knows why we brought this system in, it turned out to be a weapon of blackmailing and torture."
  • He pledged by Jan 1 2010 to: increase teacher salaries by 25 GEL (and another 25 on 1 September 2010)
  • He also proposed to have the State co-finance Master's degree educations in Georgia.

• He pledged in his 2010 parliamentary address to introduce a voluntary certification for teachers that will provide higher salaries to certified teachers. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4954&i=1)
  • He also started focusing on school safety: prohibition of cash in schools, introduction of a student plastic card system, introduction of regular meetings between police officers, reps of the Prosecutor's Office and students.
  • He also pledged to create school sports leagues in various sports.

• He saw Internet access to public schools as a priority (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=6142&i=1)
  • The salary of the voluntarily certified teachers reached 1000 GEL

• In his 2012 parliamentary address, he announced the opening of 5 new professional schools (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=7367&i=1)
  • In 2012, a GEL 1000 new voucher program was launched for Georgians seeking to learn a new profession in private or public schools

• During his 2010 trip to NYC (UNGA), he met with Millenium Challenge Corporation CEO Daniel Yohannes who announced together with MS that a modern Technical University would be opened in Batumi (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=5227&i=6)
• The voluntary teacher certification program was meant to become mandatory by 2014 (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=5569&i=6)
• In Avril 2011, the average teacher salary was still 380 gel. the voluntary certification program would increase it by 75 gel. an english and computer exam would qualify the teacher to an additional 125 gel (adding up to 580). This meant that only very few would actually qualify for the 1000 gel salary advertised (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=6331&i=4)
  • Avlabari designed a state language strategy with the goal by 2013 to have 30% of subjects taught in Georgian language in non-georgian schools and gave those teachers teaching in two languages an additional 200 gel.
  • that strategy also involved a oprogram where bachelors that teach georgian in ethnic minority regions would see the state cover the costs of their post-grad education and they would be provided with housing and a 500 gel salary and university credits.
• In march 2012, a new program to promote vocational education was launched, giving new vocational students a 1000 GEL voucher to encourage them to retrain while seeking another job (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=7414&i=3)

Santé

• After Georgian independence, the government found that its Soviet-style centralized healthcare system was underfunded and failing.
• State-run centralized medical facilities were typically inefficient and in need of renovation and technological upgrades.
• As a result, the government privatized almost all public hospitals and clinics, and the insurance system was deregulated, with private insurance companies able to offer coverage.
• Only a few specialized facilities for mental health and infectious diseases remained in government hands, and the state continued to provide health insurance for those below the poverty line, whose insurance was paid for by public funds and provided by private insurers, and some civil servants, amounting to about 40% of the population.
• As a result, the level of healthcare greatly improved, with new hospitals and clinics beginning to replace older facilities.
• However, a portion of the population was left uninsured, as it could not afford private insurance and did not qualify for public insurance.

• A major healthcare breakthrough was achieved by establishing a free-of-charge ambulance system and the first medical aid service for all citizens (AD, p. 472)

• Roelofs
  • Free ambulace services was provided for the whole country (275)
  • Medical insurance was provided for the 1.2 million most vulnerable people (275)

• In January 2007, the government announced an investment plan of 520 million GEL to build 100 new hospitals and outpatient clinics across the country by 2010. (https://civil.ge/archives/111763)
• In March 2007, the government struck a deal with company Aword, giving it two buildings in downtown Tbilisi in exchange for a 15 million USD investment to build 16 new hospitals in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/112073)
• In January 2008, the new Healthcare Minister Sadro Kvitashvili made it a new priority to increase public involvement in decision-making process and he envisioned a health insurance system (https://civil.ge/archives/114175)
• In February 2009, Saakashvili started working on a health insurance reform plan (note Obamacare) in which he urged insurance companies to provide monthly coverage for 5 GEL, with 3.35 GEL covered by the state and the rest by the indidivual. The government was prepared to allocate 15 million GEL in the first year for the program (https://civil.ge/archives/118372)
  • On 18 February, the government signed a memorandum with 10 major insurance providers, although the 5 GEL plan was for medical emergencies only (https://civil.ge/archives/118384)
• In January 2010, Saakashvili stated his plan was to "make healthcare service available for everyone in the nearest years and of same quality as it is in leading foreign countries" (https://civil.ge/archives/119824)
  • PM Gilauri also announced at the same time a plan to reform the state co-financed health insurance package to include 50% reimbursement for "certain number" of prescribed medicines (https://civil.ge/archives/119824)
• In his 2010 parliamentary address of ebruary 2010, Saakashvili stated that healthcare needed to be developed by the private sector and saw the government's role as an investor (https://civil.ge/archives/119922)
• In March 2011, the Chamber of Control issued a report alarming the fact that insurance companies had received a 60% profit margin from the state-funded insrance program in 2008-2010 (total of 60% of 284 million GEL) (https://civil.ge/archives/185797)
• State of the Nation address in February 2012: 90 new medical centers and hospital had already been built and 40 more were planned this year. He also said that number of people with health insurance policies increased 40-fold since 2006, when the figure stood at 40,000. The number would further increase this year, he said. “In 2012 every second citizen of Georgia will have insurance,” he said. “We are declaring 2012 as the breakthrough year in healthcare accessibility.” (https://civil.ge/archives/186238)

• The Force Awakens
  • The health sector was in shambles when he came to power, with almost no equipment (110)
  • He built hospitals in Batumi, Kutaisi and Tbilisi (110)
  • He introduced a public financing of health insurance of 30% in exchange of insurance companies building hospitals (110-111)
    • In exchange of being given permission to build hospitals in Tbilisi, companies were required to build two hospitals in regions (111)
  • He had a 10-year plan to move to a universal health care system, although the next government moved immediately (112)

• In his 2007 parliamentary address, he pledged building 100 new hospitals and pinpointed MP Gigi Tsereteli and Levan Metreveli in charge.
  • But the program fell apart, with MS blaming the war and the global recession (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=6142&i=1)

• In his 2009 parliamentary address, he proposed a state co-financed health insurance package that would be available for 5 GEL (out of which the State would cover 3.35 GEL) that would be able to cover all medical procedures up to 5000 GEL.
  • By that time, authorities were building 700-800 ambulatories with Internet and computers across the country. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4953&i=1)

• In his 2010 parliamentary address, he announced the building of the Dighomi Cluster, where 11 new hospitals would be built by the State before transfering their ownership and management to hospital personnel (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4954&i=1)
  • Between 2006 and 2010, the number of insured people in Georgia went from 48,000 people to 1,5 million.

Sécurité sociale

• Pensions and salaries were increased because of the eradication of the corrupt tax system. (AD, p. 472)
  • Programs for those living under the poverty level were introduced.

• Roelofs
  • Mothly allowances were provided to the most 1.2 million vulnerable people (275)
  • Social agents were trained to determine which households were eligible the social safety net using a points-based system (275)

• A primary increase in the monthly pension by 4 GEL, whch took place in May 2004, was sued by 47 conservative/libertarian MPs at the Constitutional Court (https://civil.ge/archives/105905)
• President ordered the government to double pensions for 2005, from 14 to 28 GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/106438)
• On 15 August 2005, the Georgian government launched registration of persons living below the pverty line. The process required families who believed they lived in poverty to register in their local government offices before being assessed by authorities (https://civil.ge/archives/108690)
• On 9 December 2005, Parliament increased the increase of pensions from 28 to 38 GEL, while decreasing the pensions for former high-ranking officials from 5,000 to 560 GEL. It also decreased the retirement age for men from 70 to 65. The bill had envisioned increasing the retirement age for women to 65 from 60 but Parliament backed down after massive protests. The bill was controversial because it was not increasing pensions enough (https://civil.ge/archives/109362)
• Minimal monthly pension increased by 5 GEL, from 28 to 33 in March 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110159)
• On 4 October 2007, in the context of the beginning of the 2007 protsts, he pledged 100 million GEL in one-time allowances for teachers and pensioners and for a state-funded employment program. This included 50 GEL for electricity, 50 GEL for gas (https://civil.ge/archives/113187)
• In the midst of the 2007 political crisis and the 2008 presidential election, the pension was increased from 38 GEL to 55 GEL in December 2007 and 76 GEL in 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/113585)
• In May 2008, on the eve of the parliamentary elections, Saakashvili pledged that at the end of his 50-month economic program, monthly pensions would increase to 100 USD (https://civil.ge/archives/118254)
• In September 2011, pensions reached 100 GEL (up from 80) (https://civil.ge/archives/185829)
• In November 2011, the government announced that the Georgian government would increase the pension to 125 GEL in September 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/186111)
• State of the Nation address in February 2012: plan to give onetime allowance of GEL 1,000 to each family for third newborn and GEL 2,000 for fourth newborn child starting from January, 2013. (https://civil.ge/archives/186238)

• He had arguments against welfare, opposing systemic welfare that removed work incentives (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6874&i=2)
  • He wanted to work on a reform that would focus on education for the unemployed and giving welfare only to those under the poverty line

• In his 2011 parliamentary address, he announced the beginning of a 20 GEL voicher for electrcity to all families across the country (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=6142&i=1)
  • In March 2011, a 30 GEL food voucher was also announced.
    • When the efficiency of these food vouchers was thought to be underperforming, the Presidential Administration called on those with enough means to donate their vouchers to others (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=6157&i=5)

• Saakashvili announced that pensions would be increased to 100 GEL across Georgia by 1 September 2011, with increasing benefits based on length of service and merit, and a basic social package to cover the needs of all socially unprotected citizens, including pensioners. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=6201&i=5)
  • This reform also corrected the disbalance between Tbilisi and regional pensioners by increasing pensions to Tbilisites by 10 GEL and regional inhabitants by 20 GEL
• Starting on 1 January 2013, families having a third child would receive 1000 GEL and 2000 GEL for each subsequent child as a plan against the demographic crisis (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=7381&i=3)

Infrastructure

• The government massively upgraded infrastructure and public services.
• In particular, water and power infrastructure was improved to the point where it functioned effectively, schools and hospitals were renovated, more roads were laid, and new housing developments were built.

• Public transportation was improved (AD, 473)
  • Streets in Tbilisi were put in order
  • New roads and sports playgrounds were built
  • Historic monuments were renovated and cultural heritage got more attention than before.
  • Beautification works across the country started for the first time since independence.
  • Hundreds of millions wer invested in buildng new roads and highways
  • New electric transmission lines and water supply systems were built
  • Gasification of towns and villages started for the first time in years.

• Zourabichvili
  • Before Bush came, the facades on the highway would be remade entirely (129)
  • A single company owned all the public bidding in Tbilisi (130)
  • MS decided personally the colors, rainbow colors, used to paint the buildings (130)
  • The east-west highway was opened five times by MS and other government officials (133)
  • On the highway, Khashuri was painted all green (133)
  • Among the criticisms was the high cost of these programs, the forced painting facades without owner consent and the lack of consultancy with property owners and residents (134)
  • Fountains all across the city, many of which designed by a single French architect (133)
  • These programs would be nicknamed the "Potemkin village" by some opponents (133)

• Republican Party
  • The Airport was built in his first term (190)

• The former Iveria hotel was freed from IDPs in September 2004 after the invstor paid compensation of 7000 USD to each family living there since 1993, opening the door for the Republic Square renovation by 2006. (https://civil.ge/archives/115972)
• In May 2005, an International Consortium of a Turkish, Luxembourgian and US company announced an investment of 62 million USD to rebuild the TIA to serve Airbus 330/340 aircrafts and handle a turnover of 2000 passengers an hour (https://civil.ge/archives/108072)
  • A special parliamentary commission was set up to probe MOE Lexo Alexishvili's ties to that consortium and why it won the bid despite other companies offering more advantageous proposals (https://civil.ge/archives/108084)
  • The Luxembourg and US sides pulled out in July after failing to meet deadlines according to the MOE (https://civil.ge/archives/108437)
  • The Celebi Group also pulled out after failing to provide financial guarantees in early September 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108792)
  • Instead, on Sep 6, the Georgian government signed a contract with Turkish companies TAV and Urban over the management of TIA and BIA on 6 Sep 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108795)
  • Celebi denied pulling out and claimed that the Georgian government violated its contract by handing out the deal to TAV and Urban (https://civil.ge/archives/108819)
• On 28 May 2005, the government privatized the management of several piers of the Poti Port (https://civil.ge/archives/108168)
• The Luxembourgish GTS sued Georia at the International Court of Arbitration over the airport deal (https://civil.ge/archives/108867)
• In Sep 2005, MS inaugurated a tunnel that cut the transit time from Kobuleti to Batumi by half and promised widespread infrastructure projects in Adjara ahead of local MP elections (https://civil.ge/archives/108955) This was the first tunnel built in 30 years.
• Bidzina Ivanishvili built for 18 million EUR new ski infrastructure in Bakuriani that he handed over to the state just as Georgia was making a bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics (https://civil.ge/archives/109574)
• In 2005, 83 bridges were reconstructed, a highway construction began in western Georgia.
  • In 2006-2008, the government plannd to finish a Tbilisi-Khashuri highway. (https://civil.ge/archives/109864)
  • Special importance was laid on infrastructure and road projects in Samtskhe Javakheti to link them to the center of the country and stop their isolation (https://civil.ge/archives/109864)
• Some projects planned and announced in 2006: (https://civil.ge/archives/110141)
  • New high-speed motorway Tbilisi-Western Georgia finished
  • construction of the section linking Tbilisi to the point where there is a turn to Tskhinvali (by 2008)
  • Tbilisi-Khashuri section (by 2009)
  • Tbilisi-Batumi and Tbilisi-Sokhumi highways (by 2011)
  • Tbilisi-Gori section
  • New airport in Batumi with new terminal, runways and complete renovation with TAV/Urban
• He inaugurated the 40-meter monument to St Georgia on 23 Nov 2006, the third anniversary of the Rose Revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/111485)
• Inaugurating it on 7 Feb 2007, MS called the new airport terminal of TIA a "much better airport than the airport in Brussels, or the airport in Munich" (https://civil.ge/archives/111885)
  • Strong wind blew off the roof of the new airport on 24 February (https://civil.ge/archives/111983)
• On 4 August 2007, overnight, the police forced out hundreds of traders from the Dezerteers Bazaar of Tbilisi in order to build a shopping mall. This controversial measure led to widespread traders protests. (https://civil.ge/archives/112798)
• In November 2007, he opened a new railway station linking the Tbilisi International Airport with the City (https://civil.ge/archives/113382)
  • In October, he announced the launch of a large-scale rehabilitation project for Old Town of Kutaisi
• The Tbilisi Airport roof was blown away by wind again in March 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/114527)
• There was a large increase in infrastructure projects finalized or launched in May 2008 (see parliamentary elections) including the opening of the oil terminal of Kulevi on the Black Sea owned by SOCAR, construction of a new air control tower at the Kopitnari airport, announcement of plans to make the Kutaisi Airport the largest airport in the South Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/116312)
• Saakashvili's 2008-2009 NYE address was recorded in Kutaisi with the background of the newly-rehabilitated and illuminated old part of Kutaisi (https://civil.ge/archives/118167)
• The Saakashvili government in its later years had planned a Tbilisi railway bypass project, which was scrapped by Georgian Railway when GD came to power because it proved to be financially insufficient (https://civil.ge/archives/123070)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • Until 2005, it took two hours to travel between Marneuli and the 30-km-distance Armenian border. In January 2005, a new road was opened that allowed for rapid transport from Marneuli to the Armenian border in 25-30 min (515)
  • A new highway was built connecting Tbilisi to Gori (515)
  • There was some criticism about rapid and inefficient construction that was done only for PR moves. For example, just months after the media inaugural of the Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki highway, the road was again almost inaccessible (515)

• The Force Awakens
  • In a move to boost religious tourism, he renovated all the churches and mosques in the country and up to 500 churches (132)
  • He built the Tbilisi-Kutaisi highway that reduced by two hours the 6-hour trip (141)
  • He built a highway connecting Kutaisi to Tskaltubo to boost the latter's tourism potential (141)
    • He sought to seek the building of an InterContinental in Tskaltubo with 100 million USD, traveling to Marrakesh with his Economy Minister for this (141-142)
  • He wanted to change the port system: Batumi entirely touristic, Poti to be closed, and Lazica as deepest port in the Black Sea (146)

• The Avlabari Palace started being built in 2004 and was finished in 2009, built by Italian architect Michelle de Lucchi, who would also design the MIA and the Bridge of Peace. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/ThePalace/History)

• In his 2010 parliamentary address, he boasted about the construction of the Vaziani-Gombori-Telavi Highway which would shorten the Tbilisi-Telavi commute to 40 minutes, the Sveneti-Ruisi road (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4954&i=1)
  • He also pledged to build a bypass road between Kobuleti and Batumi, the rehabilitation of the Rikoti Tunnel, and the construction of the Kutaisi-Zestaponi-Samtredia highway.

• In his 2011 parliamentary address, he pledged to see every city in Georgia connected by a road of international standards (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=6142&i=1)
  • He also pledged to finish the rehab of the Tbilisi-Batumi railway to reduce travel time from 10 to 3 hours.
  • Announced construction of the Tbilisi Bypass Railway

• In November 2010, his administration announced the construction of the Ninotsminda-Tsalka 223 km highway that would go from the Georgia-Armenia border to Tsalka and involved the construction of 15 bridges
• A new Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki road was opened in November 2010 in partnership with US funds (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=5806&i=5)
• By June 2011, ongoing constructions: Sveneti-Ruisi highway, Ruisi-Rikoti, Zestaponi-Kutaisi road, Grigoleti road, Kobuleti bypass, Batumi bypass, Zugdidi-Mestia 132 km road, renovated Ushguli and Tetnuldo roads, Javakheti-Kutaisi road connecting through Sairme (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=6571&i=6)
  • Saakashvili started planning the Batumi-Anaklia road
  • Also planned was a Fast Rustavi-Tbilisi tramway that would be connected to the Tbilisi tramway line.

Gouvernements locaux

• Zourabichvili
  • Signaghi would become the example of the central government's power to remodel regions. (141)
  • New paintings, new pavements, a fountain in the central square, balconies are decorated with false vineyards, young singers are recruited to charm tourists. (141-142)
  • The NATO SG would be taken there to spend the day (142)
  • Across Western Georgia, fake palm trees of various colors are planted (142)
  • The opening of the market to Turish products, the closure of local markets, and the Russian blockade severely damaged the Georgian agricultural scene (143)
  • Ahead of the 2006 local elections, a new law on local autonomy allowed for a winner take all electoral principle that made opposition sucess even more unlikely (203)
  • The new law on local autonomy also abolished village councils and centralized everything in district councils, the old Soviet system (203)
  • Villages are only represented at the district councils by one representative (203)
  • Villages lose all public property, thus losing control over privatization (203-204)
  • There were many fraud accusations in the 2006 elections, which resulted in a very small opposition showing, 25-30% of final results and only 3 seats at the Tbilisi City Council out of 37 (204)
  • The government used massively administrative resources to guarantee the victory of Gigi Ugulava. (204)
  • President-appointed governors would soon have more power than district councils (229)

• The government appointed a State Minister to handle regional issues and relations with local governments (https://civil.ge/archives/105692)
• At his annual parliamentary address of Feb 2005, MS spoke in favor of elected mayors in all cities (https://civil.ge/archives/107279)
  • However later that month, the ruling party backed a proposal that would make the mayors of these towns elected by their Councils, while the opposition wanted direct elections (https://civil.ge/archives/107359)
• The Constitutional Court ruled on 16 February (one week after MS's address) that the presidential appointment of mayors of Tbilisi and Poti was unconstitutional (https://civil.ge/archives/107320)
• In January 2005, the government proposed a Reforming Management of Governmental Structures plan which envisaged the relocation of major public structures away from Tbilisi and across the country. This proposal was at first vetoed by the Parliamentary Committee for Legal Issues (https://civil.ge/archives/107322)
• MS backed a proposal in June 2005 that reformed the electoral system from a proportional one to a winner takes all system creating 10 majoritarian districts in municipalities, after which the councils would elect the mayors. The opposition said it would lead to a one party dictatorship (https://civil.ge/archives/108359)
  • Parliament approved this and voted down the opposition proposal for direct elections for Tbilisi Mayor on 23 June (https://civil.ge/archives/108368)
  • This reforms not only abolished the post of Tbilisi Premier and increased the Mayor's powers in budgetary issues, it also set up the following Tbilisi Mayor electoral system: 25 majoritarian City Council members elected in a winner-take-all system, 12 CC members elected proportionally and a Mayor elected by 2/3 of the CC (https://civil.ge/archives/108411)
• Gigi Ugulava was appointed Mayor of Tbilisi on 12 July 2005, after serving as his Chief of Administration and Gov of SZV (https://civil.ge/archives/108488)
• While opposing elected governors, MS supported the election of municipal heads by their CCs across the country on 17 July 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108529)
• The opposition gathered enough petitions for a nationwide referendum on direct elections but the CEC denied the referendum, claiming the question was too vague (https://civil.ge/archives/108533)
• On 7 November 2005, a special commission of government officials, MPs and NGOs presented a draft law on administrative division which envisaged: abolition of the 1,100 village councils, division of Georgia into 65 regional municipalities and 7 cities (Tbilisi, Batumi, Rustavi, Poti, Kutaisi, Tskhinvali and Sokhumi), increased budgetary powers (although reduced revenue sources), heavily criticized by NGOs (https://civil.ge/archives/109176)
• Despite opposition criticism, Tefft praised the fact that local governments were reformed and reduced from 1000 to 62. He called it decentralization (https://civil.ge/archives/111512)
• On 29 January 2007, the President pressured several local officials to resign, including Bakur Balanchivadze (Mayor of Kutaisi) who was accused of spending 48,000 USD for a car, the Chairs of the Sakrebulos in Telavi, Oni, Tskaltubo, Khoni and Samtredia.
  • He also instructed Machavariani to draft a bill that would envisage the investment of at least 50% of funds transferred to local governments into social programs (https://civil.ge/archives/111830)
• The Constitutional Court was moved to Batumi on 5 July 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112639)
• In May 2008, Saakashvili pledged to make Kutaisi a second capital, announcing the Chamber of Control – the main state audit agency, as well as Department of Roads and Georgian National Electricity Regulatory Commission (GNERC) as moving their HQs to Kutaisi (https://civil.ge/archives/114932)

• Glucksmann
  • He supported a federal Georgia (41)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4950&i=1
  • In his 2005 Parliamentary Address, he at first pledged to break off from the Shevardnadze practice of appointing local governors and pledged to get all district administrators and all mayors elected positions.
  • He also supported Ivliane Khaindrava's proposal for regional legislative bodies to oversee governors.

Relations avec l'Église

• Kavadze
  • He tried to gain the Church's confidence by increasing state funding, donating real estate and purchasing expensive cars for diosece requirements (122)
  • The World Council of Churches, in conflict with the GOC since the latter chose a self-isolationist policy in 1997, hoped that MS would help to remove the deadlock between the GOC and the WCC (135)
  • On 21 January 2004, as president elect, he met with George Lemopoulos, WCC Deputy Secretary General, in Davos, who expressed concern. The WCC wanted MS to act as a mediator (136)
  • The GOC had complained that Protestants had more power than the Orthodox within the WCC (136)
  • MS did not want to marginalize the Church, which was significantly influential and seemingly pro-Russian. (136)
  • He failed to broker an agreement with the WCC (136)

• USCCSCE II (https://books.google.ge/books?id=shTtHVFya-sC&pg=PA10&dq=saakashvili&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi0xof6ua3wAhV2gP0HHRsGAN4Q6AEwBHoECAYQAg#v=onepage&q=saakashvili&f=false)
  • Christopher Smith praised the arrest of Father Basili as a step forward in religious freedom because of his stance against Jeohvas Witnesses (2)
  • On July 19 2004, he announced the creation of a Human Rights Council to monitor human rights violations (10)

• Defrocked priest Basil Mkavalishvili, with a warrant arrest since 2003 for his violent attacks on religious minorities, was arrested when the police raided his church in Tbilisi in March 2004. Dozens of his supporters were injured in the violent police raid (https://civil.ge/archives/105424)
• Mkvalashvili had been accusing MS of protecting sects (https://civil.ge/archives/105430)
• In Sep 2004, the US State Department praised the significant improvement in religious freedom in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/116066)
• Th 14 December 2004 Holy Synod meeting of the GOC urged politicians not to intervene in church affairs when it decided to ban liberal priest Basil Kobakhidze from conducting services (https://civil.ge/archives/106815)
• The US State Department noted that government officials tolerated discrimination and harassment against some religious minorities (https://civil.ge/archives/107445)
• In March 2005, Vatican sent a message to the Georgian government expressing the need for a constructive dialogue toward an agreement that wiuld grant religious freedom and legal rights for Catholics in Georgia, an agreement that Tbilisi refused to sign in 2003 after protests by the GOC (https://civil.ge/archives/107533)
• The Armenia-Georgia church row involved disagreements over churches in Tbilisi and Javakheti claimed by both sides. The government in March 2005 decided with Yerevan to let the two churches try to solve the problem on their own before intervening and in April, a joint commission of the two churches was approved (https://civil.ge/archives/107935)
• Members of his government continued to make public statements aainst Jehovah's Witnesses, which was criticized by the State Department in late 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109187)
• In late 2005, Sozar Subari presented a report on religious freedom which criticized the Concordat and the close relations between church and state as a violation of secularism. It seems that while some were offended by the report, Giga Bokeria backed it (https://civil.ge/archives/109450)
  • The Ministry of Education and GOC signed an agreement in 2005 which gave the church the power to veto the appointments of teachers involved in religious education (including history teachers) (https://civil.ge/archives/109450)
• The US State Dept noted more religious freedom in 2005-2006 and more protections for relgious minorities (https://civil.ge/archives/115349)
• There was a rift between the government and the church in May 2007 when authorities demolished overnight a half-built Orthodox church in Khelvachauri, the construction of which was dubbed illegal by the local authorities. This move was condemned by Batumi Archbishop Dimitri Shiolashvili, who claimed that he had received orders from Avlabari because Saakashvili wanted to use the land for something else, and by Ilia II. (https://civil.ge/archives/112411)
  • This was condemned by both ruling party MPs and the opposition as "vandalism" (https://civil.ge/archives/112414)
• Okruashvili would claim that MS had a personal hatred toward the Church, seeing it as his main competitor in opinion polls (https://civil.ge/archives/113097)
• Okruashvili claimed that MS had instructed the Department of Constitutional Security to spy on the clergy and find compromising material.
• The role of the Church during the 2007-2008 political crisis was controversial, with many believing that the Patriarch was siding the Government despite claiming to be an arbiter. In June 2008, Patriarch Ilia II addressed protesters in front of Parliament, calling for unity (https://civil.ge/archives/116473)
• In December 2008, Ilia II attended in Moscow the funeral service of Patriarch Alexei II and met with Medvedev. Saakashvili met Ilia II the day before his departure. Ilia II claimed Medvedev was in favor of the return of IDPs, reopening embassies and restoring economic links and called on the Georgian government to use momentum to restore political dialogue. Saakashvili praised Ilia II's visit. (https://civil.ge/archives/118070)
• The Church's power over the State was seen when GPB was pressured by it to change the format of the Great Ten program (https://civil.ge/archives/118222)
• In October 2009, an anonyous account on YouTube possibly linked with the Liberty Institute published a cartoon mocking Ilia II, which caused strong reaction from the church. Because of LI's close ties with the Saakashvili administration, it was believed this had been part of a coordinated attack. This led some in the opposition to call for the ban of LI (https://civil.ge/archives/119498)
  • The MIA arrested two, including one teenager, for producing the video, and seized computers (https://civil.ge/archives/119532)
  • The MIA refused to justify its prosecution of the two individuals (https://civil.ge/archives/119535)
    • And so despite the Ombudsman's request (https://civil.ge/archives/119537)
• The 2009 Report on Religious Freedom of the US Department of State noted the close ties between the gov and the GOC that led to problems with the Armenian and Catholic Churches (https://civil.ge/archives/119512)
• After the Church called for the reestablishment of the monarchy, Merabishvili linked it to Russia and stated it was a total anachronism (https://civil.ge/archives/120060)
• In an April 2010 interview with Kommersant, Merabishvili hinted very subtly that the Church-to-Church ties between the Georgian and Russian Orthodox Churches had also political dimensions (https://civil.ge/archives/120044)
• A 2010 Public Defender report criticized that the Concordat granted tax privileges to the Georgian Church that other religious groups did not enjoy (https://civil.ge/archives/120388)
• On 25 December 2010, Saakashvili stated that Ilia II had played an important role in keeping Georgian identity, comparing him to Ilia Chavchavadze for creating a new Georgian identity (https://civil.ge/archives/185773)
• In February 2011, the Church came out against a potential deal between Turkey and Georgia over the reconstruction of four Georgian medieval monasteries in Tao in exchange of the restoring of several mosques in Georgia. A similar deal in 2008 was shot down by the Church already. (https://civil.ge/archives/185799)
• On 4 July 2011, Ilia II came out publicly against a bill that would allow five religious minorities to be registered as public entities (Armenian Apostolic Church, Roman Catholic Church, Evangelical Baptist Church, Islam and Judaism) (https://civil.ge/archives/121256)
  • Some opposition leaders called on Saakashvili to veto the bill if passed (https://civil.ge/archives/185965)
  • The bill was approved on 6 July (https://civil.ge/archives/121260)
  • The law was praised by the US Embassy (https://civil.ge/archives/185966)
  • Following passage, Ilia II criticized it and called the law dangerous, stating it would have unintended consequences in the years to come (https://civil.ge/archives/185967)
  • Thousands came out to protest the law on 9 July in a rally promoted by the Church (https://civil.ge/archives/121272)
  • The law was praised by the COE (https://civil.ge/archives/185974)
  • On 11 July, the Church softened its stance and called off protests (https://civil.ge/archives/121276)
  • On 12 July, Avlabari stated that it appreciates the firm relations between State and Church (https://civil.ge/archives/185978)
• In November 2011, Ilia II publicly called for Ivanishvili to have his citizenship restored. The two met on 15 November. (https://civil.ge/archives/121539)
  • Ilia II would again meet with Bidzina on 24 December (https://civil.ge/archives/121654)
• Pope Benedict XVI praised the Georgia religious reform in 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/186171)
• MS ordered and inaugurated the Bagrati Cathedral renovation in September 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/122228)
• Turkey-Georgia religious cultural heritage agreement: When the GD gov came to power, Tbilisi stated renegotiating (probably at Ankara's request) by adding to the list of Turkish heritage to be renovated the Rabati complex, with a request to recreate the 18th century Ahmadiyya Mosque. Saakashvili was opposed to this (https://civil.ge/archives/186680)
• Saakashvili condemned the removal of the minaret of Chela (Adigeni Municipality) as an illegality committed against Georgian Muslims. The minaret was removed by GD authorities in August 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/123113)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4950&i=1
  • During the Rose Revolution, the Patriarch did not attend the opening session of Parliament, which was considered to be a political message. Saakashvili would call it an "act of civil heroism through nonparticipation."
  • In his 2005 parliamentary address, he said: "Naturally, I confirm that the Orthodox religion has always played a special role in Georgia. Any attempts - I do not want to beat about the bush here - to undermine the unity of the Georgian Orthodox Church, any attacks on the Georgian patriarch, are in fact totally unacceptable political steps. There are certain rules of the game in politics. We should not overstep this mark. It is wrong to score political points by starting intrigues within the church."

• During his 19 February 2009 visit to Barcelona, he met with the Mayor and asked him to assign land for local Georgians to build a church (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=2170&i=8)
• During his meeting with Erdogan on 6 April 2013, Turkey and Georgia reached an agreement: Georgian specialists allowed without obstacles to make full documentation and prepare restoration works on Georgian historic and cultural monuments in Turkey, and a joint agreement on the Rabat Castle dome. Their meeting lasted three hours, twice as long as expected and it was one of the last meetings of MS (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=8212&i=1)

Croissance militaire

• Saakashvili's government massively increased military spending to modernize the Georgian Armed Forces, which were small and poorly equipped and trained at the time he entered office.
• By 2007, the military budget had increased twenty-fold since 1999.
• New weapons and vehicles were purchased, military salaries were raised, new bases were built, and Georgian soldiers engaged in joint training exercises with the US military.

• The reformation of the army created a disciplined, trained and properly-equipped army (AD, 473)

• Zourabichvili
  • She noted that her budget at the MFA remained the same while MOD kept increasing "de facon vertigineuse", which was contradictory to the policy of speech announced publicly (91)
  • By september 2007, a third of the national budget went to the military (97)
  • There was a rapid increase in the purchase of assault equipment (97)
  • These increases were never criticized by US officials (97)
  • When Bush visited, seeing footage running constantly of military parades during his visit to Parliament, said "I hope this not how you plan to take back South Ossetia." (101)
  • At first, the Georgian armed forces purchase equpment recycled from NATO Eastern European members using US-funded Train and Equip programs (136-137)
  • Military parades become more and more present (136-136)
  • The arrival of a new MOD with double Israeli-Georgian citizenship coincides with a large jump in modern technological purchases (137)
  • Military servicemen were given higher salaries than the average medium, free apartments and services. Military bases were renovated (137)
  • There was an increased number of pro-military advertisements on highways (137-138)
  • There were several musical videos with patriotic and military themes (138)
  • There was also a military doctrine and a concept of national security adopted, although just copied hastily from other countries (138)
  • Israel was the role model of the Georgian army (138)
  • However, criticism existed concerning the lack of training, especially in a war against Russia. It was just trained against internal repressions (1138)
  • Another criticism is linked to equipment: despite increased numbers of aerial incursions by Russia, no investment was made in radars or anti-aerial defense systems, despite the interest showed by Thales (138-139)
  • Georgia sought the purchase of two vedettes garde-cotes for 1 billion USD, but France's hesitations to arm these eventually cancelled the project. (139)
  • Okruashvili himself gained considerable wealth from his bidding politics at the MoD (216)

• Roelofs
  • The army was provided with uniforms, food and training (280)
  • MS held an impressive military parade on 26 May 2004 (281)

• Rayfield
  • The defense budget had reached nearly a billion USD before the war (399)
  • Georgia was buying weapons (from ant-aircraft missiles to naval corvettes) from Israel and Eastern Europe (399)
  • Western Europe and America only gave training and hand weapons (399)
  • A problem is that Georgia lacked aircraft and its miscellaneous weaponry was often incompatible (399)

• Kavadze
  • The UK government dispatched military adviser Patricia Sharing to the Georgian MOD to provide assistance in the reformation of the MOD and to enhance the military capabilities of Georgia. (221)

• The military parade on his inauguration was the first since 1997 and involved fighter jets donated by the US (https://civil.ge/archives/105123)
• Early on, he called for the creation of an army that would 'terrify the separatists' (https://civil.ge/archives/105248)
• Early on, the MOD staff was cut from 500 to 200 and the standing army from 20,000 to 15,000 (https://civil.ge/archives/105296)
• A British Military Advisory Training Team arrived in Georgia in Feb 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105310)
• MS confirmed on Feb 23 that a new training program would be launched by the US in April 2004 after questions due to the expiration of the GTEQ program. This happened during his visit to DC (https://civil.ge/archives/105311)
• He held a very hands-on approach early on, ordering exercises, doing surprise inspections (https://civil.ge/archives/105365) and flying himself a jet (https://civil.ge/archives/105373)
• MS doubled the salaries of pilots and technical support of helicopters and pledged to double the helicopter fleet in his first year. (https://civil.ge/archives/105505)
• Early on, he threatened to use the military to prevent the loss of territorial integrity (https://civil.ge/archives/105758)
• The MOD budget approved in May 2004 was 79 million GEL, or 21 million GEL more than the previous year (https://civil.ge/archives/105914)
• MOD mployee wages were increased five-fold in August 2004, at a minimum of 100 GEL a month for civilian personnel. Starting in 2005, junior officer salaries and lieutenant salaries were increased (400 GEL for lieutenants). The highest paid salaries were the US-trained units with 200-300 USD (https://civil.ge/archives/105967)
• The 26 May 2004 military parade showcased 5,000 troops, the larst militar parade ever and meant to be a demonstration of Georgia's forces. (https://civil.ge/archives/105984)
  • Between the time he took office and 26 May, the forces increased this way:
    • 3 military jets, 7 military helicopters and 8 battle banks to 100 heavy armored machines, 20 military helicopters and 7 miliary jets.
    • 650,000 GEL was spent on the military parade (https://civil.ge/archives/105973)
• In July 2004, amidst the SO crisis, Georgia increased its military budget by another 25 million GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/115749)
• Georgia procured hundreds of Tavar assault rifles from the Israel Military Industries following MS's visit in the summer of 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/115830)
• Following the SO crisis in August 2004, there were big changes: (https://civil.ge/archives/115938)
  • Reshuffling of leadershp with Chief of Staff Givi Iukuridze, appointed in February, dismissed and replaced with western-educated Major Vakhtang Kapanadze with the goal of building a new structure that would meet NATO standards. MS was dissapointed by Iukuridze and sent him as military attache to Russia instead. Iukuridze was Russia educated.
  • He also announced th creation of a new system of reserve forces with the goal of having tens of thousands of army reservists in every region. He compared it to the process in Israel.
• MS pledged amnesty to those deserters who deserted durig Shevardnadze if they did their military service now in Sep 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/116081)
  • He also built new barracks at the Mukhrovani Base
• On 15 Sep 2004, the Internal Troops were transferred from MIA to MOD command, per western recommendation. (https://civil.ge/archives/116064)
  • One of the early reforms envisioned by MS for the MIA was the Turkish Jandarmes, but this was scrapped in favor of a fully civilian MIA.
  • This incorporation came as criticism existed during the SO crisis of uncoordinated efforts by MIA and MOD troops.
  • The MIA maintained nonetheless a special force unit to "maintain order in the country"
• On 26 October 2004, Parliament reduced the compulsory military service from 18 to 12 months (https://civil.ge/archives/106420)
  • In February 2005, it was increased back to 18 months (https://civil.ge/archives/107394)
• TbilAviaMsheni was privatized to its own management in November 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106501)
• Gigi Ugulava underwent reservist training in Sachkhere while Gov of Samegrelo in November 2004, after a similar move by several Georgian MPs (https://civil.ge/archives/106552)
• There was a major PR campaign to promote the military already in 2004, as shown by the 26 May military parade. (https://civil.ge/archives/106553)
  • The 2005 budget allocated 123.6 million GEL for the Defense Ministry, the largest ever in Georgian history, although there was criticism about a lack of transparency in how the budget was allocated. (+ https://civil.ge/archives/106856)
    • Some MPs called for a much more rapid increase, to amount to 2% of GDP (https://civil.ge/archives/106856)
• Sokhoumi announced doubling its defense budget for 2005 after months of military growth by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/106691)
• When Okruashvili was appointed as MOD in December 2004, MS said he would maintain that position until the restoration of Georgia's territorial integrity (https://civil.ge/archives/106819)
• On 20 December, 60 servicemen left the Mukhrovani base to gather outside the Public Defender's Office in Tbilisi, deserting to protest bad social conditions (https://civil.ge/archives/106849)
  • Okruashvili vowed to punish them (https://civil.ge/archives/106851)
  • Burjanadze and Zhvania condemned them and called for their punishment (https://civil.ge/archives/106845)
  • The MOD announced that the crisis was over later that same day, although it is not known how. Okruashvili said they must understand they have to stand cold winter and all conditions in the army (https://civil.ge/archives/106805)
  • The servicemen said they had no clothes, no food. Some noted they lived in better conditions than the previous year. (https://civil.ge/archives/106852)
  • Irakli Sesiashvili, Military Ombudsman, resigned from his position as a result of the protest, citing the government's lack of willingness to address human rights violations in the armed forces (https://civil.ge/archives/106861)
  • Sesiashvili blasted the government for laying the blame on a "third force" (https://civil.ge/archives/106870)
    • Sesiashvili said these soldiers had not taken a bath in two months and that they only eat meat a few times. He said that despite the renewed Mukhrovani base, water, even cold, did not run regularly, heating equipment did not work (possibly due to corruption)
  • MS called on the deserters to go to jail (https://civil.ge/archives/106866)
• In January 2005, Abkhazia's MOD said combat readiness of the Abkhaz army to repel foreign aggression was the number one priority of the region (https://civil.ge/archives/106970)
• When Okruashvili became MOD and shortly after allegations of mispending came to surface after the Mukhrovani desertion scandal, Okruashvili called on authorities to arrest several high-level officials who served the MOD under Baramidze for corruption (https://civil.ge/archives/106974)
  • This led to a financial probe by the Prosecutor's Offic and the Chamber of Control (https://civil.ge/archives/106976)
  • This also led to a severe row with Baramidze, who was servig as State Minister for Euro-Atlantic integration, and a condemnation by MS for a public split. (https://civil.ge/archives/106986)
• The government was early on criticized for misuse of defense funds, frequent staff changes that hamper reforms. Another criticism was the image of a wide PR campaign for the armed forces, the purchase of luxurious cars and the reconstruction of offices for top officials while military units still remained in poor conditions. (https://civil.ge/archives/107325)
  • Bureaucratic changes were blamed for the duplication of several functions.
• In February 2005 (after the death of Zhvania) a new wave of military reshuffle was annouced: Levan Nikolaishvili replaced Vakhtang Kapanadze as Commander of the General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces, making him the third CGS of the MS presidency (https://civil.ge/archives/107352) and Zaza Erkvania was dismissed as Commander of the Geogian Naval Forces. On 14 February, days before these two, the leadership of the General Staff all filed their resignation as demanded by the MOD (https://civil.ge/archives/107366)
  • The Coast Guard was discussed as being moved away from the Border Guard Department of the MIA and into the Navy of the MOD (https://civil.ge/archives/107368)
• MS used sports athletes and members of the intelligentsia in a campaign to "bpost patriotism" in support of the armed forces (https://civil.ge/archives/107414)
• Despite early reforms, it seems that there were still some arms trade happening with military ties in 2005, as shown in FBI investigation against Georgian arms traders arrested in the US with ties to the Georgian armed forces (https://civil.ge/archives/107583)
• In March 2005, the government proposed to increase defense spending to 301 million GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/107667)
• The culture of harsh discipline in the army was severely criticized when an officer was in critical condition from pneumonia after being forced to spend all night outside the barracks half-naked in the cold of early spring in 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107713)
  • Okruashvili blamed the opposition for launching attacks against the MOD (https://civil.ge/archives/107737)
  • MS also bashed the criticism (https://civil.ge/archives/107726)
• The MOD was criticized for lack of transparency when it refused to disclose its budgetary expenditures, particularly the arms purchase sections (https://civil.ge/archives/107718)
• The MOD built a new military base in Senaki in 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107742)
• On 3 May 2005, after allegations of several officers being beaten and their rights being violated in Akhaltsikhe, 12 abandoned their military unit (https://civil.ge/archives/107958)
• In May 2005, NATO expressed concern about the lack of transparency in MOD politics and the frequent staff changes (https://civil.ge/archives/108089)
• A National Security Concept was submitted by the Government on 15 May 2005: (https://civil.ge/archives/108060)
  • Sovereignty, security, peace, democracy, rule of law, human rights and welfare as fundamental national values
  • Georgia will resort to peaceful means of conflict resolution
  • Territorial integrity, national unity, regional stability, strengthening of liberty and democracy in neighboring countries and in the region, strengthening of Georgias transport capabilities and ensuring alternative sources of energy, ecological security, and protecting cultural identity as national interests
  • Spillover of neighboring conflicts, military intervention, Russian bases, contraband and transnational organized crime and international terrorism as threats
  • Corrruption and ineffective governance, economic and social challenges, dependence on one source of energy supply, information policy and ecological challenges as challenges
  • the strengthening of democratic institutions and effective governance; strengthening of defense capabilities; restoration of territorial integrity; Euro-Atlantic integration; strengthening of foreign policy ties; economic security policy; social security policy; information security policy; energy security policy; ecological security; and protection of cultural heritage as major national directions
  • SPs with US, Ukraine, Turkey, Russia and Azerbaijan and pragmatic cooperation with Armenia
• The MOD budget as increased by another 46 million GEL to pay for customs duties for the import of unspecified equipment, which raised doubts (https://civil.ge/archives/108109)
• The Military Parade of 26 May 2005 involved 1,500 servicemen on Rustaveli Avenue (https://civil.ge/archives/108149)
• TbilAviaMsheni started production of Maverick-style five-seat personal jets with a price of 1.5 million USD for the first time in 2005. Beside the engine, bought from the US, all other parts of the plane were made in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/108671)
  • TAM also started modernizing Bulgaria's SU-25 jets for the Bulgarian armed forces (https://civil.ge/archives/185398)
• Georgia asked Czech Republic in August 2005 for the modernization of Georgia's anti-airchraft defense system (https://civil.ge/archives/108733)
• The Georgian government promoted "patriotic youth camps" that gathered thousands of kids as early as 2005 for the summer to promote military principles. On 11 September 2005, they all held a conference in Tbilisi where MS pledged to unite Georgia with their help (https://civil.ge/archives/108830)
• With a rise in NATO MS sales of weapons to Georgia in 2005, Russia protested (https://civil.ge/archives/108841)
• 10 soldiers went AWOL, complaining about poor social conditions in their Dedoplistskaro unit in October 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109012)
• The MOD budget was again increased by 7.5 million GEL in October 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109032)
• In October 2005, Deputy CoS Aleksandre Kiknadze filed for resignation after being publicly reprimanded by MS after a surprise overnight inspection of military units (https://civil.ge/archives/109078)
• In November 2005, legal troop ceiling was increased from 29,703 to 31,868 (https://civil.ge/archives/109184)
• Senaki Military Base, which cost 11 million USD, opened on 19 November 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/185435)
• The National Military Strategy, approved in November 2005, listed Russian bases and peacekeepers as potential threats (https://civil.ge/archives/109287)
• The government cancelled the Army Development Fund, which was controlversial (https://civil.ge/archives/110417)
• The Patriotic Movement was a group of youth, students and pupils, who were involved in military education (https://civil.ge/archives/110678)
• The construction of a new base in Gori started in May 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110683)
• In June 2006, the fee for military service delay was increased tenfold from 200 to 2000 GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/110821)
• In 2005, Georgia increased its arms spending by 143% accordin to SIPRI, the biggest increase worldwide (https://civil.ge/archives/110825)
• MS spent his summer vacation in a training camp of reserve troops in 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111031)
• In July 2006, Parliament approved a 212.5 million GEL increase to the MOD budget. It was 392.2 million before (https://civil.ge/archives/111073)
• He spent August 5-15 in a reserve training camp in Osiauri (https://civil.ge/archives/115055)
• In a speech on 10 August 2006, he announced a plan to adopt all measures of total defense for Georgia and the ability to mobilize 100m000 people, thus announcing an increase in reserve troops (https://civil.ge/archives/115086)
• In August 2006, the construction started for a 250-bed military hospital in Gori (https://civil.ge/archives/115098)
• The Sachkhere Mountain Training School was opened in August 2006 with the help of the US and France (https://civil.ge/archives/115147)
• On 28 August, the European Commission warned Georgia against continuing to increase its defense budget (https://civil.ge/archives/115195)
• Youth Patriotic Camps were set up across the country for summer seasons. They would gather at the end of the summer at the Sports Palace, where the President would speak to them. Thousands would be gathered (https://civil.ge/archives/115348)
• Standing troops were increased frm 26000 to 28,000 in September 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/115414)
• Okruashvili was replaced by Davit Kezerashvili on 10 November 2006. Okruashvili was moved to Economy (https://civil.ge/archives/111378)
• In an interview with Civil Georgia, Kezerashvili shifted his tone and said he would not divulge where he would spend the New Year's (https://civil.ge/archives/111391)
  • Russian media speculated the "Party of Peace" won over the "Party of War"
• Kezerashvili unveiled his 2007 priorities: the development of NATO-interoperable armed forces (https://civil.ge/archives/111594)
• 2007 Defense Budget: 513.2 million GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/111708)
• On 22 February 2007, MS launched a new army benefit program to attract qualified professionals, including state scholarships, a one-time financial allowance, free housing, low-interest rates on bank loans (https://civil.ge/archives/111972)
• Colonel Nika Janjgava was appinted in early 2007 as the Commander of the Georgian National Guard. His priority included 100,000 reserve troops by 2012 in Georgia, for which the armed forces would start trainign 20,000 reservists annually (https://civil.ge/archives/112045)
• Following the crash of an MI-24 Hind helicopter on 12 March in Dusheti, killing three, Colonel David Nairashvili was appointed as Commander of the Georgian Air Forces to replace Alan Lakoev. (https://civil.ge/archives/112132)
• The May amendments to the 2007 budget increased the defense spending radically, from 513.2 million to 957.8 million GEL, the largest in Georgian history (https://civil.ge/archives/112326)
• In 2007, TV stations started airing MOD ads calling on young people to join the reserves. (https://civil.ge/archives/112361)
  • In May 2007, Rustavi 2 started running a military reality show wherein participants underwent military training and complete to win 40,000 GEL.
  • On 10 May 2007, the MOD leased out TV-33 to create a TV channel to promote the Georgian military. The channel was housed with Rustavi 2.
• For the 2007 Independence Day parade, 15,500 servicemen, including 3,500 reservists marched on Rustaveli Avenue and inclded newly-purchased military equipment. (https://civil.ge/archives/112444)
• In June 2007, Parliament increased the 2007 state budget's MOD part by 442 million EL, bringing the 2007 MO bduget to 955.3 million GEL, although criticism existed that a majority of this increase was not appropriated to anything in particular, thus non transparent (https://civil.ge/archives/112510)
• In June 2007, Greece donated 184,000 EUR worth of military gear to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/112543)
• In July 2007, Saakashvili announced an increase of military salaries to 1,000 GEL, plus an additional 100-150 per month for knowledge of a foreign language (https://civil.ge/archives/112735)
• The large 955.3 million GEL defense budget, including the 2006 purchase of an Osa anti-aircraft system with missiles from Ukraine, was critivized by the opposition when it failed to intercept the Tsitelubani Russian missile (https://civil.ge/archives/112814)
• The defense budget was increased to 1.3 billion GEL in August 2007. This amounted to 7.8% of the national GDP (https://civil.ge/archives/112930)
• In September 2007, the MOD increased troop levels from 28,000 as 32,000 (https://civil.ge/archives/113017)
• Defense budget increased to 1.271 billion GEL in September 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/113107)
• Defense budget increased t 1.495 billion GEL in October 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/113241)
• Defense budget was at 922.1 million GEL in the original 2008 budget (https://civil.ge/archives/113255)
• In April 2008, Saakashvli told the New York Times that Georgia had 40 drones purchased from the Elbit Systems Israeli company (https://civil.ge/archives/114811)
• A May 2008 document issued by the Russian MOD allegedly unveiled Western provisions to Georgia's military: 175 tanks, 126 armored vehicles, 67 artillery guns, 99 mortar launchers, 6 multiple rocet launchers, 150 anti-tank missile systems, 200 man-portable shoulder-fired missile systems. 15 US-made UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were scheduled to be delivered, as well as 4 French Mirage 2000 fighter jets, 48 French man-portable surface-to-air missile systems Mistral, 25 French ATLAS man-portable missile launchers with missiles of Mistral-2 type, and multiple French rocket laucnher armed with Aster-30 long range anti-aircraft missiles (https://civil.ge/archives/116298)
  • Tbilisi responded by claiming Russian intelligence was outdated and Georgia's armament from NATO allies was much larger now (https://civil.ge/archives/116299)
• In September 2008, the MOD budget was increased by another 150 million GEL, raising the total budget to 1.545 billion GEL. According to the government, the bulk of that funding was to rebuild damaged infrastructure (https://civil.ge/archives/117469)
• Parliament set up on 10 October 2008 the Group of Confidence, made of lawmakers, two monitor confidential defense spending (https://civil.ge/archives/117685)
• The NYT leaked a classified Pentagon report that pointed out to widespread mismanagement and unqualified leadership in the Georgian army in December 2008. The report stated, "the doctrine, institutional training and the experience needed to effectively command and control organizations throughout the chain of command." The report also stated that the process of choosing defense officials was deeply engrained in nepotism. The report also revealed that Georgia had a poor grasp of military intelligence. The report pointed out that one of the reasons Georgia fell into war was that their command and control "is a mess". (https://civil.ge/archives/118099)

• Glucksmann
  • MS admitted that unlike Adjara, it would be impossible to regain control of SO without a shot fired (30)

Problèmes séparatistes

Ossétie du Sud

Bataille de Tskhinvali

• Success in Adjara encouraged the new president to intensify his efforts towards bringing the breakaway South Ossetia back under the Georgian jurisdiction.
• The separatist authorities responded with intense militarization in the region, that led to armed clashes in August 2004.
• A stalemate ensued, and despite a peace plan proposed by the Georgian government in 2005, the conflict remains unresolved.

• Okruashvili was seen as a hawk who has supported the use of force to bring SO back into Tbilisi's orbit. (https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/attach/174/174106_CACIA18.pdf)
  • He was responsible for the 2004 assault.

• Zourabichvili
  • At a night in the summer of 2004, the government learned that Russian convois had passed the Roki tunnel (57)
  • For months before, tensions had ran high. The first tension was the Tbilisi propaganda of reconquest of territories after the Adjara crisis (58)
  • Then there was the decision to close manu militari the Ergneti market, with the excuse to fight against contraband (58)
  • This market had been a zone of trade between Ossetians and Georgians, a real de facto link between Tbilisi and SO (58)
  • The closure of the market was a real blockade imposed on the region (58-59)
  • After the closure, he instructed every minister to drive convoys full of texhtbooks, computers, semences, etc. as a populist move (59)
  • Meanwhile, the SO regime built an army using North Caucasian volunteers, while Russians deliver increasingly arms and soldiers (59)
  • The provocations increase and Georgian villages are sporadiaclly attacked (59)
  • Zhvania announced the decision to evacuate the children for the summer by taking them to camps (59)
  • The Minister of Defense presented a plan to end the provocations: capture Tskhinvali by taking the heights surrounding it within three hours (60)
  • Goga Khaindrava, Bezhuashvili, Zhvania, Burjanadze and Zurabishvili are concerned about international reactions to the plan and Russia's reaction (60)
  • MS refused to listen to what the cabinet was saying and took the decision from Shavnabada with 6-7 loyals to launch the assault (61)
  • After the a few hours and a few heights taken, the Georgian troops would pull back and leave 30 casualties (61)
  • To many, the failure to take Tskhinvali was the first fissure in the invincibility of the Rose Revolution (61-62)
  • After the Tskhinvali battle, the ABL started becoming militarized and tensions would never decrease until the war (62)
  • Shortly before the 2008 war, MS said that when he met with Putin for 3 hours in 2004, Putin asked him for some time to digest Adjara and he would handle SO within 1-2 years if Georgia behaved well, some deal that was broken by the Summer battle (312)

• Roelofs
  • Sandra Roelofs tried to visit South Ossetia on 1 June 2004 to bring gifts to kids on International Children's Day but was stopped at the entry of Tskhinvali (281)
  • She went by helicopter nonetheless to Tamarasheni (281)
  • A spokesman for the SO government said it considered shooting down the helicopter (281)
  • Moscow issued a statement on 1 June 2004 saying that it was a provocative step and that Tbilisi would be responsible for any bloodshed (https://civil.ge/archives/106031)

• Rayfield
  • He tried to seduce Kokoity with promises of semi-autonomy and development but Kokoity tranched down, influenced by intransigent Ossetians (296)
  • In July, Kokoity's militia kidnapped 50 Georgian police officers circulating on Ossetian territory, leading to an angry response by MS who demanded a reduction of Russian peacekeeping forces, breaching the new Russo-Georgian accord (396)
  • On 18 August 2004, two weeks of fighting broke out in Tskhinvali. (396)
  • Diplomats persuaded MS to withdraw but Putin was now unforgiving (396)
  • Baghapsh broke off talks around the time of the Tskhinvali assault, maybe linked (396)

• Kavadze
  • MS expected Putin to back him in SO reconquest but he launched the military operation without prior consultations (68)
  • The operation started on the night of 10-11 August (68)
  • Georgian troops captured strategic heights from which they bombed Tshinvali (68)
  • But MS miscalculated Russia's perception. He had to retreat and relations with Russia were spoiled (68)

• Stent
  • Putin told the Valdai Club that Abkhazia and South Ossetian separatism was similar to Georgian nationalism under the USSR (109)

• On Jan 3, he briefly visited Tskhinvali the day before the presidential election (https://civil.ge/archives/105106)
• On 29 Jan 2004, Kokoity expressed concern that Tbilisi would use a smuggling crackdown as an excuse to launch a military invasion of Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/105151)
• On 31 January, the sides signed a memorandum of understanding in Tskhinvali to provide a 2.5 million EUR grant to help with rehabilitation projects in SO (https://civil.ge/archives/105166)
• On 21 February, two Georgians were killed by Ossetian fire in Tamarasheni (https://civil.ge/archives/105233)
• The ruling party of Kokoity consolidated his power by winning an almost unanimity in the Tskhinvali de facto parliament in the May 2004 elections (https://civil.ge/archives/105969)
• Governor Mikheil Kareli of Shida Kartli is attacked near the conflict zone by Ossetian police on May 24 (https://civil.ge/archives/105974)
• On 26 May 2004, MS's speech in Ossetian proposed Tskhinvali to come to peace talks (https://civil.ge/archives/105994)
• May 31: Tensions increase as MIA sets up a checkpoint in the village of Tkviavi, 10 km from Tskhinvali, allegedly to fight smuggling despite Russian peacekeepers' demand to dismantle checkpoints. The additional MIA troops were refused after a five-hour standoff (https://civil.ge/archives/106019)
  • Putin and MS held a phone conversation the same day (https://civil.ge/archives/106022)
• On 1 June 2004, MS outlined a new outreach proposal to Tskhinvali, including restoration of railway connection, issuing pensions for people living in Tskhinvali, free emergency ambilance service in Tskhinvali, the provision of free agricultural fertlizer. He actually recognized the Kekhvi tragedy of 92 and ordered an investigation by the Prosecutor (https://civil.ge/archives/106020)
  • The same day, Merabishvili announced an increase of the 100-contingent of peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/106021)
  • On 2 June, Davit Onoprishvili, head of the Georgian Railway company, visited Tskhinvali for talks (https://civil.ge/archives/106035)
  • Goga Khaindrava and Vano Merabishvili visited Tskhinvali the same day for talks with local leadership under the auspices of the OSCE (https://civil.ge/archives/106038)
• This was all a peaceful initiative on the wake of a show of force (https://civil.ge/archives/106039)
• Tbilisi and Moscow were in a war of words (https://civil.ge/archives/106040)
• 3 June:
  • Tskhinvali agrees to restoration of railway (https://civil.ge/archives/106044)
  • PM and Onoprishvili visit Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/106042)
  • MOD denies the amassing of troops in Gori (https://civil.ge/archives/106046)
• 4 June
  • Kahindrava and de facto Special Affairs Minister Boris Chochiev meet in Tkviavi where Tskhinvali demands the dismantling of police checkpoint (https://civil.ge/archives/106051)
  • Minister of Agriculture Davit Shervashidze delivers 100 tons of fertilizers in two Ossetian villages but are blocked from others (https://civil.ge/archives/106052)
• 7 June
  • Joint Georgian, Ossetian and Russian checkpoints are agreed. The first one opens in Tkviavi (https://civil.ge/archives/106060)
  • Sokhumi pledges assistance for Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/106063)
  • President Alexandre Dzasokhov of North Ossetia visits Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/106064)
  • Georgian State Radio launches Ossetian broadcast (https://civil.ge/archives/106066)
  • An announced cabinet reshuffle aiming at appointing Merabishvili Security Minister and Vice PM is centered around the SO situaton (https://civil.ge/archives/106067)
  • Georgian and Russian MFAs issue a oint statement hailing the agreements in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/106068)
• June 8
  • Lado Chipashvili, Minister of Health, visits Tskhinvali to eliver humanitarin aid (https://civil.ge/archives/106071)
  • SO Parliament seeks Russia's help (https://civil.ge/archives/106062)
  • Russian Duma passes a resolution calling for peace (https://civil.ge/archives/106080)
• 11 June
  • The European Commission bashes Tskhinvali for detering the restoration of the last few hundred meters of railway to Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/106092)
  • Moscow calls on Georgia to withdraw its extra MIA forces out of SO per the agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/106096)
  • Tbilisi claims weapons are delivered to Tskhinvali from NO. The OSCE claims there is no evidence. Rustavi 2 claimed 100-170 military vehicles carrying equipment was stationed in Java (https://civil.ge/archives/106101)
• 12 June: Kokoity breaks all ties with Tbilisi, closing off all access to Georgian officials and asking for 34 billion rubles in reparations (https://civil.ge/archives/106099)
• 14 June:
  • MS and Putin hold a phone conversation (https://civil.ge/archives/106107
  • Overnight, the MIA deploys additional forces. After a few hours, they are withdrawn after a standstill with Russian peacekeepers. (https://civil.ge/archives/106117)
• 15 June: Tbilisi calls on Russia to withdraw its peacekeepers from South Ossetia and the expulsion of commander Sviatoslav Nabdzorov (https://civil.ge/archives/106115)
• In May 2004, MS ordered a crackdown on smuggling, which was met with hostility by some interests in South Ossetia, on whose illegal dealings relied 30% of the Georgian economy and were backed by the Russian peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/106127)
• 18 June: Moscow refuses to withdraw its peacekeepers and criticizes the request (https://civil.ge/archives/106133)
• 22 June: South Ossetian militia launches military exercises which wound a 70 year old Georgian woman in the breakaway region. Tbilisi condemned the exercises and called for the arrest of whoever injured the woman. Okruashvili threated a security operation within 48 hours. (https://civil.ge/archives/105975)
• 23 June: OSCE calls for peace and resumption of talks within the quadripartite format (Tbilisi-Moscow-Tskhinvali-Vladikavkaz) (https://civil.ge/archives/106160)
• 24 June: Deputy Russian FM Valeri Loshchinin vsits Georgia to discuss the SO conflict and meets Khaindrava in Tshinvali, Zhvania in Tbilisi. SZ asks for a joint Russian-Georgian checkpoint at the Roki Tunnel. After meeting with Tskhinvali leadership, the latter agrees to resuming talks within the JCC in Moscow in July (https://civil.ge/archives/106173)
• 25 June: Tskhinvali condemns Okruashvili's language of ultimatum (https://civil.ge/archives/106169)
• 26 June: In Istanbul at the NATO Summit, MS says he predicts a similar fate to SO as that of Adjara, with a popular overthrow of the local authorities (https://civil.ge/archives/106182)
• 27 June: Tbilisi seizes Russian trucks carrying smuggled goods coming from Russia to SO. Tskhinvali blocks passenger buses Georgia-Russia and Russia-Georgia coming through the Roki Tunnel (https://civil.ge/archives/106186)
• 28 June: In response to the problem at the Roki Tunnel, Georgia eased passport controls at the Larsi checkpoint (https://civil.ge/archives/106194)
• 29 June:
  • Tskhinvali rejects a joint Russian-Georgian checkpoint at the Roki Tunnel *https://civil.ge/archives/106190)
  • In Moscow, JCC talks fail as Georgia demands the release of three Georgian security officials detained by Tskhinvali for the talks to continue (https://civil.ge/archives/106200)
• 1 July:
  • SZ demands the removal of Mikhail Maiorov as Russia's rep at the JCC for refusing to answer a question on which two countries border the Roki Tunnel (https://civil.ge/archives/106212)
  • Georgia continues to boycott the Moscow talks because of the detention of 3 Georgians (https://civil.ge/archives/106209)
  • Moscow accuses Tbilisi of hindrering the talks (https://civil.ge/archives/106214)
• 2 July: MS rules out the use of force and says he wants to grant more autonomy to SO than NO has in Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/106205)
• 3 July: With MS in Moscow, South Ossetia releases the three Georgians (https://civil.ge/archives/106223)
• 4 July: Tskhinvali launches a Georgian-language news program on its TV (https://civil.ge/archives/106238)
• 5 July: EU Special Envoy Heikki Talvitie visits Tskhinvali to discuss railway and IDP return *https://civil.ge/archives/106242)
• 7 July
  • Georgia peacekeepers detained nine trucks belonging to Russian peacekeepers and loaded with arms, amunition and uniforms. Lavrov condemns the seizure of arms as a violation of the agreement, claiming the arms and ammunition were for peacekeeping purposes (https://civil.ge/archives/106245)
  • With Russian claims that the creation of a helicopter command center was included in the 2 June agreement (some of the ammunition were unguided missiles used by helicopters), Okruashvili warned that Goga Khaindrava would be investigated. Khaindrava. Khaindrava claimed this was done during the 1996 agreement and criticized Okruashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/106247) Khaindrava also denied allegations he knew about the movement of arms. (https://civil.ge/archives/106248)
  • The reality seems that Khaindrava may have simply forgotten to share news of the convoy with his government. This entire crisis was qualified as the first embarassment of the government (https://civil.ge/archives/106249)
  • The South Ossetian parliament passes a resolution calling for the enforcement of Russian laws in SO (https://civil.ge/archives/115626)
  • At night, 50 peacekeepers were detained by South Ossetian militia and taken to Tskhinvali for imprisonment. The OSCE and US condemns this (https://civil.ge/archives/115613)
  • Also at night, the South Ossetian militia is deployed in several Georgian villages, including Vanati (https://civil.ge/archives/106252)
• 8 July
  • Georgia asks Russia to intervene in the crisis to defuse tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/106291)
  • Gela Bezhuashvili and Igor Ivanov hold a phone conversation (https://civil.ge/archives/106298)
  • Georgian peacekeepers come under fire from South Ossetian positions and three are wounded between Kurta and Tamarasheni. Tbilisi continues to pledge to not use force (https://civil.ge/archives/115605)
  • Zhvania meets with foreign diplomats, Power Ministers, and holds a conversation with Colin Powell (https://civil.ge/archives/115607)
  • Okruashvili says at a press conference that Tbilisi was preparing to oust Kokoity from power (https://civil.ge/archives/115610)
  • Kokoity says that Georgia is preparing for war but South Ossetia is ready to defend itself. MS is in Iran during this time and says dialogue should be exhausted but the stick would be used if necessary (https://civil.ge/archives/115612)
  • Overnight, shots are fired near Nikozi from SO positions (https://civil.ge/archives/115618)
  • Goga Khaindrava holds overnight talks with Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/115621)
• 9 July
  • Okruashvili visits Tskhinvali to talk with de facto authorities (https://civil.ge/archives/115614)
  • The Georgian hostages are released. But 3 other Georgians are still in jail and Tskhinvali claims these are criminals not linked to the hostages. Tbilisi demands their release (https://civil.ge/archives/115622)
  • MS and VP discuss on the phone (https://civil.ge/archives/115623)
  • Lavrov and Powell talk on the phone (https://civil.ge/archives/115617)
  • Russia says it will protect its citizens in South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/115616)
  • Moscow accuses Tbilisi of mounting tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/115627)
  • MS talks to Powell on the phone (https://civil.ge/archives/115629)
• Tbilisi hoped to plan on a similar popular revolution in Tskhinvali as the Rose and Palm Revolutions (https://civil.ge/archives/115624)
• 10 July
  • Three Georgian officers and one policeman are injured (https://civil.ge/archives/115628)
  • At the Military Academy, MS says Georgia will take over Tskhinvali soon (https://civil.ge/archives/115625)
  • EU expreses concern (https://civil.ge/archives/115631)
  • MS refuses to return the confiscated weapons to Russia. According to MS, he offered Putin to return these weapons in Tbilisi or at Larsi but the Russian side insisted on SO handover (https://civil.ge/archives/115633)
  • Georgia sets up crisis center in Eredvi chaired by Okruashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/115646)
  • MS accuses certain forces of trying to create an armed confrontation and said that Georgia would take reciprical steps against Russia if war begins (https://civil.ge/archives/115635)
  • The Duma passes a resolution condemning Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/115636)
  • Moscow claims that Georgia has dispatched 3,000 troops to the region, a claim denied by Tbilisi, and demands their withdrawal (https://civil.ge/archives/115637)
  • Moscow bashes OSCE's 'inactivity' and bias in the region (https://civil.ge/archives/115638)
  • NSC Secretary Gela Bezhuashvili visits Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/115640)
  • Russia dispatches Lev Mironov to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/115632)
  • 300 Ossetians from Georgia protest calling for the resignation of Kokoity in Tkviavi, backed by Gov (https://civil.ge/archives/115641)
  • Powell and Lavrov talk on the phone again *https://civil.ge/archives/115643)
• 11 July
  • Khaindrava and Mironov visit Tskhinvali over the three detained Georgians. Talks fail as Tskhinvali demands the return of the weapons (https://civil.ge/archives/115649)
  • At 6:34, a Russian military aircraft violates the Georgian airspace (https://civil.ge/archives/115651)
• 12 July
  • MS claims 190 armed criminals from North Ossetia are in Java but downplays the threat and claims the heat of the conflict has died down (https://civil.ge/archives/115652)
  • MS accuses the Russian peacekeepers of siding with Tskhinvali, denied by Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/115656)
  • Georgia delivers humanitarian aid, including flour and vegetable oil, to Tamarasheni (https://civil.ge/archives/115655)
• 13 July
  • Khaindrava visits Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/115658)
  • Sokhumi pledges support for Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/115661)
  • Georgia intercepts humanitarian aid dispatched to South Ossetia from Russia, arguing that it was not agreed with Tbilisi. Moscow claims its embassy had warned the Georgian government and protests the seizure (https://civil.ge/archives/115664)
  • South Ossetian militia, using foreign fighters, hold military exercises in Java (https://civil.ge/archives/115663)
• 14 July: Impromptu session of JCC in Moscow with Khaindrava representing Georgia. The main Georgian demand is control over the Roki Pass. The session ends with an agreement to stop escalation of tensions and refuse use of force or economic pressure and reconfirm the commitments of the 2 June Agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/115682)
• 15 July
  • MS calls on West to pressure Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115675)
  • Previously confiscated humanitarian aid now allowed in South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/115681)
• 16 July: Volunteer armed groups, rising to 260, leave South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/115686)
• 18 July: Okruashvili says Georgia seized a mini-van loaded with ammunition and weapons heading from Tshinvlai to Java and claims Russian peacekeepers tried to stop the interception. Tskhinvali claims the convoy was private (https://civil.ge/archives/115694)
• 19 July:
  • MS visits Eredvi (https://civil.ge/archives/115693)
  • Khaindrava visits Tskhinvali for the release of the three Georgians. He says no serious progress achieved (https://civil.ge/archives/115699)
• 20 July: Upon reports of new Russian armament coming into SO, MS convenes meeting of NSC. Moscow confirms the deliver as a scheduled rotation of an expended armament (https://civil.ge/archives/115714)
• 21 July:
  • Kofi Annan says he is closely watching the stiatuation but rules out deploying a mission (https://civil.ge/archives/115715)
  • Commander Sviatoslav Nabzdorov says that the border does not pass at the Roki Tunnel, which entirely belongs to Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115722)
• 22 July:
  • MP Givi Targamadze of the Defense and Security Committee visits North Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/115719)
  • A Georgian policeman is wounded in an overight shootout near Eredvi (https://civil.ge/archives/115727)
• 24 July: Georgia returns the weapons coniscated from Russia at the Larsi checkpoint (https://civil.ge/archives/115735)
• One of the outreach programs effected early by the Georgian government was sending young Ossetian kids to Adjaran resorts. Civic Activist Alik Kozayev, who helped Tbilisi, was arrested over it. (https://civil.ge/archives/115737)
  • Tbilisi was also trying to convince members of the Kokoity government to join the Georgian side
• 27 July: Tbilisi proposes that the OSCE monitor the Roki Tunnel (https://civil.ge/archives/115750)
• 28 July:
  • Kokoity claims that Tbilisi offered him 20 million USD and a high position in exchange for his departure (https://civil.ge/archives/115755)
  • Tbilisi reports severe fire against Tamarasheni, while Kokoity accuses Tbilisi of shooting at SO positions (https://civil.ge/archives/115756)
• 30 July:
  • Confict intensifies as Georgia reports the use of automatic weapons and grenade launchers against Georgian positions, destrouing several houses and two schools in Tamarasheni (https://civil.ge/archives/115763)
  • Loshchinin meets with Kokoity in Moscow and condemns the "provocatve actions by the Georgian forces" (https://civil.ge/archives/115768)
  • The Georgian NSC convenes (https://civil.ge/archives/115774)
• 31 July:
  • Moscow opposes the expansion of the OSCE mandate (https://civil.ge/archives/115777)
  • JCC meets in Tskhinvali. Okruashvili negotiates the addition of Georgian and Russian peacekeepers to the Ossetian checkpoint between Tskhinvali and Tamarasheni (https://civil.ge/archives/115738)
• 1 Augusut: 6 South Ossetians are killed and 2 Georgian policemen wounde in an overnight shootout (https://civil.ge/archives/115775)
• 2 August: Ivanov says that war is avoidable but that the time was ripe for a high-level meeting between Tskhinvali and Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/115782)
• 3 August
  • Zinaida Bestaeva, former Depity Head of Immigration of North Ossetia, is appointed Deputy State Minister for Regional Policy, Local Governance and Governance Issues of Georgia by MS (https://civil.ge/archives/115793)
  • Ossetian wrestler Leri Khabelov was appointed the flag carrier of Georgia for the Athens olympics (https://civil.ge/archives/115794)
  • The NSC confirms Zhvania's future visit to Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/115795)
• August 4
  • MS leaves for the US to talk SO with Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld and Condolezza Rice (https://civil.ge/archives/115797)
  • The government distributes pensions to 300 SO families (https://civil.ge/archives/115799)
  • The convoy of Russian MP Andrei Kokoshin, visiting the conflict area, comes under fire during a skirmish between Ossetian and Georgian fighters. Georgia is blamed but Tbilisi says it was a provocation. The shooting gives Russia an excuse to veto the OSCE mandate expansion into SO (https://civil.ge/archives/115805)
  • The US strongly urged Georgia to deescelate tensions after the Kokoshin incident (https://civil.ge/archives/106325)
• August 5: The Duma unanimously adopts a resolution blaming Georgia for the deterioration of the situation in the Caucasusu (https://civil.ge/archives/115811)
• August 6:
  • A military aircraft from Russia violates Georgian airspace (https://civil.ge/archives/115823)
  • The OSCE agrees to increase its military observers from 4 to 6 in Georgia but refrains from expanding the mandate (https://civil.ge/archives/115825)
  • Kokoity presides over military exercise in Java, using three military helicopters (https://civil.ge/archives/115831)
• 9 Augusut:
  • Khaindrava and Baramidze visit Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115826)
  • Russian cell phone company Megaphone enters the SO market (https://civil.ge/archives/115836)
• 11 Augusut
  • According to Russia, the Georgian side fires from Tamarasheni, Vanati and Prizi. One Georgian is slightly wounded (https://civil.ge/archives/115844)
  • Tbilisi accuses Moscow of helping SO militias (https://civil.ge/archives/115848)
• 12 August
  • In am overnight shooting, three Georgians are killed near the village of Sarabuki (https://civil.ge/archives/115851)
  • Russia calls on the sides for a ceasefire (https://civil.ge/archives/115837)
  • Zhvania calls on dialogue with the separatists, days after his planned visit was postponed due to the Kokoshin incident. He leaves for the conflict area with Khaindrava (https://civil.ge/archives/115856)
  • Reports of mass fleeing of Georgian residents of SO (https://civil.ge/archives/115857)
• 13 August
  • Zhvania's convoy comes under fire between Eredvi and Achabeti (https://civil.ge/archives/115860)
  • Burjanadze is barred from entering Tskhinvali to meet with the local Georgian population. As a result, Parliament approves a resolution calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Soth Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/115863)
  • MS vows to avoid ethnic cleansing (https://civil.ge/archives/115865)
  • After three nights of gun and mortar fire that led to three peacekeepers being killed and six locals wounded, Tskhinvali and Tbilisi agree to a ceasefire, signed by Zhvania and Kokoity (https://civil.ge/archives/115864)
• 14 August: A Georgian peacekeeper is wounded by sniper bullet (https://civil.ge/archives/115866)
• 16 August
  • Two Georgian internal troops wer killed and several injured after overnight shootout near Tamarasheni and Eredvi. Tbilisi warns of intensive fire (https://civil.ge/archives/115769)
  • MS calls for an international conference to preserve peace in South Ossetia and blames the conflict on "certain forces" in Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115875)
  • Zhvania calls on Kokoity to directly negotiate (https://civil.ge/archives/115873)
  • Kokoity accuses Tbilisi of violating the ceasefire (https://civil.ge/archives/115872)
  • Tbilisi offers troop withdrawal in exchange for peace (https://civil.ge/archives/115880)
• 17 August
  • Another Georgian soldier dies in Eredvi (https://civil.ge/archives/115876)
  • US continues talks with Moscow and Tbilisi and expresses concern (https://civil.ge/archives/115877)
  • JCC meets in Tbilisi. A new ceasefire is agreed upon, with demilitarization and the removal of illegal forces. Zhvania insists that no breakthrough can be expected without direct talks long-term (https://civil.ge/archives/115882)
• 18 August
  • In overnight shooting, three more Georgian soldiers are killed and four are injured near Eredvi (https://civil.ge/archives/115885)
  • Powell and Lavrov hold a phone conversatio (https://civil.ge/archives/115886)
  • Tskhinvali accuses a third force of provoking the conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/115887)
  • Kokoity refuses talks with Zhvania 9https://civil.ge/archives/115890)
  • The 3 Georgians are released from Tskhinvali in exchange of one Ossetian prisoner (https://civil.ge/archives/115895)
  • Four more Georgians are killed during heavyfighting near Eredvi and Vanati (https://civil.ge/archives/115896)
• 19 August
  • Seven more Georgian soldiers are killed near Eredvi and Vanati overnght (https://civil.ge/archives/115897)
  • Putin announces canceling his visit to Georgia in the fall (https://civil.ge/archives/1158980
  • Georgia captures strategic positions near Java and Tskhinvali from where fire was shot. OSCE calls for the monitoring of the heights (https://civil.ge/archives/115900)
  • In an overnght address to the nation, Saakashvili offers to depart the internal troops from the conflict area in exchange of peace of face conclict (https://civil.ge/archives/115902)
  • At night, Tamarasheni comes under intense fire from Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/115903)
  • Moscow accuses Tbilisi of escalating tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/115904)
  • Late at night, Tbilisi hands over strategic heights to joint peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/115905) This has been largely described as a withdrawal after a failure to capture Tshinvali
• 20 August
  • Moscow, Washington, OSCE, CoE welcomes the handover of strategic positions near Java and Tskhinvali to peacekeeping forces (https://civil.ge/archives/115912)
• 22 August: Tbilisi resumes humaintarian aid by delvering hundreds of tons of wheat to thousands of families in the conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/115915)
• 24 August:
  • Tbilsi expresses concern after reported buildip of South OSsetian military (https://civil.ge/archives/115922)
• 27 August: Prisoner exchange between both sides (https://civil.ge/archives/115940)
• 31 August:
  • Hostage incident: an Eredvi resident is captured by SO officers after claims he was a Georgian spy. In response, Eredvi residents seize a bus carrying civilians to Tskhinvali. The crisis ends as the Eredvi resident is released in exchange of the captured hostages (https://civil.ge/archives/115956)
  • A mine explosion kills a Russian and an Ossetian peacekeeper near Georgian-held Kekhvi (https://civil.ge/archives/115963)
• The Ergneti market was closed in May-June 2004, causing protest by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/115946)
• Sviatoslav Nabzdorov was replaced by Maj Gen Murat Kulakhmetov on 8 September (https://civil.ge/archives/116016)

• The Force Awakens
  • One of his first moves toward Tskhinvali was the closure of all contraband roads, which led to the first tensions (164)
  • He claims that his advisers told him to take over militarily Tskhinvali in 2004, which he refused (164)

Tentatives vers la démilitarisation

• Zourabichvili
  • Georgian villages in SO were equipped with cinemas and clubs (148)
  • In September 2005, Putin and Bush met in the US on the sidelines of the UNGA to discuss South Ossetia (300-301)
  • It would be followed by a Lavrov-Rice meeting (301)
  • The goal is to make SO resolution at the top of OSCE agenda and reach a solution at the Ljubljiana Summit of December (301)
  • But after the collapse of hopes for a peaceful resolution following the rise in tensions and the spy ring scandal, MOD Okruashvili said he would spend the new year in Tskhinvali, an indication for conflict (305)

• Following the Tskhinvali battle, the first immediate priority of Georgia was the expansion of the OSCE mandate to monitor the Roki Tunnel and Java District (https://civil.ge/archives/115989)
  • The Tbilisi proposal of increasing OSCE military observers from 5 to 20 in the conflict zone was rejected by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/116049)
• Despite this, Okruashvili continued military rhetoric. In a 12 September parade of 4,000 internal troops just 30 km from Tskhinvali, he said "You are the people who should crush the enemy" (https://civil.ge/archives/116034)
• There were difficulties in people-to-people contact linked to both the closure of Ergneti Market and the stopping of cooperation between Georgian and Ossetian NGOs (https://civil.ge/archives/116050)
• In mid-September 2004, Kokoity accused Georgia of planning a new aggression (https://civil.ge/archives/116035)
  • This came as 16 Georgians were abducted by SO militias on Sep 17, all of which either escaped or were released after torture (https://civil.ge/archives/116078)
  • New shelling was reported against civilian infrastructure of Tamarasheni on 18 September (https://civil.ge/archives/116089)
  • Tskhinvali claimed Tbilisi was planning to increase tensions in late September by bringing explosives in Kekhvi, something denied as a provocation by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/116149)
• It was believed Zhvania and Kokoity would meet in late October 2004, while previous talks scheduled in Vladikavkaz were postponed indefinitely because of Beslan (https://civil.ge/archives/116164)
• Georgia argued that the 1992-defined "zone of conflict" implied all of South Ossetia, including Java and Roki, which justified the expansion of the OSCE monitoring mission, an interpretation refused by Tskhinvali, which believed the zone of conflict only referred to the so-called security corridor defined in 1996 (15 km radius around Tskhinvali) (https://civil.ge/archives/116174)
  • Okruashvili accused SO of being a safe heaven for kidnappers (https://civil.ge/archives/116175)
• The sides signed a JCC protocol on 2 October 2004 committing for prior notification to all changes in peacekeeping troops and to create a scheme of mine fields and work over the supply of power to the region in the winter. (https://civil.ge/archives/116210)
• Two Georgian peacekeepers were wounded at the peacekeeper station in Tamarasheni on 8 October (https://civil.ge/archives/116232)
• A Russian peacekeeper was injured by a civilian in Artsevi on Oct 9 (https://civil.ge/archives/116239)
• Unknown armed men attacked a peacekeeping truck of SO on Oct 12 near Kirbali, killing two Ossetian peacekeeper. Tskhinvali, Moscow and the OSCE condemned the attack. (https://civil.ge/archives/106329)
  • Batu Kutelia, then-Deputy Security Minister, accused "certain forces" of masterminding attacks to cause destabilization (https://civil.ge/archives/116246)
  • Georgia detained those in the truck, including the wounded servicemen, one of whom died in detention. They were released on Oct 15. (https://civil.ge/archives/106342)
• Internal Troops exercises of 500 officers near Gori on October 12 were blamed on escalating tensions by Russian MP Andrey Kokoshin (https://civil.ge/archives/106319)
• 14 Oct: Tskhinvali accuses Tbilisi of military buildup (https://civil.ge/archives/106331)
• 15 Oct:
  • Shooting reported in Tamarasheni, no casualty (https://civil.ge/archives/106335)
  • Russia says it will respond to any attack against its peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/106345)
• 18 Oct: Clash in Avnevi, allegedly after Georgia opens fire on Kverneti and Ubiati, denied by Tbilisi. (https://civil.ge/archives/106358)
• 19 Oct:
  • Georgian locals of the Didi Liakhvi gorge block the Java-Tskhinvali road in protest of recent shootings (https://civil.ge/archives/106369)
  • Zhvania states that he will meet and talk with Kokoity in exchange for complete removal of illegal armed forces around Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/106370)
• As the Zhvania-Kokoity meeting was confirmed for the first week of November 2004 in Sochi at the Oct 20 JCC meeting, disarmament of illegal armed groups scheduled to top the agenda of Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/106383)
• Oct 25: Tskhinvali opens fire on Achabeti. Tskhinvali then accuses Tbilisi of firing at Kverneti (https://civil.ge/archives/106410)
  • Amid these sporadic shootouts, the joint peacekeeping forces set up two additional checkpoints near Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/106412)
• Oct 27: The EU proposes its expertise to help Georgia define SO's status (https://civil.ge/archives/106447)
• Oct 28: Tbilisi proposes special economic benefits to North and South Ossetian companies (https://civil.ge/archives/106450)
• 2 Nov: A South Ossetian blast injures a Georgian civilian in Kurta (https://civil.ge/archives/106488)
• 4 Nov: Georgian civilians block the Java-Tskhinvali road following the kidnapping of civilian Eldar Kakhniashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/106512)
• 5 Nov: Zhvania and Kokoity meet in Sochi. They signed an agreement envisaging the pulling out of all non-peacekeeping forces, the free movement of goods and people, cooperaton of law enforcement agencies, and launching discussions over joint economic projects. (https://civil.ge/archives/106527)
• 7 Nov: Dozens of hostages are exchanged between both sides (https://civil.ge/archives/106530)
• 9 Nov:
  • Tamarasheni comes under fire, killing one (https://civil.ge/archives/106540)
  • Russia opposes OSCE expansion (https://civil.ge/archives/106542)
  • Tbilisi opens a MOD training field in Dzevera (10 km away from Tskhinvali) (https://civil.ge/archives/106545)
  • Two children injured in Georgian village of Kemerti after a blast (https://civil.ge/archives/106546)
• 10 November: Tbilisi says it is willing to withdraw its extra troops per the agreement, but says it did not do so before because of sporadic shootings (https://civil.ge/archives/106555)
  • These extra troops included 2,000 Georgian policemen and soldiers (https://civil.ge/archives/106556)
• 11 Nov
  • Tamarasheni and Kurta come under fire (https://civil.ge/archives/106560)
  • Ossetian village of Kverneti also comes under fire (https://civil.ge/archives/106566)
• 15 Nov: Dismantling of fortifications from both sides begins, as an informal deadline for the Sochi agreement is set at 20 Nov. (https://civil.ge/archives/106589)
• 17 Nov: Tbilisi says the Nov 20 deadline was impossible to meet (https://civil.ge/archives/106606)
• 19 Nov: Two Georgian peacekeepers are injured in a shooting in Tsveriakho (https://civil.ge/archives/106627)
• 20 Nov: JCC meets in Vladikavkaz. Khaindrava proposes a three-step demilitarization process: (1) dismantling military fortifications in the conflict zone; (2) withdrawal of armored vehicles and heavy weaponry from the conflict zone; (3) disarmament of the local, both Georgians and Ossetians, population in the conflict zone. (https://civil.ge/archives/106633)
  • North Ossetian President Alxandre Dzasokhov calls for the creation of a favorable economic zone as a possible settlement of the conflict that would extend from Gori to Alagir (https://civil.ge/archives/106636)
  • The JCC agreed to increase the presence of peacekeepers in the Didi Liakhvi gorge (https://civil.ge/archives/106637)
• No side followed the demilitarization deadline (https://civil.ge/archives/106697)
• South Ossetia held military exercises in Java, which it claimed was outside of the 1992 ceasefire agreement's definition of conflict zone. Tbilisi protested on 2 December (https://civil.ge/archives/106704)
  • Training in Dzevera and Akhalsopeli by Georgia was protested by Russian peacekeepers on 6 December (https://civil.ge/archives/106743)
• At a meeting in Moscow with Russian MPs, Kokoity warned of a Georgian incursion (https://civil.ge/archives/106764)
• There was a commando training in South Ossetia on 20 December 2004 to analyze the SO problems during the Tskhinvali battle (https://civil.ge/archives/106847)
• As the demilitarization process stalled, Russia warned of a "dangerously explosive" situation on 24 December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106892)
• Khaindrava praised Kokoity for unprecedented constructivism on 25 December (https://civil.ge/archives/106893)
• Tskhinvali reported sporadic shootings from Tbilisi on 27 December (https://civil.ge/archives/106902)
• Kokoity declined meeting with Zhvania on 30 December when the latter visited the conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/106922)
• Tamarasheni came under fire on 1 January (https://civil.ge/archives/106933)
• Colonel Koba Lachkebiani was appointed Commander of Georgian peacekeepers on 6 January 2005, making him the fourth Commander under MS's presidency (https://civil.ge/archives/106988)
• On 15 January 2005, after a meeting with US Congressmen, Kokoity announced he would half his troops (https://civil.ge/archives/107062)
• The appointment of Anatoly Yarovoy as chief of Security Service of SO (he was a Russian official) was condemned by Tbilisi in Jan 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107076)
• On 20 January 2005, two Georgian policemen were abducted in Egneti (https://civil.ge/archives/107096)
  • One of them was released the same day (https://civil.ge/archives/107103)
  • It seems this took place after the arrest of a South Ossetian citizen the day before by Georgian MIA over a Tamarasheni murder case
  • On 22 Jan, Makhar Gasiyev, Deputy Minister of Special Affairs of SO, was abducted and 11 other people (https://civil.ge/archives/107114)
  • Zhvania and Zaur Gasiev held phone conversations to negotiate (https://civil.ge/archives/107118)
  • Makhar was released in one day but the 11 others remained in detention (https://civil.ge/archives/107121)
  • The final deal saw the release of the 11 Ossetians, not the criminal, in exchange for the police officer (https://civil.ge/archives/107128)
  • The final release of the criminal Oleg Pukhaev, which was protested by Tamarasheni residents, was done as MS headed to Strasbourg to unveil his peace plan and worked to defuse tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/107140)
• The Venice Commission advised Tbilisi on developing a status proposal for SO in Jan 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107133)
• From Strasbourg, MS announced his proposal for SO on 26 January 2005: (https://civil.ge/archives/107145)
  • A broad form of autonomy, deeper than that of North Ossetia, including the right to elect local, executive, and legislative leaders.
  • Culture, education, social policy, economy, public order, organization of local governance, environmental protection to be decided at the local parliament.
  • Constitutional guarantee of representation in national government, judicial and constitutional branches and in Parliament.
  • Granting language rights by decentralizing education and funding
  • Critical infrastructure subsidies
  • Ensure SO participation in internationally funded projects
  • Develop SMEs
  • Free economic zones
  • Easing border crossings with Russia
  • Allow Tskhinvali to determine and control its economic policies
  • Generous payments to the victims of the 1990-1992 conflict
  • Pension arrears
  • Establishment of special commission to deal with unresolved property disputes
  • Mixed Georgian and Ossetian police forces under international guidance to be established temporarily in the next three years
  • Gradual integration of SO forces into Georgian army
  • CoE, OSCE, EU, US as peace facilitators and Russia as a welcome and constructive partner
    • Kokoity rejected this from Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/107139)
    • Plan praised by US (https://civil.ge/archives/107149)
    • Commission set up by MOJ to develop SO status on 27 Jan (https://civil.ge/archives/107158)
• 1 February 2005: Blast in Gori kills three police officers and injures 10. The blame is laid on criminal groups that have been upset at the closure of the Ergneti market the previous year and is eventually blamed on the war on crime but there were allegations of a South Ossetian link, something strongly denied by Tskhinvali, who paid its condolences over the terrorist act. In an address to the nation, MS claims that the act was caused by people who were against peace. (https://civil.ge/archives/107187 https://civil.ge/archives/107188 https://civil.ge/archives/107190 https://civil.ge/archives/107196)
  • On 25 July, Merabishvili accused GRU of being behind the blast after the arrest of three individuals in the SO conflict zone. Merabishvili claimed that GRU Colonel Anatoly Sisoev had set up a group of saboteurs to act against Georgia starting in early 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/108572)
    • Tskhinvali would deny any ties. (https://civil.ge/archives/108577)
    • Russia would deny any involvement (https://civil.ge/archives/108579)
    • Merabishvili claimed Sisoev's group was made of 120 saboteurs. He worked as a military adviser to Kokoity since 2002. (https://civil.ge/archives/108598)
    • Georgian media would claim that Sisoev, while really in Tskhinvali, was a private saboteur with a long history of mercenary work in Azerbaijan after time in GRU and a jail sentence for attempted assassination of Aliyev (https://civil.ge/archives/108598)
• On 2 February, Tblisi, Tskhinvali and Vladikavkaz agreed to set up a joint police force to patrol the Transcaucasian Highway (https://civil.ge/archives/107199)
• On 18 Feb, it was reported that Tbilisi had downsized its peacekeeping force down to 250 (https://civil.ge/archives/107344)
  • The same day, Tskhinvali offered Russia to redeploy its military bases from Georgia to Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/107347)
• During his visit, Lavrov seems to have supported MS's peace plan proposal toward SO (https://civil.ge/archives/107356)
  • Kokoity would say a few days later that Tskhinvali did not trust MS or his peace plan proposed in Strasbourg (https://civil.ge/archives/107385)
• The Dzevera training field was qualified as a violation of the 1992 peace agreement and a risk of escalation by Goga Khaindrava (https://civil.ge/archives/107382)
• Goga Khaindrava recognized in February 2005 that the demilitarization process agreed in the Sochi agreement of 2004 had stalled and that Tskhinvali was waiting for geopolitical developments and Russia-Georgia relations (https://civil.ge/archives/107411)
• SO accused the OSCE of being a Georgian spy network with its Tskhinvali office i March 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107574)
  • In May, 2 OSCE monitors were detained by Tskhinvali and then released as Tskhinvali accused the organization of bias (https://civil.ge/archives/108035)
• The demilitarization process was agreed to resumption and climate conditions were blamed for the previous stalling, at the 17 March JCC meeting in Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/107590)
• On 24 March, Tbilisi issued a formal proposal over the political status of South Ossetia based on what was announced i Strasbourg in January (https://civil.ge/archives/107638)
  • Which was again rejected by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/107665)
• Dzevera training field was closed to OSCE inspections (https://civil.ge/archives/107728)
• Kokoity talked about integration during his 5 April 2005 talks with Putin in Sochi (https://civil.ge/archives/107750)
• By April 2005, it seemed that Tskhinvali was warming up to the three-stage peace proposal by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/107768)
• As the Georgian government's anti-smuggling campaign involved the reinforcement of police and security checkpoints along the ABL, Tskhinvali accused Tbilisi of impsiing an economic blockade on SO as nothing was allowed to be imported into SO except apples (https://civil.ge/archives/107833)
• On 19 April 2005, Tbilisi announced the closure of Dzevera camp (https://civil.ge/archives/107834)
• When floods hit Western Georgia and the regions of Java, Tbilisi offered humanitarian assistance, refused by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/107923)
• Ahead of the Bush visit and following the closure of Dzevera, MS called on Tskhinvali to accept dialogue and offered to open a special office in Gori to issue Georgian passports to citizens living in the breakaway region (https://civil.ge/archives/107952)
  • In parallel, Kokoity rejected once again the peace plan but called on Georgia to assess the roots of the conflict, notably Gamsakhurdia's role (https://civil.ge/archives/107956)
  • Kokoity also proposed a debate on live satellite with Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/107979)
  • Russia claimed that Kokoity had agreed to the 3-step plan proposed by MS at UNGA 2004
  • Still ahead of the Bush visit, Georgia restarted demilitarization by dismantling fortifications in Ergneti and Tamarasheni (https://civil.ge/archives/107984)
• On 29 May 2005, 1 Georgian policeman and 4 SO armed men were killed at a skirmish in Tamarasheni. According to Tbilisi, the skirmish happened after an Ossetian attack against a Kurta police checkpoint, but Tskhinvali claimed the car carrying the Ossetians was attacked without provocation (https://civil.ge/archives/108172)
  • Among the Ossetians were Russian citizens (https://civil.ge/archives/108174)
  • Tskhinvali claimed this was a provocation on the eve of the JCC meeting of Vladikavkaz and blamed Governor Kareli (https://civil.ge/archives/108175)
  • On the eve of the JCC session, Tbilisi and Tskhinvali agreed to a joint investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/108181)
  • Tskhinvali said the clash hampered demilitarization (https://civil.ge/archives/108217)
  • On 3 June, Georgia accused Russia of sending military equipment to SO (https://civil.ge/archives/108224)
• The SO-Georgia sides held talks in Brussels on 6 June (https://civil.ge/archives/108229)
• Putin appointed Teimuraz Mamsurov as Prsident of NO, a hardliner pro-SO who rreplaced Alexandre Dzasokhov, who was seen as a moderating influence on Kokoity (https://civil.ge/archives/108238)
  • Mamsurov called for the NO annexation of SO (https://civil.ge/archives/108269)
  • Mamsurov and Kokoity signed a joint declaration for the unification on 18 Sep 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108892)
• On 6 June, 4 Georgians disappeared in SO near the conflict line, which increased tensions with Tskhinvali claiming this was just linked to individual criminal gangs (https://civil.ge/archives/108249)
  • Tbilisi claimed this was retaliation over the Tamarasheni clash (https://civil.ge/archives/108277)
  • But Khaindrava also laid the blame on the Textile District criminal gang, qualified as dark forces independent from both sides that aimed at increasing tensions for the sake of its criminal activities since the closure of Ergneti Market (https://civil.ge/archives/108280)
  • SO and Georgian law enforcement agencies cooperated for the search (https://civil.ge/archives/108284)
  • The JCC meeting of Moscow on 22 June 2005 agreed to jointly investigate (https://civil.ge/archives/108361)
  • Kokoity called for MIA cooperation (https://civil.ge/archives/108383)
  • Tbilisi and Tskhinvali failed to set up a joint group as agreed by the JCC because of Georgia's failure to set up its section of the group (https://civil.ge/archives/108409)
  • Tbilisi closed down the main road linking Georgian villages and Tskhinvali because of failing to provide for adequate security, an attempt to blockade Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/108407)
    • That road was reopened on 1 July after bilateral talks (https://civil.ge/archives/108425)
    • But it was closed by ethnic Georgian residents again on 8 July (https://civil.ge/archives/108470)
    • As the road continued to be blocked, Khaindrava tried to meet the families of the abducted on 14 July when a relative fired shots in the air to express distrust toward the minister and without any reaction from law enforcement, which raised questions (context: Gelashvili beating incident) (https://civil.ge/archives/108518)
  • In light of the situation escalating and falling into chaos, Khaindrava said on 16 July that this was a scenario 'written by the enemy' (https://civil.ge/archives/108519)
  • Khaindrava pointed out at the SO officials that were directly tied to the FSB (https://civil.ge/archives/108520)
  • The protest and road blocking ended on 17 July (https://civil.ge/archives/108522)
  • In Dcember, it would be revealed that the four Georgians had been murdered (https://civil.ge/archives/109336)
• In June 2005, MS proposed an international conference on the status of SO in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/108282)
  • Tskhinvali rejected the offer (https://civil.ge/archives/108355)
  • At the conference, MS offered to allot 15 min of airtime on GPB to the South Ossetian side's position, to repay the pension debt accumulated since independnece as soon as 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/108479)
• In early August 2005, Kokoity and Andrey Kokoshin stated that Tbilisi planned an aggression against South Ossetia by Sep 15, something called absurd by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/108627)
  • In response, Tbilisi proposed a Noghaideli-Kokoity meeting by Sep 15 and announced the South Ossetia Roadmap which would outline the steps Tbilisi wanted to carry out for peaceful resolution of the conflict, but still unknown to the public when announced (https://civil.ge/archives/108639)
• On 19 August 2005, an 11 year old Geno Petriashvili was kidnapped in Nuni and his kidnappers entered SO territory, preventing the Georgian police from continuing the search (https://civil.ge/archives/108713) He would be released on 25 November. (https://civil.ge/archives/109239)
  • In response, MIA stated that SO was a safe haven for criminals under the protection of Russian peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/108717)
  • Tskhinvali denied having any ties to the abduction (https://civil.ge/archives/108722)
  • Moscow called the statement by the MIA "irresponsible" (https://civil.ge/archives/108728)
  • Tbilisi asked for a JCC Meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/108742)
  • A few days later, five SO civilians were detained by armed masked men from Georgia, including a woman and a child.
  • Kokoity asked for a meeting with Noghaideli over security (https://civil.ge/archives/108777)
• But on 7 September, Tskhinvali backed out from talk offers (https://civil.ge/archives/108806)
  • On 9 September, Kokoity agreed to a meeting with Noghaideli once again (https://civil.ge/archives/108829)
  • On 12 September, Kokoity gathered law enforcement agencies and accused Tbilisi of planning acts of sabotage and provocations in the coming days (https://civil.ge/archives/108833)
    • He would later accuse the Georgian special services of masterminding terrorist acts against the Georgian population in the conflict zone to justify military intervention on the eve of the SO independence celebration in Sep 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108865)
• On 14 September, Georgia opened a new police checkpoint in Kurta with agreement from the Russian side (https://civil.ge/archives/108848)
• On 15 Septmber, Tskhinvali refused to let in Paata Bedianashvili, the new Georgia peacekeepers commander, for his active participation in the 2004 conflict, citing a statute of the 1994 agreement banning officers who participated in armed conflicts. (https://civil.ge/archives/108864)
• CONFLICT OF SEPTEMBER 2005:
  • 19: Shootout near Ergneti (Georgia) injuring one Ossetian. According to Tskhinvali, SO fired after shelling of Ossetian villages, denied by Tbilisi. (https://civil.ge/archives/108873)
  • 20: Military parade in Tskhinvali to commemorate independence (https://civil.ge/archives/108881)
  • 20: Valery Kenyakin, Russian Envoy to JCC, calls for a Kokoity-Noghaideli meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/108882)
  • 20: Tskhinvali is shelled, resulting in seven civilian injuries, including a two-year-old side. Tbilisi denied the shelling even took place (https://civil.ge/archives/108891)
    • The OSCE condemned the shelling (https://civil.ge/archives/108894)
    • The US also condemned the shelling but in a more moderate statement, reiterated its support for Georgian territorial integrity and called on Russia to stop supporting SO separatists (https://civil.ge/archives/108908)
  • 20: Irakli Okruashvili and Levan Nikolaishvili come in the Didi Liakhvi Gorge and block themselves the Tskhinvali highway, preventing the Russian delegation that attended the military parade from leaving for violating Russian visa entry rules. (https://civil.ge/archives/108890)
  • 21: Tskhinvali pulls out of JCC and breaks hopes of meeting with Noghaideli (https://civil.ge/archives/108895)
  • 21: Khaindrava threatens resignation if tensions are not defused at a governmental session (https://civil.ge/archives/108897)
  • 21: MS states Tbilisi is ready to let the OSCE investigate and calls on large-scale negotiations with Russia and the US over the conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/108899)
  • 22: Achabeti and Kekhvi (Georgia) are shelled. No injuries (https://civil.ge/archives/108901)
  • 23: Kokoity calls on "ceasing of the unfounded blame shifting to the pecekeepers" and "solid guarantees of security and the non-resumption of military hostilities" as preconditions for returning to the JCC (https://civil.ge/archives/108911)
  • 23: MS sets up a Coordination Council to formulate South Ossetian policy and peaceful conflict resolution, chaired by Noghaideli and including Okruashvili, Merabishvili, Khaindrava and Bezhuashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/108917)
  • 26: Tskhinvali calls on the US to warn Tbilisi against the use of force (https://civil.ge/archives/108925)
  • 27: Kokoity lays the blame for the shelling on Paata Bedianashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/108933)
  • 27: Kokoity calls on the JCC status to be boosted by involving higher-ranking people (https://civil.ge/archives/108934)
• 29: Khaindrava announces Georgia's withdrawal from the JCC negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/108944)
• The September change of reality in the South Ossetian conflict zone was in conjuncture with a push by Tbilisi to change the format of conflict settlement after very slow and ineffective JCC steps. MS had called for the UN to get more involved in conflict resolution and Georgia was calling the JCC ineffective, while Tbilisi also called for the intervention of the US and direct talks with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/108912)
  • The OSCE Chairman in Office Dimitrij Rupel and Lavrov met in Moscow on 17 October where they both came out in open support of the JCC format (https://civil.ge/archives/109062)
  • Kokoity publicky backed the JCC format on 22 October (https://civil.ge/archives/109104)
  • The first JCC meeting following the September Tskhinvali shelling crisis took place on 24 October (https://civil.ge/archives/109109)
  • OSCE Chair Rupel proposed a high-level meeting btween the sides in Ljubljana in November (https://civil.ge/archives/109113)
  • During that JCC session, Moscow and Tskhinvali came out officially in support of the MS three-stage peace plan proposed at the UN but opposed changing the JCC format (https://civil.ge/archives/109115)
  • After these talks, Khaindrava slammed the JCC format, claiming it contributing to the freezing of the conflict and that none of the 16 agreements on demilitarization was being followed (https://civil.ge/archives/109123)
• 17 October: Textile District of Tskhinvali is reportedly shelled from Kheiti (GE) (https://civil.ge/archives/109059)
  • Tbilisi denied (https://civil.ge/archives/109063)
• At the OSCE, Noghaideli outlined on 27 October a new set of objectives for 2005-2006: (https://civil.ge/archives/109131)
  • Introduction of a new negotiating format for South Ossetia with participation of OSCE, EU, U.S. and Russia;
  • Ensure support for a settlement plan at Ljubljana OSCE Ministerial Council in December;
  • Adoption of a law on restitution;
  • Encourage direct contacts with Ossetian NGO?s;
  • Ensure direct Georgian-South Ossetian dialogue through regular meetings with South Ossetian leaders;
  • Promote a political settlement based on the Baden Package ? a document agreed in July 2000 – on the basic principles of political and legal relations between the parties to the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, which respect to the territorial integrity of Georgia.
  • To start talks in frames of a new negotiating format;
  • Begin talks over border control, including the Roki Tunnel;
  • Ensure the demilitarization process in the region;
  • Ensure the implementation of restitution law;
  • Create a joint rehabilitation fund with the participation of OSCE, EU, U.S. Russia etc.
  • Begin talks to create a free-trade zone the region;
  • Distribute pensions in the region;
  • Establish a joint commission to begin investigation of crimes committed during the 1991-92 conflict;
  • Reinforce Ossetian culture through various celebrations and public holidays;
  • Conclude an agreement on South Ossetia?s status;
  • Create a joint body to secure the implementation of the agreement.
    • This was praised by the US (https://civil.ge/archives/109137)
    • This was seen as another attempt to internationalize the peace settlement process (https://civil.ge/archives/109141)
    • Moscow claimed the UN plan was better than the OSCE Action Plan (https://civil.ge/archives/109148)
    • Tskhinvali rejected the Action Plan (https://civil.ge/archives/109163)
• 30 October: Noghaideli is prevented from visiting Georgian villages in the conflict zone after being blocked access to the road passing through Tskhinvali. Tbilisi claims this was due to bad weather conditions but Tskhinvali confirmed it was because it blocked the road due to failing of being notified in advance (https://civil.ge/archives/109143)
• By 1 November 2005, Noghaideli had killed all hopes of a Kokoity-Noghaideli meeting by stating he had nothing to talk about with him. (https://civil.ge/archives/109152)
• The JCC session in Ljubljana opened on 15 November 2005, a win for Georgia's desire to internationalize the process (https://civil.ge/archives/109212)
  • Rupel (OSCE) called for the creation of a Joint Police Special Coordination Center in Tskhinvali to bring together Georgian and SO law enforcement agencies (https://civil.ge/archives/109214)
  • Valery Kenyaikin (Russia) proposed a Putin-Saakashvili-Kokoity meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/109181)
    • Tbilisi refused and condemned the proposal (https://civil.ge/archives/109229)
  • No successful outcome was reported from the JCC meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/109225)
• 19 November: Jemal Karkusov, former Secretary of the NSC of SO, and his brother Ianek, broke out of prison with the help of Georgian special services, something denied by Tskhinvali but confirmed by Merabishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/109239)
• In November 2005, Georgia started hardening its stance: access to the Roki Tunnel for Georgian customs services of WTO veto (https://civil.ge/archives/109270)
• 25 November: Merabishvili accuses Kokoity, Morozov and Barankevich of being criminals and announces they would either be captured or killed. The next day, the MIA formally calls Kokoity the "criminal kingpin of so-called South Ossetia" (https://civil.ge/archives/109318)
• 1 December 2005: Tbilisi accuses Russian peacekeepers of providing covert assistance to SO paramilitary groups and Kokoity of patronizing criminal activities, an accusation rejected and condemned by Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/109296)
• 2 December:
  • Checkpoint near Zari (SO) allegedly comes under fire from Kekhvi (GE) (https://civil.ge/archives/109304). Tskhinvali lays the blame on Georgian MOD forces trying to capture the strategic road (as it leads to Java and bypasses Georgian villages) and Kokoity hints it may have been an attempt against his life. Tbilisi denies and affirms the shootout was a confrontation between armed SO groups (https://civil.ge/archives/109311)
  • Russian MFA formally rejects the OSCE Action Plan of Noghaideli and continues to support the Saakashvili peace plan of September 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/109314)
• 5 December: Viacheslav Kudziev (Deputy Chief of Police of Artsevi - SO) is injured in a shootout against a Georgian Military Police unit. (https://civil.ge/archives/109321). Tbilisi claimed Kudziev was the leader of a criminal group involved in counterfeiting USD (https://civil.ge/archives/109322)
• 6 December:
  • In response to the Kudziev incident, SO militiamen detain 3 Georgian police officers and 6 civilians near Dmenisi (SO) (https://civil.ge/archives/109326) In total, 10-20 Georgians are detained in the course of the day
  • Georgian police arrests four SO officials of Akhalgori in retaliation (https://civil.ge/archives/109330)
  • Most Georgians are released by the end of the day, save from 3 police officers and 1 civilian (https://civil.ge/archives/185441)
  • The OSCE Ministerial Council in Ljubljana adopts a resolution recognizing Georgia's territorial integrity, supports the MS Peace Plan of September 2004 and calls for a Noghaideli-Kokoity meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/109334)
• 7 December: The remaining Georgians are released (https://civil.ge/archives/109341) in exchange for the Akhalgori officials (https://civil.ge/archives/109344)
• 8 December: Surprise JCC meeting in Tskhinvali with Russian and SO participation, but Tbilisi refuses to participate, claiming it was not warned.
• 11 December: Several SO militiamen injured in Tskhinvali in a clash with a local paramilitary group. 2 road workers are also killed near Zari in an explosion (SO) (https://civil.ge/archives/109364)
• 12 December: Kokoity, in surprise, sends a letter to Putin, Saakashvili and the OSCE offering joint solutions to conflict resolution, including the creation of a working group before February 2006 within the framework of the JCC that would develop a program to include the following positions: (https://civil.ge/archives/109370)

– three-stage scheme of settlement, which should be approved by the parties involved in the conflict resolution; the first stage ? demilitarization of the conflict zone, confidence building and security guarantees; the second stage ? social-economic rehabilitation; the third stage ? political settlement; – necessity for urgent talks between the heads of law-enforcement agencies and power structures within the frames of the Joint Control Commission to coordinate actions in the conflict zone; – holding of talks between parliamentarians, representatives of civil society organizations, intelligentsia and the clergy; – setting up an informal structure for assisting the JCC with possible participation of the representatives of legislative bodies of the parties involved in conflict resolution; – undertaking practical steps towards development of a concept over the Zone on Economic Preference, which [beside South Ossetia itself] could also include the Alagiri district of Russia?s North Ossetia Republic and the Gori district [a central Georgia district which borders the breakaway region]; – promoting the implementation of EC and OSCE-funded economic projects in the conflict zone; – political-legal assessment of events of 1989-92 and 2004 years; – development and adoption of a law on restitution by Georgia; – the sides are committed not to build up their offensive potential and not to use armed forces in the zone of conflict.

• • In response, Tbilisi said it was surprised and Noghaideli sait it was ready to meet with Kokoity immediately (https://civil.ge/archives/109373)
  • Khaindrava and Russia's Kenyakin made a joint press conference where they both praised Kokoity's move and suggested a Noghaideli-Kokoity meeting would be the next step (https://civil.ge/archives/109378)
  • Moscow praised the Kokoity proposal as an endorsement of the UNGA MS speech (https://civil.ge/archives/109381)
  • The Kokoity plan was discussed by the OSCE in Vienna as an interesting step (https://civil.ge/archives/109384)
  • Following the announcement of Dec 12, Kokoity asked for a meeting with Saakashvili and took credit for the 2004 UNGA plan (https://civil.ge/archives/109385)
  • On Dec 15, Tskhinvali handed over the bodies of the four Georgians murdered in June without ransom (http://civil.ge/archives/109393)
  • On Dec 16, Tskhinvali hosted a meeting with the OSCE on economic rehabilitation, planning an international donors conference for 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/109403)
  • The Georgian government, at first surprised, expressed "cautious optimism" on Dec 20 at the Kokoity plan. Noghaideli warned that this may be a subterfuge to delay the entire process, but claimed that Moscow had been key in this new development.
  • Dec 28: JCC session in Moscow. Tskhinvali, Vladikavkaz and Moscow support setting up a new separate commission to work on a peace plan for South Ossetia, something that Tbilisi rejects. The sides fail to agree on a Noghaideli-Kokoity meeting. (https://civil.ge/archives/109464) Tbilisi also rejected to develop a joint declaration on non-resumption of hostilities (https://civil.ge/archives/109470)
• By the end of 2005, the opposition was accusing the government of inconsistency in its SO policy, calling for a peaceful resolution of the conflict while letting Okruashvili (who chaired the Commission on SO) issue aggressive rhetoric. (https://civil.ge/archives/109420)
• On 3 January 2006, Tbilisi called for a JCC session to be held before the 20th in Tbilisi to accelarate the positive events, but Tbilisi noted that Moscow was using the recent announcements to drag out the process, which Tbilisi had feared (https://civil.ge/archives/109483)
  • Tskhinvali rejected the proposal to hold the JCC in Tbilisi over security reasons (https://civil.ge/archives/109533) despite Tbilisi's promise for security guarantees (https://civil.ge/archives/109572) so Russia proposed Vladikavkaz as a venue (https://civil.ge/archives/109575)
  • Tskhinvali was demanding the apology of Merabishvili for previous hostile comments against SO leadership before they would send delegates to Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/109583)
• When Okruashvili and Merabishvili leaked that they would visit the conflict zone on Christmas 2006 (7 January), Tskhinvali threatened to arrest them https://civil.ge/archives/109535)

Aggravation de la situation

• In January 2006, Tbilisi raised alarms about the delivery of Russian weapons through the Roki Tunnel to SO militias (https://civil.ge/archives/109598)
  • In response, Tskhinvali accused Tbilisi of launching a war propaganda https://civil.ge/archives/109600
• On 31 January, a vehicle of Russian peacekeepers crashed into a car of local Georgians from Tkviavi. Following this, Georgian uniformed men confiscated the vehicle and Russian peacekeepers complained, with Commander Marat Kulakhmetov accusing Tbilisi of dispatching 500 men to the Tkviavi region in violetion of the agrement (https://civil.ge/archives/109732)
  • This forced a debate in Georgia over the use of Russian peacekeepers and harsh statements made by different government officials against peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/109739)
  • Karasin stated that Russia would protect its citizens in South Ossetia (at the time a majority of locals) if peacekeepers were expelled. (https://civil.ge/archives/109782)
• On 7 February, Kokoity said he was ready to meet Saakashvili anywhere but in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/109788)
  • He also added that North Caucasus Republics would support Tskhinvali in the event of a conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/109791)
  • Tbilisi rejected Kokoity-MS talks, underlining that a proposed meeting with Noghaideli was still on the table (https://civil.ge/archives/109795)
  • Moscow and Tskhinvali claim that Georgian MOD dispatched 250 Georgian soldiers in Eredvi, denied by Tbilisi on Feb 8 (https://civil.ge/archives/109807)
• 8 February: three Russian officers (independent from JPFK) are detained in Kurta (Georgia) by the Georgian Military Police for lack of visa. The Russians had arrived to help solve the military vehicle detention issue. (https://civil.ge/archives/109806)
  • Khaindrava claims that Russian peacekeepers had deployed military hardware in several villages without the JCC format, violating the agreements. (https://civil.ge/archives/109809)
  • Moscow calls the detention a provocation (https://civil.ge/archives/109824)
• 9 February: FM Bezhuashvili makes a speech at the OSCE criticizing Russian peacekeepers, requesting for their departure. The US expressed concern about this position, being concern that the departure of peacekeepers without a mechanism in place could lead to destabilization of the situation (https://civil.ge/archives/109814) Tbilisi was surprised by Washington's position (https://civil.ge/archives/109820)
  • During the speech, Bezhuashvili calls for the removal of South Ossetia contingents from the JPFK and to only leave Russian and Georgian forces (https://civil.ge/archives/109822)
  • Kokoity accuses Saakashvili (calling him a great soap-bubble which will burst or has already burst) of causing destability in South Ossetia to overshadow internal problems (https://civil.ge/archives/109818)
  • Tbilisi hands over the three Russian officers to the Russian side, giving them 24 hours to leave the country (https://civil.ge/archives/109830) This was considered to be an act of goodwill by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/109834)
• It seems that in the course of the first half of February 2006, while Parliament was taking an increasingly harsher stance on the Russian peacekeepers, the government was becoming more lenient, with Bezhuashvili calling for the removal of only the SO batallion from the JPFK and the expansion of the forces' mandate to the Java district and the Roki Tunnel (https://civil.ge/archives/109835), while MS himself kept silence (https://civil.ge/archives/109863).
  • And yet, there was a clear friction with Okruashvili, who publicly backed Parliament and criticized the peacekeepers with strong rhetoric (https://civil.ge/archives/109837).
    • Okruashvili was accompanied by Governor Kareli of Shida Kartli, who called for the dismantlement of the Meghvrekisi JPFK checkpoint or face its dismantlement by local police forces (https://civil.ge/archives/109839)
    • Okruashvili testified at Parliament on Feb 13 that SO forces had purchased anti-aircraft STRELA missile systems from the Russian Akhalkalaki base (https://civil.ge/archives/109840)
    • The same day, Bezhuashvili stated that the JPFK was needed to implement a future demilitarization plan Georgia was working on (https://civil.ge/archives/109841)
    • Okruashvili ramped up his military rhetoric when he stated on 12 Feb that South Ossetia would be returned to Georgia in 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/109846)
• Meanwhile, Yuri Luzhkov, Mayor of Moscow, was financing the construction of a by-pass road leading from Tskhinvali that aimed at isolating Georgian villages north of Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/109847)
• 13 February: Georgian Military Police seizes two JPFK vehicles for lack of sufficient registration papers. This was categorized as a provocation by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/109856) Vehicles were released the next day (https://civil.ge/archives/109859)
• The Kremlin accused Okruashvili of being against peace on 14 Feb (https://civil.ge/archives/109857) Lavrov said attacks against peacekeepers went beyond all grounds (https://civil.ge/archives/109873)
• 15 Feb: Parliament approves (with opposition) a resolution instructing the Government to revise the June 1992 Sochi Agreement and to secure a replacement for the current peacekeepering operation in South Ossetia with an effective international peacekeeping operation. (https://civil.ge/archives/109875)
  • Same day, Khaindrava reiterates a 1996 memorandum signed by all parties that instructed peacekeepers to progressively start to transfer their duties to local Georgian and Ossetian law enforcement agencies (https://civil.ge/archives/109913)
  • Kokoity threatened to impose a visa regime for Georgians not living in South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/109878)
  • The Resolution is condemned by Boris Gryzlov, Russian Speaker (https://civil.ge/archives/109883), while the OSCE Chair Karel De Gucht urges Georgia to use caution (https://civil.ge/archives/109886). Yuri Baluevsky (Chief of Staff of Russian Armed Forces) warns that civil war will return in SO if peacekeepers are withdrawn (https://civil.ge/archives/109886)
  • Kokoity states he would consider any non-JPFK peacekeepers "aggressors", a statement condemned by Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/109909)
  • Ukraine states being ready to send peacekeepers in an internaional mission (https://civil.ge/archives/109912)
  • Lithuania publicly backed the internationalization of peacekeeping (https://civil.ge/archives/109946)
• Okruashvili called for fair presidential elections in SO in February, urging for the participation of Georgians and Ossetian opposition members, setting the ground for Tbilisi's intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/109896)
• 17 Feb: Moscow proposes to hold a JCC in Moscow instead of Vienna (https://civil.ge/archives/109905)
  • Tbilisi calls Russia's decision to not partcipate in the Vienna JCC irresponsible (https://civil.ge/archives/109908)
  • Tskhinvali, Vladikavkaz and Moscow participate nonetheless in a JCC meeting in Moscow on 20 Feb during which they "agree" to let Georgia rotate its troops (https://civil.ge/archives/109921)
  • Russia slammed the OSCE for not participating at the JCC session (https://civil.ge/archives/109922)
• 18 Feb: Georgian Military Police units stationed in SO conflict zone become integrated in the JPFK, increasing the Georgian batallion to 330 men. This launches Georgia's unilateral demilitarization process, the first of several conciliatory steps taken in the second half of February 2006 by Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/109911)
  • 19 Feb: Tbilisi and Tskhinvali agree on MIA talks (https://civil.ge/archives/109910)
  • Despite this, the same day, when Georgian JPFK forces trying to reach Georgian villages north of Tskhinvali, they were blocked by SO forces, which led Georgian forces to block the main highway of the region (https://civil.ge/archives/109916)
    • The next day, the highway is reopened for civilian use, effectively blocking only Russian forces (https://civil.ge/archives/109918)
  • Here were the late Feb unilateral Georgian conciliatory moves announced by Tbilisi: (https://civil.ge/archives/109920)

1. Withdrawal of Georgian Military Police units from Didi Liakhvi gorge; 2. The Military Police unit (consisting of 11 locals) stationed in Didi Liakhvi gorge will be incorporated into the JPKF Georgian peacekeeping battalion; 4. Since the conflict zone covers 2/3 of the Gori district, the Gori district Military Police unit (consisting of 15-17 servicemen) will be incorporated into the JPKF Georgian peacekeeping battalion. 5. The JPKF Georgian peacekeeping battalion will be rotated every three months, starting from spring of this year. The strength of the JPKF Georgian peacekeepers will increase (by 100 servicemen) up to 330 servicemen; 6. Trenches located in the zone of responsibility of JPKF the Georgian peacekeeping battalion will be filled up as soon as the snow smelts; 7. No Georgian serviceman (except for peacekeepers) will enter the conflict zone without a special permit issued by the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and without the consent of the Chief Military Commander of Georgian Peacekeeping Force. The OSCE observer mission to Georgia will receive a complete list of all Georgian servicemen entering the conflict zone. 8. The Georgian Police and Financial Police will be charged with ensuring unhindered legal movement of cargo showing certificates verifying the legality of this movement; 9.The Georgian side is ready to cooperate with the law enforcement bodies of the Tskhinvali Region in joint efforts to combat crime. The Georgian side offers the Tskhinvali authorities to hold a meeting between the Ministers of Interior (of the two sides) either in Tbilisi or in Tskhinvali.

• • • Tskhinvali remained quiet on these measures, safe for letting Georgian rotation. (https://civil.ge/archives/109927)
      • Instead, from Moscow, Kokoity accused Georgia of trying to reincorporate SO by force (https://civil.ge/archives/109945)
• 20 Feb: Tbilisi MIA accuses South Ossetia of being a safe haven for sabotage, terrorism and spreading counterfit currency (https://civil.ge/archives/109925)
• 2 March: Tbilisi proposes JCC session in Tbilisi, which Tskhinvali refuses. Moscow proposes a JCC session in Vladikavkaz. Moscow also blames the Georgian side and Merabishvili himself for making meeting in Tbilisi impossible (https://civil.ge/archives/110014)
• 2 March: At the OSCE Permanent Council, the US calls for allowing international observers to monitor the Roki Tunnel (https://civil.ge/archives/110016)
  • Russia was angered at this interference (https://civil.ge/archives/110030)
• March 22: In Vladikavkaz, after meeting the NO President, Kokoity announced seeking SO's integration into the Russian Federation (https://civil.ge/archives/110183)
  • The next day, Genady Bukaev, Russian PM's aide, stated at a government meeting that Russia had made a principled decision to agree to the integration and the unification of Alania (https://civil.ge/archives/110190)
  • The US condemned this call by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/110191)
  • Moscow then walked back Bukaev's statement, arguing that he was misquoted (https://civil.ge/archives/110196)
  • But NO's Teimuraz Mamsurov confirmed this was inevitable (https://civil.ge/archives/110198)
  • Tbilisi protested this (https://civil.ge/archives/110186)
  • Tbilisi then added that if Russia allowed for the control of Roki Tunnel, it would create a favorable economic zone with the Alagiri district of NO (https://civil.ge/archives/110210)
• March 27-28: JCC session in Vladikavkaz fails to discuss the SO peace plan proposed by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/110244) But it did agree to create a 10-member working group with every side to develp a joint action plan for the peaceful resolution of the SO conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/110261)
  • But on 30 March, Tbilisi and Tskhinvali started joint talks on the draft law on restitution to the victims of the conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/110257)
• On 31 March, Tbilisi arrested Vazha Khachapuridze, the representative of Kokoity on conflict issues, near the conflict zone for cigarette smuggling (https://civil.ge/archives/110280)
• On 17 April, Kokoity, after meeting with Karasin, slammed the OSCE and said Tskhinvali would start openly opposing the OSCE's involvement in the peace process (https://civil.ge/archives/110392)
• On 17 April, Georgian village Vanati was shelled with no injuries from Dmenisi (SO). Tbilisi asked for a JPFK investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/110410)
• On 20 April, Tskhinvali rejected Tbilisi's draft restitution law (https://civil.ge/archives/110419)
• On 29 April, Tbilisi offered SO help in rehabilitating local schools (https://civil.ge/archives/110470)
• On 1 May, Okruashvili stated he would resign if Tbilisi failed to reestablish control over SO by the new year. (https://civil.ge/archives/110481)
  • Criticized by Khaindrava, who opposed the setting of deadlines. (https://civil.ge/archives/110489)
  • Kokoity said this statement did not boster peace and confidence (https://civil.ge/archives/110512)
  • The May 11 JCC meeting condemned Okruashvili's statements, and even Georgian rep Khaindrava criticized it as groundless (https://civil.ge/archives/110567)
• May 11: JCC meeting in Tskhinvali, hailed as productive. Agreement on talks between MIAs and Education Ministers. (https://civil.ge/archives/110572)
  • Setting up of joint working group to develop a joint conflict resolution program (https://civil.ge/archives/110572) The Georgian side was headed by Giorgi Volski, deputy minister for conflict resolution issues (https://civil.ge/archives/110598)
• The Geogian government submitted a law on property restitution on 15 May 2006, after a CoE commitment in 1999, but it still lacked SO greenlight (https://civil.ge/archives/110618)
• 18 May: Joint cabiinet session of SO and NO, condemned by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/110629)
  • Russia downplayed the criticism, stating that the two were tied by being one nation with a common past (https://civil.ge/archives/110658)
• 27 May: Georgian forces arrests 40-60 men and women on the Tamarasheni-Kekhvi road and the Ossetian village of Khelchua. 41 were released a few hours later but Tskhinvali severely protested the arrests. Many released alleged they were beaten in their Gori detention. This contributed to a new deterioration of the situation (https://civil.ge/archives/110688)
  • At least 25 were beaten, many civilians. The events remained unexplained (https://civil.ge/archives/110691)
  • Sobari and Khaindrava visited Tskhinvali on 29 May and called the events a violation of human rights by the police (https://civil.ge/archives/110699)
  • Moscow stated this was an attempt to destablize the situation (https://civil.ge/archives/110702)
• 30 May 2006: Tensions increase in the region as Georgia opposes the rotation of Russian peacekeepers through the Roki Tunnel. Russia ignores Georgian demands (https://civil.ge/archives/110704)
  • In return, Tbilisi refused to participate at the 2 June JCC session in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/110719) Tbilisi also refused to participate because of the location (https://civil.ge/archives/110740)
  • Tbilisi accused Russia of sending additional troops against the ceasefire agreement through the Roki Tunnel during the rotation, adding up to a total of 1,000 Russian soldiers (https://civil.ge/archives/110726)
    • Targamadze stated this was occupation of Georgian territory (https://civil.ge/archives/110729)
    • And Tbilisi claimed this measure aimed at thwarting the scheduled Donors' Conference in Brussels (https://civil.ge/archives/110733)
• In June 2006, Moscow started talking of South Ossetia's self-determination as a principle of international law and hinted at the idea of an independence referendum to determine the region's status (https://civil.ge/archives/110742)
• 9 June 2006: Georgian police leads a police operation in Avnevi which injures one suspect of counterfit currency distribution. Tskhinvali accused Tbilisi of attempting to discredit SO in front of the international community. The Russian peacekeeper force accused Tbilisi of not coordinating with the force. This happened as the sides were preparing to hold a MIA meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/110812)
  • 14 June: Georgian police relocated checkpoint to Prisi (SO). Tskhinvali accuses Tbilisi of blocking the road to the village. (https://civil.ge/archives/110860)
    • In response, SO deploys illegal militias in the conflict zone near Prisi and repositions a police checkpoint in Avnevi (https://civil.ge/archives/110866)
• 14 June: Donors' Conference in Brussels. 10 million EUR are pledged by EU institutions and individual countries and the US. (https://civil.ge/archives/110854)
• Merabishvili and SO MIA Mikhail Mindzaev meet in Tskhinvali on 22 June although they fail to find tangible results (https://civil.ge/archives/110908)
• 15-20 June: South Ossetian militias dig up trenches and install concrete fences in Dmenisi and Kokhati (https://civil.ge/archives/110951)
• 9 July: Oleg Albarov, Secretary of the SO NSC, is killed in an explosion in his home. Tskhinvali accuses Georgia, Tbilisi denies and lays the blame on criminal groups and Khaindrava on Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/111008)
• 10 July: Tbilisi closes off the Trans Caucasus Highway north of Tskhinvali as Russia closes off the Zemo Larski border checkpoint in an attempt to divert transit through the Roki Tunnel. The closure lasts a few days. (https://civil.ge/archives/111019)
• 11 July: SO officers detain at gunpoint two OSCE monitors near Zari, widely condemned by the internatioal community (https://civil.ge/archives/111037)
• 12 July: The FSB claims a Georgian gov associate warned Moscow about a planned provocation by which Georgian forces w11ould blame the murder of 15-20 Georgians on Ossetians to justify a military incursion. (https://civil.ge/archives/111041) Russia spends days warning Georgia against potential use of force.
• 13 July: US calls on the OSCE to expand its activities to all of SO (https://civil.ge/archives/111072)
• 14 July: Bala Bestauti, an MOD commander who was blacklisted by the Georgian MIA in November 2005, is injured in an explosion in Tskhinvali. (https://civil.ge/archives/111053)
• 15 July: A mine injures a Russian peacekeeper (https://civil.ge/archives/111074)
• 16 July: After Russian diplomats are stopped in Gori from entering Tskhinvali, Russia cancels a JCC session and claims that MS can no longer control the "party of war" (https://civil.ge/archives/111076) Khaindrava condems Georgian police chief Alexander Sukhitashvili for the arrst of the diplomats. (https://civil.ge/archives/111079)
• 17 July: Noghaideli condens Russian epacekeepers and calls on Parliament to adopt ant resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/111082)
• 18 July: Parliament adopts anti-peacekeeping resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/111093). Russia warns of more tensions in case of withdrawal (https://civil.ge/archives/111100)
• 21 July: Khaindrava's sacking is condemned by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/111133)
• 24 July:
  • Just as Kvitsiani is revolting in Kodori, Georgian military planes fly over SO territory toward Java, receiving condemnation (https://civil.ge/archives/111152)
  • MFA calls on the OSCE to increase the number of observers in the SO conflict zone and reiterates the call for the OSCE to expand its operations to Roki Tunnel (https://civil.ge/archives/111155)
• 7 August:
  • Financial Police in an anti-smuggling operation, blocks several passenger buses returning from the Lilo Market to Tskhinvali for a day (https://civil.ge/archives/115058)
  • 3 Georgian police officers are injured after an attack new Avnevi. Merabishvili lays the blame on a direct order from Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115063)
  • Georgian MFA states that the Russia-led negotiations platform have exhausted their resources and called for an internationalization of the format (https://civil.ge/archives/115067)
• 8 August: Merab Antadze, new State Minister, announces plans to put forth a revision of the 1992 Dagomis Agreement, the legal basis for the Russian peacekeeping force (https://civil.ge/archives/115073)
• 14 August:
  • Russian peacekeeper injured in a mine explosion near Kekhvi (https://civil.ge/archives/115097)
  • SO calls for the launch of a joint working group to develop a joint program on SO conflict resolution, the improvement of interaction between GE and SO law enforcement officers and the organization of a meeting of MIAs (https://civil.ge/archives/115100)
• 15 August: SO starts issuing local passports (https://civil.ge/archives/115106)
• 18 August: 51st JCC session in Moscow, dubbed decisive by Georgia. Tbilisi pushes for a change in the negotiation format. Details unknown (https://civil.ge/archives/115132) Sides come out stating they failed to agree on key issues and planned a second part of that session in Vladikavkaz in September. (https://civil.ge/archives/115135) Later, it is revealed that Tbilisi tied the Tskhinvali demand to develop a joint program on conflict resolution with a change in the negotiation format (https://civil.ge/archives/115140)
• 19 August: Russia opens a Pension Fund Center in Tskhinvali condemned by Georgia as an attempt to annex (https://civil.ge/archives/115150)
• 24 August: Tbilisi increases the size of its peacekeeping batallion in SO conflict area from 312 to 412 (https://civil.ge/archives/115159)
• 26 August: Overnight, Georgian mortar shelling is reported in the outskirts of Tskhinvali. Both sides accuse each other of starting the conflict. (https://civil.ge/archives/115175). Similar incidents take place on 29 and 30 August (https://civil.ge/archives/115196)
• In June 2006, plans started on the construction of a gas pipeline from NO to SO without the consent of Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/115219)
• 3 September:
  • A helicopter carrying Okruashvili is fired at and damaged by SO militias flying over the Znauri district toward the Senaki base (https://civil.ge/archives/115226)
  • A helicopter accompanying another carrying MS and visiting US senators is fired at while fying above Avnevi toward Svaneti (https://civil.ge/archives/115221)
  • The JPKF claims unauthorized flights above the conflict zone are a violation of a 30 June 2002 decision of the JCC. (https://civil.ge/archives/115228)
    • The OSCE agreed that no flights should be conducted but condemned the shooting (https://civil.ge/archives/115236)
    • The Vladikavkaz section of the 51st JCC session which was aimed at solving key differences met during the first section in Moscow is postponed. (https://civil.ge/archives/115245)
• 4 September:
  • State Minister Merab Antadze calls for scrapping the negotiation format and replace it with a direct Georgian-Ossetian format with international mediators (https://civil.ge/archives/115237)
  • MP Givi Targamadze calls for the use of force to put an end to the conflict, the first public official from the ruling party openly doing so (https://civil.ge/archives/115229)
  • The helicopter incident radicalizes Tbilisi politicians' stance, with Burjanadze calling for peace but warning repercussions and Bakradze underlining that discussions with terrorists was difficult. MP Nika Rurua called for the neutralization of enemy forces. (https://civil.ge/archives/115248)
  • Georgian officials start proceedings to have the SO MoD recognized as a terrorist orrganization by the international community. (https://civil.ge/archives/115253)
• 8 September:
  • A clash near Nikozi between Georgian and SO armed forces kills 3 Ossetians and 1 Georgian and injures 2 Georgians. Antadze and Merabishvili visit conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/115277)
  • Tskhinvali calls for a meeting of Kokoity and Saakashvili to sign an agreement on the non-resumption of hostilities (https://civil.ge/archives/115278)
  • SO MIA Mikhail Mindzaev warned that in the event of hostilities, Tskhinvali would resort to sabotage in Georgian territories (https://civil.ge/archives/115282)
  • Tbilisi reiterates demands for demilitarization, internationalization of the peace process and international control of the Roki Tunnel (https://civil.ge/archives/115284)
• 9 September: Two instances of shootout exchange around Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/115292)
  • 11 September: Tskhinvali announces an independence referendum for 12 Nov 2006 at the same time as presidential elections. Terry Davis of the COE stated this was a waste of time while the EU stated that the results would have no meaning (https://civil.ge/archives/115322)
• 15 September: JCC51 Second Part (JCC51II), set to take place in Tskhinvali fails after Georgian withdrawal following the South Ossetian authorities' refusal to give security guarantees to Georgian delegation member Paata Bendianashvili, head of the Georgian peacekeeping batallion appointed in August, because of his role in orchestrating the 2004 clashes. Bendianashvili participated in JCC51I (https://civil.ge/archives/115333)
  • Tskhinvali instead proposes a meeting of the co-chairs of the JCC (https://civil.ge/archives/115342)
• 17 September: Kokoity and Russia oppose Georgian efforts to change the conflict settlement format (https://civil.ge/archives/115350)
• 18 September: Speaking at the Heirtage Foundation, Bezhuashvili develops the negotiation format reform proposal, asking for direct talks facilitated by Russia, the EU and the US. He stated that a clash was "inevitable" under the status quo. He wanted to remove Russia and North Ossetia as sides and wanted to scrap the JCC as a whole (https://civil.ge/archives/115385)
• 20 September: Kokoity and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov sign a cooperation agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/115378)
• 22 September: Russian MFA accuses Georgia of sabotaging the JCC by attempting to scrap the current format (https://civil.ge/archives/115391)
• 23 September: Two SO armed men are injured in a clash with Georgian police. (https://civil.ge/archives/115418)
• 25 September: Citizen Khvicha Nikorashvili is injured in a blast in Prisi (https://civil.ge/archives/115418)
• 26 September: a passenger bus of Georgians headed to Didi Liakhvi Gorge is robbed near a military station by armed men in Tskhinvali. Similar incident happens next day (https://civil.ge/archives/115427)
• 27 September: Eight Georgian fighter jes fly over the conflict zone. Another jet flies over the conlict zone on Sep 29. (https://civil.ge/archives/115457)
• 28 September: 3 NO peacekeepers are beaten, allegdly by Georgian forces in Avnevi
• 2 October:
  • South Ossetia announces withdrawing from talks with Tbilisi, along with Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/115499)
  • The OSCE calls on a meeting of the highest level between SO and Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/115507)
• 6 October: Representatives of Georgia, SO, NO, the OSCE, the European Commission, the UN, Turkey and the US participate in Tskhinvali in the launch of the SO rehabilitation economic that followed the donors conference (https://civil.ge/archives/115576)
• 9 October: 2 Georgian polcemen are injured in an attack near Kekhvi (https://civil.ge/archives/111167)
• 10 October:
  • In an interview with Suddeutsche Zeitung, Putin claims that the Ossetian people suffered two ethnic cleansings, once in the 1920s and once in the 1980s and that Alania, once united, was divided by the USSR. (https://civil.ge/archives/111177)
• 12 October: JCC51II takes place finally in Vladikavkaz. Antadze insists on scrapping the negotiating format, which leads to a deadlocking of the session (https://civil.ge/archives/111187)
• 14 October: Moscow Municipality sends 20 million rubles as humanitarian aid to SO (https://civil.ge/archives/111204)
• 27 October:
  • As the Alternative Polls are announced, a Georgian civilian is killed in Kekhvi by a mine explosion (https://civil.ge/archives/111291)
  • Construction of the NO-SO pipeline is launched (https://civil.ge/archives/111292)
  • MS claims being ready to meet Kokoity in Bakuriani because of its historial links to Ossetians (https://civil.ge/archives/111296)
    • Tskhinvali rejects the Bakuriani location and refuses to meet on Georgian territory (https://civil.ge/archives/111299)
• 28 October: NO MPs pass a statement condemning the so-called genocide of the Ossetian people in 1920 (https://civil.ge/archives/111301)
• 30 October: Kokoity conditions meeting Saakashvili to the signing of an agreement on the non-use of force. Georgia ties the signature to the internationalization of the peace process (https://civil.ge/archives/111308)
• 31 October: Tskhinvali claims having liquidated a 4-member Chechen saboteur group working for Georgia near Sinaguri although no casualites have bee reported (https://civil.ge/archives/111316)
  • Kokoity uses this allegation to back down from high-level talks (https://civil.ge/archives/111313)
  • Instead, two days later, Kokoity and Baghapsh made a joint appeal for a quadrilateral meeting with Putin and MS (https://civil.ge/archives/111331)
• 5 November: Tskhinvali accuses Tbilisi of installing an air defense radar system in the conflict zone, in violation of the 1992 ceasefire agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/111349)
• 11 November: Okruashvili is moved from Defense to Economy. Some in the media speculate that this shuffle is linked to his war rhetoric and his previou pledge to spend the New Year by 1 January in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/111383)

Nouvelle politique : L'Entité provisoire

• Dmitri Sanakoev, former MOD and VPM, formed a new SO government calling for the restoration of Georgian power over SO. (AD, 475)
  • Sanakoev won elections
  • He started a peaceful conflict resolution dialogue with Tbilisi
  • On 10 May 2007, he was appointed by MS as Head of the South Osetian Provisional Administrative Entity
  • The next day, he addressed the Parliament of Georgia in Ossetian
  • The move was praised by the US DOS
  • The move forced Tskhinvali to block the traffic to Georgian villages to oust Sanakoev's government by force.

• Zourabichvili
  • He granted the Sanakoev government a capital (Kurta), millions of USD in budget and the Liakhvi and Akhalgori valleys as territories. This legitimized SO claims over Georgian villages (310)

• On 15 January 2006, Tbilisi resumed broadcasting of Alania TV in Tskhinvali. The first program was an interview of Karusov, former MIA who escaped from Tskhinvali prison with help of Georgian forces, who accused Kokoity of violating the interests of the SO people.
• On 15 September 2006, ahead of the November presidential elections, Maia Chigoeva-Tsaboshvili, head of Iber-Ironi NGO in Tbilisi, announced intention to run for President against Kokoity (https://civil.ge/archives/115377)
  • But she was refused registration because she was not citizen (https://civil.ge/archives/111161)
• On 24 October, the Salvation Union of Ossetians, chaired by Vladimir Sanakoev, held its first news conference from Eredvi, where it announced plans to hold alternative presidential elections. *https://civil.ge/archives/111266)
  • One of the leaders was Maia Chigoeva-Tsaboshvili.
  • It set up its own CEC, chaired by Uzugbar Karkusov
  • Original speculation hinted that there would be to candidates, Maia and Jemal Karkusov. Karkusov was the one who escaped from a Tskhinvali jail in November 2005 and brother of Uzugbar
• Kokoity responded by stating that Tbilisi wanted to set up a puppet government (https://civil.ge/archives/111271)
• 6 candidates ended up running, icluding: Maia, Giorgi Chigoev, Teimuraz Jeragoev, Anatoli Dudaev, Tamar Charaeva and Dimitri Sanakoev (former PM) (https://civil.ge/archives/111305)
• Tskhinvali claimed the alternative polls would escalate tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/111325)
  • Officially, Tbilisi condemned both elections
• The alternate elections were set tpo be held in those parts of SO under Georgian control (https://civil.ge/archives/111355)
  • Despite the fact that the government distanced itself from the election, it announced it would not hold any obstacle against them.
  • Sanakoev's number was 5
  • He was backed by Alania TV
• The US condemned the Kokoity polls (https://civil.ge/archives/111366)
• Moscow warned Tbilisi against the Sanakoev polls (https://civil.ge/archives/111357)
• NATO condemned the Kokoity polls (https://civil.ge/archives/111386)
• Although there were four candidates in the Kokoity polls, two were selected by Kokoity himself (https://civil.ge/archives/111387)
• The alternate polls also featured an alternate referendum on negotiations with Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/111390)
  • 90% of voter turnout was reported in Tskhinvali. Eredvi CEC reprted a higher voter turnout with 42,000 votes cast
  • Eredvi CEC claimed having some polling stations in Java as well that were covertly brought to Eredvi on horseback.
• The COE SG condemned the Tskhinvali poll (https://civil.ge/archives/111393)
• On the day after the election, Kokoity demanded the extradition of Sanakoev (https://civil.ge/archives/111400)
• The EU condemned the Tskhinvali polls (https://civil.ge/archives/111403)
• Russia called the Tkhinvali polls an expression of free will (https://civil.ge/archives/111406)
• The OSCE Chair condemned the Tskhinvali polls (https://civil.ge/archives/111404)
• Kokoity won with 98.1% (https://civil.ge/archives/111414)
• Sanakoev won with 94% (https://civil.ge/archives/185495)
• Karasin congratulated Kokoity (https://civil.ge/archives/111440)
• Kokoity invited MS to his inauguration (https://civil.ge/archives/111458)
• On 30 November 2006, the Salvation Union of South Ossetia calls on MS to provide rule of law and security on the entire territory of SO (https://civil.ge/archives/111532)
  • The same day, the MIA arrests a Georgian citizen accused of working for SO separatists to liquidate Sanakoev (https://civil.ge/archives/111539)
• 1 December:
  • Sanakoev is inaugurated in Kurta. He takes his oath in Ossetian and Georgia. The ceremony was attended by Antadze and several MPs. (https://civil.ge/archives/111540)
  • Part of the alternative government is announced: Uruzmag Karkusov as PM, Jemal Karkusov as MIA, Maia Tsaboshvili-Chigoeva as FM. (https://civil.ge/archives/111541)
  • Antadze's presence made Tskhinvali cancel a meeting between Chochiev and Antadze scheduled for the next day in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/111543)
  • Moscow slams Tbilisi for backing the alternative government (https://civil.ge/archives/111562)
• 4 December:
  • Georgian police detains briefly two Russian peacekeepers in Tirdznisi for smuggling goods (https://civil.ge/archives/111554)
  • Kokoity and Mamsurov reiterate plans of unification of NO and SO in Vladikavkaz (https://civil.ge/archives/111555)
  • The EU and US call for more OSCE role in the SO conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/111558)
• 5 December:
  • Sanakoev announces wanting to have a say in the current negotiating process (https://civil.ge/archives/111560)
    • Refused by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/111564)
  • More of the alternative gov is apointed: Teimuraz Jerapov in Economy, Avtandil Gogidze in Finance, Konstantine Kevlishvili in Agriculture and Natural Resources, Vladimir Sanakoev in Information, Science and New Technologies, Tamaz Maisuradze in Construction and Transport. (https://civil.ge/archives/111576)
• 11 December: Kokoity announces a plan to cut troops by 30% with the hope for a reciprocal move by the Georgian side and calls for talks. (https://civil.ge/archives/111592)
• There were accusations that Sanakoev was bribing South Ossetians to join his government and that Kokoity was intimidating South Ossetians to refuse joining Sanakoev's government (https://civil.ge/archives/111619)
• 18 December: Shooting from unknown men at the Avnevi Georgian police station. Similar incident the day after (https://civil.ge/archives/111640)
• 19 December: Paata Bendianashvili is relocated in the MOD and removed as chief of the Georgian peacekeeping batallion (https://civil.ge/archives/111643)
• 26 December: North Ossetia opens representation office in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/111682)
• 27 December: Kokoity states wanting to meet Saakashvili and warns EU officials from meeting Sanakoev (https://civil.ge/archives/111693)
• 28 December: Parliament passes the Law on Restitution for the Victims of the South Ossetian Conflict. The bill envisages the creation of a special tripartite commission (Georgia, Tskhinvali, international organizations) that will review appeals submitted by victims of the conflict. But without Tskhinvali consent, this was just a formality (https://civil.ge/archives/111710)
• 2 January 2007: MS travels to Tamarasheni and Achabeti where he meets the local population. (https://civil.ge/archives/111717)
  • Tskhinvali condemned the visit as a demarche by Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/111716)
• 4 January: Colonel Mamuka Kurashvili is a ppointed as Commander of the Georgian Peacekeeping Batallion (https://civil.ge/archives/111721)
• 11 January: The Sanakoev government launches the process of procuring tangerines from Ossetian merchants who failed to export their products to Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/111740)
• 15 January: 2 Russian peacekeepers are injured in a landmine (https://civil.ge/archives/111755)
  • Tbilisi responds by calling for a full demilitarization of the region (https://civil.ge/archives/111765)
• 28 January: 3 South Ossetians are injured after their post is attacked on the outskirts of Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/111825)
• 31 January: MS announces a one-time pecuniary aid of 100 GEL to the residents of the Georgian enclaves of SO (https://civil.ge/archives/111845)
• 1 February: Georgian police checkpoint in Ergneti comes under mortar fire from Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/111849)
• 3 February: An overnight shootout between Nikozi and Tskhinvali injures an Ossetian and a Georgian civilian (https://civil.ge/archives/111862)
• 5 February: Tskhinvali rejects any direct talks with Georgians outside of the JCC format (https://civil.ge/archives/111848)
• 12 February: MS visits Kurta (https://civil.ge/archives/111905)
• 13 February: Georgian trucks carrying flour to Vanati (GE) are stopped from reaching the village. In retaliation, Georgian forces detain two South Ossetian armed men. Tensions are defused when the Ossetians are released in the evening (https://civil.ge/archives/111919)
• 15 February: Tbilisi proposes a JCC meeting in Istanbul. Tskhinvali tentatively agrees if the sides negotiate a date, venue and agenda ahead (https://civil.ge/archives/111929)
  • The proposal fails as the sides don't agree on conditions (https://civil.ge/archives/111973)
  • Kokoity then proposes a JCC meeting in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/112003)
• 17 February: COE Commissioner for Hman Rights Thomas Hammarberg meets Sanakoev in Kurta. The meeting is condemned by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/111955)
• 21 February:
  • Sanakoev says he wants to have a say in aid programs to South Ossetia, accusing Kokoity of corruption (https://civil.ge/archives/111966)
• 25 Gebruary: MS announces a disco club in Tamarasheni and a cinema and sports palace in villages in a campaign to win hearts and minds (https://civil.ge/archives/111976)
• 28 February: Tbilisi unveils a 20 million GEL investment plan for South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/112001)
• 2 March: Sanakoev calls for talks with Tbilisi to involve "our historic statehood and not the mythical reunion with Russia", stating he was sure they could live together with Georgians, Russians and Europeans in a joint family of different nations (https://civil.ge/archives/112010)
• 6 March: After a meeting with Boris Chochiev, Merab Antadze announces working on a new "peace plan" (https://civil.ge/archives/112030)
  • But these plans are rapidly rejected by Tskhinvali, who refuses to work on yet another peace plan (https://civil.ge/archives/112034)
• 15 March:
  • Moscow bashes the Sanakoev gvernment as a provocation by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/112083)
  • In his annual state of the nation address, MS praised the Sanakoev administration and announced being ready for talks with him (https://civil.ge/archives/112087)
    • He stated that Sanakoev was more representative of Ossetians than the Russian SO government officials (https://civil.ge/archives/112088)
      • This was condemned by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/112108)
• 19 March: MS meets Sanakoev (https://civil.ge/archives/112116)
• 21-23 March: Informal JCC meeting in Istanbul (https://civil.ge/archives/112124)
  • Tbilisi's demands for a formal JCC meeting are for it to be set in Tbilisi and for concrete proposals over demilitarization and law enforcement cooperation to be presented by working groups ahead of the next session (https://civil.ge/archives/112138)
  • In Istanbul, Tbilisi proposes a "peace memorandum" that envisages non-use of force agreement, demilitarization of the conflict zone and cooperation between law enforcement agencies, although this was rejected by Tbilisi. The memorandum was seen as supported by the OSCE Ljubljana Summit (https://civil.ge/archives/112256)
• 25 March: 2 Georgan servicemen are killed in a clash in Didmukha (https://civil.ge/archives/112147)
• 26 March: MS announces the plans for the creation of a "Temporary Administrative Unit" in the SO. This was seen as an attempt to legalize the Sanakoev government y putting him in charge of the Unit (https://civil.ge/archives/112079)
• The Alternative Government was an attempt by MS to shatter the decades-long status in the conflict zone. (https://civil.ge/archives/112179)
  • Bryza admitted in April 2007 that this Alternative Gov was set up per recommendation of the US government
• The Law on Creating Appropriate Conditions for Peaceful Resoltion of Conflict in Former Autonomous District of South Ossetia was introduced by MS on 5 April, setting the legal ground for the Alternative Government. It gave the President the right to nominate "representatives of local political forces and representatives of local society" as the authorities of the administrative unit. (https://civil.ge/archives/112183)
  • Every major parliamentary opposition group supported the project.
  • The bill passed first hearing on 5 April (https://civil.ge/archives/112199)
  • Second reading passed on 11 April (https://civil.ge/archives/112215)
  • Bill passed third reading on 13 April (https://civil.ge/archives/112227)
  • Condemned by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/112232)
  • Think tank Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development (CIPDD) states that the new strategy provides new opportunities but contains a risk of escalating tensions in the conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/112269)
• 10 April: Ilia II mets Sanakoev in Tamarasheni (https://civil.ge/archives/112210)
• 11 April:
  • Russian Ambassador Kovalenko states that the Provisional Administrative Entity (PAE) is very important but done the wrong way (https://civil.ge/archives/112220)
  • Kokity warns that anyone with ties or contacts with the PAE would not be allowed in SO (https://civil.ge/archives/112221)
  • Kurta is shelled, no injury reported (https://civil.ge/archives/112223)
• 20 April:
  • 65th Rose-Roth Seminar in Tbilisi of the NATO PA. Sanakoev participates. Kokoity boycotts, stating that his participation would be tied to Georgia recognizing SO independence. (https://civil.ge/archives/112271)
  • Saakashvili signs a decree annulling the 23 December 2000 Agreement on Interaction in Rehabilitation of the Economy in the the Georgian-Ossetian Conflict Zone and on Return of Refugees with Russia. The decree is cnfidential and leaked only three months later. (https://civil.ge/archives/112583)
• 23 April: Saakashvili announces a new five-point plan on conflict resolution, including the creation of a Provisional Administration to be governed potentially by Kokoity and Sanakoev jointly with the power to appoint ministers and in preparation of an autonomous entity, the issue of a special financial package for the rehabilitation and development of the region (https://civil.ge/archives/112278)
  • Tskhinvali eventually rejects the offer to be part of a provisional administration (https://civil.ge/archives/112316)
• 24 April: Moscow claims that Tbilisi's talks with Sanakoev goes against its own desire to hold direct talks with Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/112291)
• 26 April: Nikozi comes under fire. No injury (https://civil.ge/archives/112309)
• 27 April: Tbilisi announces resumption of its unilateral demilitarization in the conflict zone, starting with the destruction of fortifications on the territories (https://civil.ge/archives/112311)
• 3 May: Sanakoev meets with UNM MPs in Kurta (https://civil.ge/archives/112270)
• 4 May: Burjanadze meets with Sanakoev in Kurta (https://civil.ge/archives/112337)
• 8 May:
  • In response to Sanakoev gaining legitimacy in Georgia, Kokoity threatens to pull out entirely from talks (https://civil.ge/archives/112349)
  • In 149-4 vote, Parliament sets up the Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia. (https://civil.ge/archives/112352)
• 9 May: OSCE observers are threatened by SO militiamen after discovering a cache of military weapons in the area between Nikozi and Avnevi (https://civil.ge/archives/112356)
  • Russia even condemned Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/112370)
• 10 May: MS appoints Sanakoev as head of the temporary admnistration (https://civil.ge/archives/112363)
• 11 May:
  • Sanakoev addresses the Georgian Parliament in Ossetian. In his speech, he thanked MS and the Georgian governmen for supporting his popular movement, which showed there was a "political will in Georgia to find a realistic solution to this conflict by mutual compromise". He emphasized that while it may have been a natural reaction to join the separaist cause in the 1990s, tim was now to build up the bridge. He called for direct dialogue between Ossetians and Georgians and to increase the role of the EU in the region to build a unified state based on mutual respect and trust. (https://civil.ge/archives/112373)
    • Addressing the Ossetian people, he laid the blame on the Soviet heritage of divide and rule and stated that Georgians and Ossetians had a joint historical heritage.
    • He blamed foreign "supervisors" of the regime to provoke hostilities to prevent the restoration of trust between both states. He bashed the Tskhinvali regime for maintaining fear and hatred among the local population through a propaganda machine that is leading to the depopulation of the region.
    • He laid out the solution as broad autonomy with firm political and cultural guarantees to the Ossetian people in a unified Georgian state (https://civil.ge/archives/112372)
    • The entire diplomatic corps was present at Parliament for the speech, except for the Russian ambassador (https://civil.ge/archives/112372)
  • In retaliation, Tskhinvali installed concrete blocks on the road on the outskirts of Tbilisi to block access to Georgian villages, forcing Georgian officials to go to Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/112371)
• 12 May: A Georgian police officer and a Tskhinvali-living civilian are injured in a shootout between Tskhinvali and Nikozi (https://civil.ge/archives/112379)
• 14 May: Noghaideli blames Kokoity for the escalation of tensions and calls on Russia to take an active stance against violence (https://civil.ge/archives/112380)
• 15 May: MS visits the conflict zone and calls on Kokoity to reopen the roads (https://civil.ge/archives/112387)
• 16 May:
  • Moscow states that it does not recognize Sanakoev as a legitimate side in the conflict and rejects talks with him (https://civil.ge/archives/112397)
  • The PA of Abkhazia, SO and Transnistria condemn Tbilisi's "provocative" policy on South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/112402)
• 19 May: Shelling between Georgian villages and Tskhinvali. Several civilian injuries on both sides (https://civil.ge/archives/112418)
• The Provisional Administration was granted 12 million GEL in the 2007 budget, most of which to be spent on rehabilitation projects (https://civil.ge/archives/112427)
• 23 May: Merabishvili met with Sanakoev in Kurta and announced construction of new police station. Sanakoev also meets with Gogi Topadze to discuss business projects (https://civil.ge/archives/112431)
• 26 May: In his Independence Day speech, MS tells Ossetians "We love you" in Ossetian. He states that, "Ossetians have not only been part of our history, but they have always been a heroic and important part of our history? They have been, they are and they will be part of our history in the future as well." (https://civil.ge/archives/112446)
• 28 May: Tamarasheni (GE) and Kverneti (SO) come under "intense" fire. Both sides blame each other. (https://civil.ge/archives/112457)
  • The opposition demanded from the government a special operation to take out Kokoity.
• 29 May: Russian Ambassador Kovalenko warns that the Sanakoev administration was "leading to the wrong direction" (https://civil.ge/archives/112462)
• 30 May: Tskhinvali accuses Georgia of refusing to repair a water pipeline on its territory, leading to a water shortage in SO (https://civil.ge/archives/112464)
• 31 May:
  • Sanakoev meets in Tbilisi with Sir Brian Fall, the UK Special Representative for the South Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/112469)
  • Water shortage becomes political, with Moscow accusing Tbilisi of playing political games. Georgia apparently refused to let Ossetians repair the pipeline, as it demands for Tskhinvali to receive permission from the Sanakoev administration. Tskhinvali cuts off water supplies to Georgian villages. (https://civil.ge/archives/112473)
• 2 June:
  • Tskhinvali restores water supplies to Georgian villages but Tskhinvali remains without water. (https://civil.ge/archives/112473)
  • The Center of Ossetian Culture and At is opened in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/112481)
• 3 June:
  • Tskhinvali cuts off water supplies to Georgian villages in the Gori district used for irrigation. Chochiev accuses Tbilisi of preparing for war, although laying the blame on Merabishvili and not Merab Antadze. (https://civil.ge/archives/112482)
  • 3 Georgian civilians are arrested in a special operation in Tskhinvali by separatist officers. (https://civil.ge/archives/112445)
• 4 June: Georgian law enforcers arrest one SO civilian (https://civil.ge/archives/112445)
• 5 June: Tskhinvali kidnapps 2 Georgians from the Znauri District. (https://civil.ge/archives/112445)
• 6 June:
  • The 3 Tskhinvali-arrested Georgians are released. (https://civil.ge/archives/112495)
  • 13 days since the beginning of the water crisis, Tskhinvali invites NO experts to develop alternative water supplies (https://civil.ge/archives/112498)
  • Sanakoev's administration repairs the pipeline (https://civil.ge/archives/112499) although Tskhinvali claims repair is delayed (https://civil.ge/archives/112504)
• 7 June:
  • End of the water crisis, supply is resumed (https://civil.ge/archives/112506)
  • The International Crisis Group issues a report in which it says that, "Tbilisi is taking ?imaginative? steps towards resolving the South Ossetian conflict, but its new strategy may backfire ?unless it proceeds cautiously and engages all actors" and claiming that the Sanakoev appointment "alienates the broader Ossetian constituency" (https://civil.ge/archives/112500)
• 9 June: Tskhinvali claims the water shortage continues as repair work was inefficient (https://civil.ge/archives/112515)
• 15 June:
  • Tbilisi launches the construction of a bypass road to link Nikozi and Avnevi, both Georgian villages, without going through Ossetian-controlled territory. Construction crews operated under protection of a 160-strong special purpose unit. In retaliation, SO forces were deployed toward Avnevi to prevent construction of the road. Russian peacekeepers were deployed between the Georgian SPU and the SO peacekeepers. (https://civil.ge/archives/112549)
    • Tskhinvali argued that the new road would give Georgia an advantage in the event of a military conflict.(https://civil.ge/archives/112551)
  • In a statement made to the OSCE PA, the European Union praises the Sanakoev move as an "all-inclusive effort" by the Georgian authorities to solve the SO conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/112553)
• 16 June: Tskhinvali cuts off water supply to more than a dozen Georgian villages. Sanakoev demands the intervention of the OSCE (https://civil.ge/archives/112555)
• 19 June:
  • Antadze-Chochiev meeting over the waer crisis. Both sides disagree over whether the original pipeline had been repaired or not (https://civil.ge/archives/112568). Antadze claims that the water shortage is due to Tskhinvali not feeding the pipeline more than a third of what is necessary from its Java sluice (https://civil.ge/archives/112571)
  • At a GUAM Summit in Baku, MS states that Kokoity's "time is expiring" and announces he will launch talks with Sanakoev about autonomy and that Georgia "will give Ossetians everything they have ever dreamed of in Georgia." (https://civil.ge/archives/112567)
• 25 June: Kommersant and Rezonansi both separately break a story according to which Georgia and Russia were negotiating secretly over the SO conflict in a move that would see Kokoity replaced with Sanakoev loyalists, the conflict put to an end and Georgia agreeing to remove its veto over WTO accession, to make Russia guarantor of the SO autonomy and even to agree to Russian military presence in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/112591)
• 26 June: Sanakoev visits Brussels to deliver a speech to the 9th session of the EU-Georgian Parliamentary Cooperation Committee. He delivers a speech in Ossetian. This is seen as a diplomatic score for the Saakashvili administration (https://civil.ge/archives/112597)
• 27 June: Moscow refuses once more to launch talks with Sanakoev (https://civil.ge/archives/112604)
• 28 June:
  • Two SO militiamen are injured after a clash between Tamarasheni and Tskhinvali. A few hours before, a Georgian police officer was injured (https://civil.ge/archives/112610)
  • Construction is temporarily delayed on the Avnevi-Nikozi bypass road after the deployment of Russian peacekeepers on site. The Russians are forced out after local residents protest and the construction resumes (https://civil.ge/archives/112611)
• 29 June: One SO militiaman is injured in Tskhinvali after mortar attack fro Kheiti (GE) (https://civil.ge/archives/112614)
• 30 June: Intense shootout between Tskhinvali and Tamarasheni. 3 civilians injured (1 in Tamarasheni and 2 in Tskhinvali) (https://civil.ge/archives/112621)
• 2 July:
  • Local Georgians block the Ergneti-Tskhinvali road in protest of the water crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/112627)
  • Kokoity claims Georgia "wants war" but that he shows "maximum restraint" (https://civil.ge/archives/112626)
  • The OSCE Chair in Office Miguel Angel Moratinos blames both Tbilisi and Tskhinvali for an unwillingness to compromise (https://civil.ge/archives/112617)
• 3 July:
  • At the Batumi International Conference, Sanakoev states that the "key to conflict resolution is in Europe" and called for more EU involvement in the conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/112631)
  • Kokoity meets the Georgian villagers protesting the water crisis. After the meeting, water supply is restored (https://civil.ge/archives/112632)
• 4 July: Saakashvili, in an interview with Reuters, states that a mix of "soft power" and "people power" should be used in South Ossetia to make a breakthrough in the region (https://civil.ge/archives/112634)
• 5 July: After rumors that Brussels was considering backing off from its financial commitment made earlier for the conflict area, the Europea Commission reiterates its commitment (https://civil.ge/archives/112645)
• 6 July: The water crisis continues: SO militia is deployed in Gujabauri to prevent Georgian workers from cleaning an irrigation channel, the blockage of which still prevents 6 Georgian villages from water access (https://civil.ge/archives/112652)
• 7 July: Following Tskhinvali's refusal to participate in a JCC meeting if held in Tbilisi, the EU reacts cautiously to the proposal by Georgia to replace the JCC format with a new one under international auspices: although a change in the negotiating format is not currently the focus of discussions, the creation of a new ?political body? to work alongside the existing JCC could be helpful. (https://civil.ge/archives/112655)
• 10 July:
  • Tskhinvali claims that water supply to the SO capital had been cut off and that Georgia prevented its workers from inspecting the pipeline.
  • A meeting scheduled at the OSCE Field Office in Tskhinvali between Georgians, OSCE reps and SO is cancelled when Ossetians fail to show up (https://civil.ge/archives/112669)
• 12 July: 2 Russian journalists from RTR are arrested by Georgian police in the conflict zone for illegal recording of various military installations. They had media accrediation from the JPFK (https://civil.ge/archives/112679)
• 13 July:
  • JCC meets in Tskhinvali. Tbilisi boycotts as Tskhinvali had refused a JCC meeting in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/112687)
  • President Saakashvili signs a decree creating a state committion to develop SO's autonomous status within the Georgian state (https://civil.ge/archives/112685)
    • Tbilisi invites both Russia and the EU to participate in the commission, though in vain (https://civil.ge/archives/112750)
• 18 July:
  • President Saakashvili states at a Cabinet meeting that Georgia was engaged in a battle to win the hearts and minds of the SO population and demands his ministers to work around-the-clock (https://civil.ge/archives/112708)
  • Water crisis: A joint monitoring group for a water pipeline, made of both Georgian and SO members, comes to different conclusions on whether the pipeline works well enough for Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/112709)
• 19 July: Davit Bakradze replaces Merab Antadze as State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues, apparently a move to adapt the State Ministry to the "new dimension" that came with the Sanakoev administration. (https://civil.ge/archives/112718)
  • He outlines EU involvement in the conflict as his top priority (https://civil.ge/archives/112721)
  • Saakashvili stated that Bakradze's close ties with the European Union was the reason for the shuffle (https://civil.ge/archives/112728)
• 20 July: Yuri Popov, Russia's chief negotiator, hints that Sanakoev could participate in the talks, although not as a separate side, rather as part of the Georgian side (https://civil.ge/archives/112725)
• 22 July: Tamarasheni hosts an Ossetian Community Assembly, gathering 100 Ossetians from all over Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/112731)
• 23 July: Sanakoev launches the Kokoity Fandarast public campaign (https://civil.ge/archives/112726)
  • Kokoity Fandarast is quickly compared to Kmara (https://civil.ge/archives/112834)
• 27 July: Visiting Matthew Bryza endorses the Georgian efforts toward conflict resolution, including setting up the commission on the status (https://civil.ge/archives/112763)
• 1 August: Bakradze and Chochiev reach an agreement over the phone to jintly monitor the Java-Tskhinvali water pipeline. Until then, the SO side refused to let Georgian specialists monitor the pipeline on SO territory (https://civil.ge/archives/112784)
• 3 August: Tskhinvali cancels its participation from the Tbilisi JCC scheduled for 9-10 August (https://civil.ge/archives/112797)
• 6 August: Alleged Russian airstrike. Tbilisi claims Russia's role as a mediator in the conflict is undermined (https://civil.ge/archives/112820)
  • Kokoity calls for the setting of an air defense system by Russian peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/112832)
• 8 August:
  • Bakradze resigns as co-chair of the JCC, downgrading Georgia's presence to deputy state minister (https://civil.ge/archives/112817)
  • Kokoity calls for a meeting with Saakashvili to sign a non-use of force treaty (https://civil.ge/archives/112821)
• 14 August: Putin awards 12 residents of SO. The decree uses the term "Republic of SO" which angers Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/112859)
• 17 August: Kokoity Fandarast holds a rally in Tamarasheni, its closest appearance yet to Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/112862)
• 23 August: The Provisional Admin, already funded 12.4 million GEL, receives an additional 210,000 GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/112899)
• 30 August: Saakashvili visits Tamarasheni, opens an amusement park and pledges an increase of conflict zone teachers to 200 GEL a month (https://civil.ge/archives/112937)
• 31 August: Tskhinvali bans its residents from traveling to Georgia proper (https://civil.ge/archives/112941)
• "On Our Own" was a youth group set up in response to Sanakoev's Kokoity Fandarast (https://civil.ge/archives/112950)
• 4 September: Georgia announces that Spain is set to provide "expertise" on South Ossetia's autonomous status (https://civil.ge/archives/112964)
• 14 September: Moscow warns against the holding of a Peace March by Kokoity Fandarast (https://civil.ge/archives/113037)
• 18 September: Tskhinvali hosts 500 for an All-Ossetian Assembly that called for the recognition of SO by Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/113064)
• 20 September: Kokoity Fandarast claims having started a leaflet campaign in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/113068)
• 21 September: Sanakoev and the Georgian government hosts a high-profile conference in Tamarasheni with the participation of the diplomatic corps, boycotted by Ambassador Kovalenko of Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/113071)
• 13 October: Boney M performs at Tamarasheni (https://civil.ge/archives/113243)
• 23 October: For the first time in over a year, the JCC meets in Tbilisi to discuss demilitarization, disarmament of illegal armed groups and prevention of arms trafficking (https://civil.ge/archives/113301)
  • The sides came close to an agreement on opening an observation post at Didi Gupta, the northernmost point of the conflict zone, something that was praised as a breakthrough (https://civil.ge/archives/113308)
• 24 October: Dimitri Manjavidze, head Georgian negotiator, says the JCC format is pointless (https://civil.ge/archives/113318)
• 28 October: Saakashvili dedicates a statue to Kosta Khetagurov, Ossetian poet, in bilisi, and calls for patience to solve the conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/113343)

• Glucksmann
  • He built near the main SO road an attraction park, a large swimming pool, a night club and a sport center to try and bring together Georgian and Ossetian youth (42)

• The Force Awakens
  • He had Bonny M do a concert in the conflict zone (165)
  • He called this the Discotheque Diplomacy (165)
  • Sanakoev was seen as a proper South Ossetian "nationalist", not linked with Russian special services (165)

• He berated the term Georgian-Ossetian conflict in his 2007 parliamentary address. He claimed that separatists Morozov, Barankevich, Petrov, Ivanov (Russians) should not be considered the Ossetian side any more than Sanakoyev should be (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4952&i=1 )
  • In the same address, he called for a change in the peacekeeping format through consultations with European institutions and the US.

Abkhazie

D'Ardzinba à Baghapch : changements au pouvoir à Sokhoumi

• Rayfield
  • He supported restoring the Armenia-Abkhazia railway (396)
    • Should be noted the issue was lobbied by Armenia in 2004 and Tbilisi agreed with the condition of IDP return (https://civil.ge/archives/105429)
      • That stance was softened during talks with Armenia in April 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107931)

• VP Valeri Arshba told Abkhaz TV on 8 January 2004 that he supported a peace agreement with Georgia to prevent the resumption of hostilities and as a foundation for new talks with Tblisi. He called for the disbanding of gangs and armed groups. (https://civil.ge/archives/105020)
  • MS ruled out the use of force and said the only way to bring back Abkhazia was to use economic leverages.
• On Jan 12, Sokhumi handed over to the UN a list of conditions to resume peace talks with the new governent, among which a peace treaty and the disbanding of armed groups and the dissolution of the Abkhaz government in exile. (https://civil.ge/archives/105040)
  • Tbilisi called these an ultimatum, something that commentators called a mistake.
• Tamaz Nadareishvili, head of the government in exile, resigned on Jan 13 after meeting with MS. It's not known if his resignation was linked to the proposal by Sokhumi or to the IDP protests (https://civil.ge/archives/105044)
• He vowed to hold the next presidential inauguration in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/105114)
• On 29 Jan 2004, Ardzinba called on the UN to ensure Tbilisi would not use force against Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/105153)
• On 30 Jan, the UNSC passed a resolution calling on both sides to make concessions while deploring Abkhazia's refusal to resume peace talks and extending UNOMIG's mission till July (https://civil.ge/archives/105161)
• In February 2004, an Abkhaz delegation led by FM Shamba, visited Tbilisi to meet with officials (https://civil.ge/archives/105211
  • During the visit, the first since peace talks were abolished in 2001, the Abkhaz side asked for Russian peacekeeper checkpoints in the Kodori Valley (https://civil.ge/archives/105223)
  • From Moscow, MS said at the same time that he proposed broad autonomy and a federative system for Abkhazia. He also expressed hope for new leadership following the presidential elections (https://civil.ge/archives/105224)
• The UN Group fo Friends of Georgia, including western states, scheduled talks for 17-18 February between Sokhumi and Tbilisi in Geneva. At the last moment, Sokhumi pulled out, demanding recognition as a precondition (https://civil.ge/archives/105255)
• The appointment of Goga Khaindrava as a State Minister on Conflict Issues was welcome by Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/105250)
• While in NYC in Feb 2004, MS made an appeal to the UNSC to fully commit to the peace process, notably by pushing forward UNOMIG civilian police deployment in Gali. (https://civil.ge/archives/105342)
• UNM Temur Mzhavia was elected as Chairman of the exile Abkhazia government on 16 March (https://civil.ge/archives/105473)
• Georgia asked Armenia to mediate on the reopening of the railway in return of IDP return (https://civil.ge/archives/105608)
• Germany, France, Great Britain, Russia and the United States mediated talks with Abkhazia in Geneva under the auspices of the UN on 21 April on the issue of IDP return (https://civil.ge/archives/105727)
• On 19 May 2004, days after the expel of Abashidze from Adjara, Ivanov came to Georgia a third time and met with the MS, ZZ and VM. The meeting was confidential but it was about Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/105946)
  • Abkhaz PM Khajimba had visited Moscow on May 6 hours after Abashidze left, while SZ was also in Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/105882)
  • On 14 May, Abkhaz MOD Viacheslav Echba accused Georgia of planning destabilization in Gali, reporting large Georgian propaganda influx in the region, such as flags and MS posters (https://civil.ge/archives/105919)
  • On 15 May, Tbilisi pledged to not use force in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/105923)
  • On 17 May, Ivanov arrived in Tbilisi to talk about Abkhazia with Merabishvili, ZZ and MS (https://civil.ge/archives/105933)
  • On 18 May, Sokhumi reneged any compromise over the status of Abkhazia within Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/105945)
• On 20 May, Khaindrava and Shamba met in Sokhumi in special talks mediated by the UN, in which they both agreed that they would not use force against each other (https://civil.ge/archives/105958) Khaindrava would later say no breakthrough was expected until the next elections in October (https://civil.ge/archives/105962)
• Tbilisi did well by ordering an investigation into the Chechen band of Ruslan Gelaev's attack from Kodori in 2001 (https://civil.ge/archives/105959)
• In a speech said on 26 May said in Abkhazian, he called on Georgia for more tolerance to avoid the mistakes of the past and called on Sokhumi to agree to peace talks with readiness toward any type of federalism (https://civil.ge/archives/105986)
• But the speech led to no positive reaction from Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/105991)
• The NSC made public the peace plan's details on 30 May (https://civil.ge/archives/105960) :
  • Signature of agreements over non-resumption of hostilities
  • Signature of an agreement to outline the distribution of powers in a federation. The two signatories would be the Federal State of Georgia and its co-member the Abkhazian Republic.
  • The Federal State will handle defense and foreign policy, border defense, customs system and the fight against organized crime.
  • Abkhazia will maintain its own police force.
  • Abkhazians will serve in the army units of the Federal State stationed in Abkhazia
  • A Federal Constitutional Court will handle all disputes
  • Abkhazia will be a parliamentary republic although it can be transformed into a presidential one with the status of President of Abkhazia if demanded
  • No ethnic discrimination in the post of President of Abkhazia, but a requirement will be made that the President speaks both languages.
  • Majority of the Abkhazian Parliament to be made up of ethnic Abkhazians, even after the return of IDPs
  • Seats for ethnic Abkhazians to be allocated in the Federal Parliament. They will have the right to veto issues concerning Abkhazia
  • Permanent residence in Abkhazia will not be granted to those who have not lived in the region before.
  • Permanent residents will be granted the citizienship of Abkhazia
  • All rail and air links between Sokhumi and Tbilisi to be restored.
  • Abkhazia is graned right to fix and collect dues and taxes but some will be transferred to central budget
  • GEL will be put in circulation but they will depict Abkhaz national symbols and words.
• In June 2004, the government distributed free fertilizers to the Gali district along with the adminstration of Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/106149)
• MS pledged on 5 July 2004 that while Georgia was not yet ready, it would bring Abkhazia back within 3 years. (https://civil.ge/archives/106234)
  • There were concerns about federalism when Adjaran autonomy was almost cancelled
• On July 20, Georgia and Abkhazia held talks in Sochi over the return of IDPs (https://civil.ge/archives/115702)
• Georgia called on Abkhazia for dialogue in July 2004 by praising the fact that it disarmed and neutralzed illegal armed formations and detained several criminal groups in Western Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/115757)
• The UNOMIG mission was extended on 29 July 2004 for another six months, till 31 January 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/115781)
• Georgia opened fire on a Turkish vessel headed to Abkhazia in Augus 2004, in the midst of the SO crisis, something condemned by Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115725)
  • Amid criticism, MS doubled down, sayig he would open fire at any ships violating the territorial integrity of Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/115796)
• Also in August 2004, Russia started wworks on the restoration of sections of the Vesioloe-Sokhumi railway, which led to a protest note from Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/115792)
  • MS said that Abkhazia was no place to rest and no place for tourism, responded by Russia with a comment on being ready to defend its citizens in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/115820)
• Yuri Luzhkov visited Sokhumi on 5 August 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/115813)
• On 9 August, Zhirinovsky's convoy, coming from Anapa to Sohumi, comes under Georgian fire (https://civil.ge/archives/115833)
• On 11 August 2004, a group of Russian MPs led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky visited Abkhazia via boat from Sochi and was escorted by the Russian coast guard despite signaling by the Georgian coast guard.
• Putin met Khajimba, PM, on Aug 29 2004 in Sochi, in which Putin pledged social assistance for WWII vets in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/115949)
  • The meeting was condemned by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/115953)
  • This was interpreted as Putin's support for Khajimba ahead of the presidential elections of Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/115958)
• Russia resumed railway connection between Moscow and Sokhumi on 10 September 2004. This was based on a March 2003 agreement between Georgia and Russia but it was set on the precondition of return of Gali IDPs. (https://civil.ge/archives/115959)
  • To be noted, this was in the wake of the Tskhinvali crisis.
  • It was also a point given to Khajimba by Moscow to support his presidential campaign.
• Sokhumi accused Tbilisi of planning sabotage operations throughout the republic ahead of the 2004 presidential election, denied by Tbilisi. MS stated publicly that force would not be used to return Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/116030)
• UN-moderated talks between Abkhazia and Georgia stopped in July 2004 after Georgian Coat Guard seized a Turkish ship in Abkhaz waters. Eventually, Sokhumi demanded a UN resolution condemning Georgia over "violation of its territorial waters" as a precondition for resumption of talks (https://civil.ge/archives/116061)
• An important point in the railway-resumption-by-Russia debate: 50-60,000 IDPs were returned by Gali since the 2003 Agreement, but Tbilisi believed this was not enough as their living conditions were not satisfactory. This debate caused a spat between Putin and MS at the CIS Summit of Astana in September 2004. (https://civil.ge/archives/116068)
• From UNGA, MS proposed in September 2004 a three-step program toward conflict settlement: initiating confidence-building measures that link NGOs, journalists, students, health care workers, athletes, etc., the removal of instruments of war through demilitararization and eliminating the climate of fear through decriminalization and the internationalization of peacekeeping operations, and a global solution with global guarantees that will provide a full and broad autonomy (https://civil.ge/archives/116107)
  • This was rejected by Sokhumi and Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/116119)
• A Sochi-Sokhumi bus line opened on Sep 23, just days after CIS member states reiterated their commitment to not entertain ties with Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/116118)
• Irakli Alasania was appointed chief of the Council of Ministers of Abkhazia on Sep 28 (https://civil.ge/archives/116152)
  • His first main declaration was a guarantee that Georgia was not planning destabilization ahead of the 2004 presidential election (https://civil.ge/archives/116178)
• The Duma sent a monitoring team to the Abkhaz elections of 2004, condemned by Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/116171)
  • While Tbilisi recognized there were no "pro-Georgian" candidate, it de facto backed Khajimba, who was also backed by Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/116173)
  • While Tbilisi's support for Khajimba was based on a plan of cooperation with Moscow, some experts believed that Georgia really favored Bagapsh for his stance against annexation into Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/116177)
  • MS called the elections illegitimate (https://civil.ge/archives/116182)
  • Only one-fourth of local Georgians were allowed to vote (https://civil.ge/archives/116187)
  • The Abkhaz CEC announced Khajimba as a winner on Oct 4 (https://civil.ge/archives/116188)
  • There were reports that Gali Georgians were forced and pressured to vote for Khajimba (https://civil.ge/archives/116189)
  • Unexpectedly, Abkhaz CEC announced that its previously announced results were wrong on Oct 4 (https://civil.ge/archives/116194)
  • Khajimba accused the polls of being unfair and noted voter fraud in Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/116196)
  • OSCE did not recognize the elections (https://civil.ge/archives/116197)
  • Russian MFA called them democratic (https://civil.ge/archives/116198)
  • The US did not recognize the elections (https://civil.ge/archives/116199)
  • Baghapsh was announced winner in the new recount (https://civil.ge/archives/116203)
  • Baghapsh announced he was pro-Russian, insisting he was not pro-Georgian (https://civil.ge/archives/116205)
  • It turned out that Gali held the key to the results (https://civil.ge/archives/116214)
  • Ardzinba feared civil war (https://civil.ge/archives/116217)
• Abkhazia started issuing its own passports on 1 November 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/116235)
• Nodar Khashga, appointed as PM by Ardzinba on the eve of the pesidential election, staed he was sent by Putin (https://civil.ge/archives/116227)
• The CEC recognized Baghapsh as president-elect on 11 October (https://civil.ge/archives/106303)
  • Decision challenged by Khajimba (https://civil.ge/archives/106304)
  • Khaindrava praised that the Abkhaz people rejected the Moscow candidate (https://civil.ge/archives/106306)
  • Lavrov said the outcome of these elections were unclear after Baghapsh was dclared (https://civil.ge/archives/106311)
  • Ardzinba called the decision of the CEC absurd and called it a coup (https://civil.ge/archives/106313)
  • MS stated that the most anti-Georgian forces failed to win (https://civil.ge/archives/106328)
• Irakli Alasania claimed that armed groups were infiltrating Abkhazia from Russia following the presidential election, as confirmed by Georgian intelligence services (https://civil.ge/archives/106341)
  • This was followed by the Georgian MFA accusing Russia of directly sending troops to Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/106343)
    • Denied by Sokhumi and Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/106346)
  • Alasania met with Steven R. Mann on the wake of the presidential elections, showing his importance (https://civil.ge/archives/106350)
  • 8 members of the Abkhaz CEC admitted that the decision to declare Baghapsh the winner was illegal (https://civil.ge/archives/106368)
  • A vote recount started on October 27 (https://civil.ge/archives/106437)
  • Moscow proposed a deal to the opposition: recognize Baghapsh in return of Khashba remaining PM, a deal refused by the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/106397)
  • The Supreme Court recognized Baghapsh as president-elect on Oct 28 (https://civil.ge/archives/106455)
  • A few hours later, it reversed its decision and ordered new elections (https://civil.ge/archives/106452)
    • A judge admitted being forced to do so under threat by the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/106460)
  • Tbilisi expressed concern by these developments (https://civil.ge/archives/106461)
  • While Ardzinba signed the re-election order, his Parliament refused to recognize his order (https://civil.ge/archives/106465)
  • Ardzinba Gov feared a Georgian incursion over the crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/106472)
• Kofi Annan warned in October 2004 that the peace process was almost at a standstill (https://civil.ge/archives/106379)
  • Tbilisi responded by calling for a Security Council visit to Abkhazia and expressing concern over the renewed presence of the Confederation of NC Mountain Peoples in the region since the Abkhaz elections (https://civil.ge/archives/106454)
• Russia donated coast guard boats to Abkhazia in November 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106489)
• Baghapsh and Khajimba met in Moscow on 2 November to hold talks over electoral results. Tbilisi condemned Russia's interference (https://civil.ge/archives/106494)
  • They met with the FSB (https://civil.ge/archives/106505)
• PM Nodar Khashba visited Moscow on 9 November to meet with Russian officials over the political crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/106544)
  • Tbilisi slammed Moscow for holding talks with Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/106557)
• Ardzinba calls for a revote on 11 November (https://civil.ge/archives/106567)
• 12 Nov: 3,000 supporters of Baghapsh and 700 supporters of Khajimba rally in Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/106570)
  • Clashes take place, shots are heard, and Baghapsh activists capture all government buildings (https://civil.ge/archives/106572)
• 13 Nov:
  • Despite a proposal by Baghapsh to form a coalition gov with Khajimba, Moscow warns him of military intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/106574)
  • Georgia condemns Russia's threat of intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/106576)
  • Sokhumi hints that Tbilisi favors from chaos to plan a military intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/106578)
  • Russia deploys peacekeepers in Sokhumi, protested by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/106583)
• 15 November:
  • Opposition abandons government buildings and separate talks of Baghapash and Khajimba with PM Khashba (https://civil.ge/archives/106591)
  • Russia closes its border with Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/106595)
• 16 Nov: Baghapsh accuses Khashba of askinng for Russian intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/106603)
• 17 Nov:
  • Khajimba offers to withdraw his candidacy if Baghapsh does the same (https://civil.ge/archives/106608)
  • 2000 employees of Abkhaz MIA announce desobedience (https://civil.ge/archives/106609)
    • VP Arshba is sacked by Ardzinba after making that announcement (https://civil.ge/archives/106613)
  • Abkhaz Parliament formally sides with Baghapsh (https://civil.ge/archives/106617)
• 19 Nov: Sokhumi claims Georgian special services are amassing at the Abkhaz border (https://civil.ge/archives/106623)
• 21 Nov: Khajimba rejects Baghapsh's PM offer (https://civil.ge/archives/106631)
• 23 Nov: The public organization Council of Elders recognizes Baghapsh's victory (https://civil.ge/archives/106646)
• 24 Nov: Ardzinba says he will not step down as President despite the announcement of Baghapsh's inauguration on 6 Dec (https://civil.ge/archives/106654)
• 26 Nov:
  • A group of MPs condemn reports of creation of illegal armed groups to patrol government offices (https://civil.ge/archives/106661)
  • Parliament recognizes Baghapsh's victory (https://civil.ge/archives/106665)
• 30 Nov:
  • Khajimba warns that ABkhazia may be split in half, one under US economic control and another under Russian oil control (https://civil.ge/archives/106683)
  • A group of Russian MIA officials visit Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/106685)
• 1 Dec:
  • Russia closes the railway link and maritime border with Abkhazia, essentially placing the region under blockade (https://civil.ge/archives/106695)
  • Baghapsh condemns Russian interference (https://civil.ge/archives/106696)
  • Russia bans agrcultural imports from Abkhazia https://civil.ge/archives/106699
  • Tbilisi summons the Russian ambassador over meddling (https://civil.ge/archives/106701)
• 3 Dec
  • Baghapsh vows to keep close ties with Moscow despite the blockade (https://civil.ge/archives/106711)
  • Ardzinba refuses to step down on 6 Dec (https://civil.ge/archives/106712)
  • MS comes out in support of Baghapsh, recognizes him as president-elect, and vows to continue conflict settlement discussions with him (https://civil.ge/archives/106715)
  • Baghapsh responds to MS by calling him "one person too many" in the crisis and rejecting outright dialogue (https://civil.ge/archives/106717)
• 4 December:
  • From Sokhumi, Russia's Deputy Prosecutor General Vladimir Kolesnikov called for new presidential elections (https://civil.ge/archives/106724)
  • Ardzinba accuses Saakashvili of meddling with Abkhaz affairs and of backing Baghapsh (https://civil.ge/archives/185338)
• 5 December:
  • Baghapsh and Khajimba strike a deal: new elections, they both run in a joint ticket where Khajimba will be VP, the VP position will gain power and will control foreign and defense policy (https://civil.ge/archives/106730)
  • A blast rocks Sokhumi, not sure before or after the deal was reached (https://civil.ge/archives/106731)
  • Putin took credit for the deal (https://civil.ge/archives/106741)
• 9 Dec:
  • Russia lifts trade and communication sanctions with Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/106774)
  • Pro-government militias reportedly disarmed in Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/106775)
• The CEC was changed and repeat elections were scheduled for 12 January 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/106818)
• The new polls took place under Russian MP observation, which as strongly condemned by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/107027)
• On 11 January 2005, on the eve of the presidential elections, a group of armed men from Abkhazia raided Ganmukhuri and hijacked several cars. This was blamed on Abkhaz criminals operating from Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/107014)
  • It was revealed that 11 Georgians were kidnapped (https://civil.ge/archives/107019)
  • Police checkpoints were installed as a result in key villages near the Abkhaz line (https://civil.ge/archives/107022)
  • These checkpoints were staffed with elite troops (https://civil.ge/archives/107024)
• On Election Day, units of the Abkhaz governmental guard blocked Gali polling districts (https://civil.ge/archives/107031)
• Russia's Vice Speaker declared the polls valid (https://civil.ge/archives/107032)
• The abducted Ganmukhuri Georgians were released the day of the elections in the evening (https://civil.ge/archives/107033)
  • The last two were released on 15 January (https://civil.ge/archives/107060)
• Tbilisi slammed Moscow for interfering in the new polls (https://civil.ge/archives/107040)
  • And stated that Russian peacekeepers failed to keep security (https://civil.ge/archives/107041)
• Ankvab was nominated PM (https://civil.ge/archives/107046)
• MS called the polls illegal (https://civil.ge/archives/107047)
• Upon his election, Baghapsh vowed closer ties with Moscow and demanded Tbilisi to give up its hard-line stance (https://civil.ge/archives/107056)
• Russia accused the assassination attempt against Ankvab on 1 March 2005 of being linked to a destabilization attempt to complicate peace talks, a statement condemned by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/107452)

Nouvelles discussions

• On 7 December 2004, on the day after the Khajimba-Baghapsh deal over the 2004 contested presidential elections, Sokhumi announced being ready to resume talks with Tbilisi, while maintaining its demand for an international investigation over the July firing of a Turkish ship by Georgian coastguard (https://civil.ge/archives/106748)
  • The same day, Lavrov said at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Sofia that Moscow expected sequential steps, starting with economic ones, from Tbilisi and Sokhumi and that pushing the issue by Georgia was going to be counter-productive. He also said the weakened autonomy of Adjara did not inspire trust in Abkhaz autonomy (https://civil.ge/archives/106755)
• UN-sponsored talks with the participation of France, Germany, Russia, the UK, and the US took place, but neither Abkhazia nor Georgia participated in Geneva on 13 December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106793)
• Sergei Shamba was appointed MFA of Abkhazia on 14 December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106810)
• After a six-month break, the Chuburkhinji talks between Georgia, Abkhazia and Russian peacekeepers resumed on 16 December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106823)
  • Tbilisi and Sokhumi agreed on launching bus traffic between Zugdidi and Gali at the meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/106827)
    • That line was opened on 1 March 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110007)
• Baghapsh stated that Georgia's integration into Georgia would not be considered for at least the next 100 years (https://civil.ge/archives/106826)
  • He also pledged to match Abkhaz and Russian legislation, particularly on economic issues (https://civil.ge/archives/106830)
• MS said Tbilisi would work on a peace plan with Abkhazia and South Ossetia on 17 December 2004, in which cooperation with NGOs, political leaders, even minor political parties on both sides of the occupation lines would be envisioned (https://civil.ge/archives/106837)
• Shamba announced quickly that talks with Tbilisi would resume after the 12 January elections, regardless of recognition (https://civil.ge/archives/106904)
• Russia stated that with the elections over, talks with Abkhazia should restart (https://civil.ge/archives/107049)
  • With Russia as a mediator (https://civil.ge/archives/107059)
• Kofi Annan called the peace talks frozen (https://civil.ge/archives/107104)
• Baghapsh said that economic discussions would be a priority with Tbilisi but ruled out the return of IDPs (https://civil.ge/archives/107137)
  • As a result, from Strasbourg (Jan 2005), MS toughened his stance and ruled out the possibility of peace talks (https://civil.ge/archives/107147)
  • Baghapsh called this a declaraion of war (https://civil.ge/archives/107152)
  • Zhvania then said resumption of peace talks were tied with the Sokhumi recognition of ethnic cleansing (https://civil.ge/archives/107165)
• UNOMIG was extended on 28 Jan 2005 until 31 July (https://civil.ge/archives/107167)
• Abkhaz passports started being issued in summer 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107168)
• On 30 Jan 2005, MS changed his rhetoric and said Tbilisi was once again ready for talks (https://civil.ge/archives/107176)
• On 31 Jan, one Georgian policeman was killed in Shamgona at a checkpoint after an armed group opened fire (https://civil.ge/archives/107177)
• LINK: Otar Arshba was a leading figure in EvrAzHolding, which won some privatization bids, and a close ally of Baghapsh, leading to speculations of a link (https://civil.ge/archives/107180)
• Newly inaugurated, Baghapsh changed the language of talks with Georgia, using the phrase "rehabilitation" instead of "conflict settlement", implying to focus on economic and infrastructure joint projects instead of political settlement (https://civil.ge/archives/107305)
• Despite lobbying by the UN Under SG for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guhenno who visited Sokhumi in Februayr 2005, Abkhazia refused to let the Civilian Police Component of UNOMIG operate in Gali (it only operated in Zugdidi) (https://civil.ge/archives/107315)
• Irakli Alasania, who was chair of the gov in exile, was appointed Special Envoy for the Geogian-Abkhaz conflict resolution issues. He would lead the Georgian delegaion at talks. He was appinted on 16 February 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107317)
  • This was condemned by Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/107335)
• Baghaosh insisted that talks be of an economic nature with Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/107329)
• Baghapsh announced on 19 February being ready for economic talks, but not political ones, with Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/107360)
  • While refusing to talk with Alasania (https://civil.ge/archives/107362)
  • US Ambassador Richard Miles tried to mediate over the Alasania dilemma (https://civil.ge/archives/107403)
• The new Abkhaz MOD of Baghapsh-Khajimba was staffed by Russian citizens, former officers of the Soviet, Russian, N. Caucasus Mountainous Poeple's Confederation, and Syrian forces (https://civil.ge/archives/107515)
• Baghapsh offered the Joint Anti-Terrorism Center of Georgia and Russia to be in Gudauta on 15 March 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107563)
• On March 16, Abkhazia media reported that an Abkhaz military helicopter fired on a Georgian cutter, even though Tbilisi sources stated that Abkhazia had no helicopter in its arsenal (https://civil.ge/archives/107575)
  • This was reiterated by the Abkhaz government and praised, claiming it was done to prevent Georgia from blocking a Turkish ship near Eshera. (https://civil.ge/archives/107577)
  • Georgia denied the incident altogether (https://civil.ge/archives/107578)
  • Following that incident, MS proposed to meet Baghapsh in Tbilisi or Batumi with no other condition (https://civil.ge/archives/107581)
    • Baghapsh responded by saying he was ready for talks with MS and a meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/107596)
      • Baghapsh later refused to meet in Tbilisi or Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/107686)
    • Although he stated that integration into Russia as an associate member was still on the agenda (https://civil.ge/archives/107597)
    • In the context of hopes for talks (also context: Russian media and Tbilisi report that Tskhinvali and Sokhumi prepare to announce a State Union proposal to Georgia), four Russian peacekeepers are arrested by Georgian police in Ganmukhuri after allegedly crossing the ABL illegally (https://civil.ge/archives/107612)
      • As a result, 40 Russian officers entered Ganmukhuri. Russia argued this was to inspect MIA forces, which might have been in violation of the 1993 Moscow Agreement that prevented forces from being in the vincinity of the conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/107619)
      • The March 22 incident was over in one day. Zourabichvili hinted it may have been a provocation to prevent negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/107622)
      • Following the incident, Georgia agreed on 7 April to pull back 100-150 meters behind Ganmukhuri (https://civil.ge/archives/107755)
    • MS outlined his agenda for Baghapsh meeting being rights of Georgians in Gali and IDP return, small-scale economic projects, and talks over the political status of Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/107671)
      • Baghapsh responded by refusing to talk over the political status and IDP issues (https://civil.ge/archives/107684)
• Georgia demanded the opening of an OSCE office in Gali in April 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107700)
• Geneva talks sponsored by the UN and the Group of Friends (France, Germany, Russia, UK, US) between Georgia and Abkhazia finally launched on 7 April 2005. Khaindrava and Shamba chaired their delegations (https://civil.ge/archives/107745)
  • US diplomats started getting involved in the process by announcing meeting with Sokhumi after Geneva talks (https://civil.ge/archives/107771)
  • But this forced Sokhumi leaders to visit Moscow immediately after (https://civil.ge/archives/107785)
• On 12 April 2005, MS offered once again despite previous refusals Baghapsh to come to Tbilisi during the Bush visit (https://civil.ge/archives/107784)
• During the April Geneva talks, Georgia and Abkhazia delegations visited South Tyrol, which was hailed by Georgia as an example of autonomy. This sparked conflict inside of Abkhazia with some forces calling for an end to talks (https://civil.ge/archives/107840)
• Alasania gained legitimacy by briefing the UN Security Council on the talks in May 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107973)
• The sides met in Gali under UN auspices to discuss security issues on 12 May 2005. During the meeting, Sokhumi opposed the proposal to open a UN Human Rights Office in Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/108050) but agreed on the sides setting up a special group of 3 reps each to monitor the security zone, including a territory of 12 jm from the ABL, including Zugdidi (https://civil.ge/archives/108054)
• Sokhumi offered Russia to deploy military bases in Abkhazia on 16May 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108066)
• Russian private banks set up shops in Abkhazia in 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108067)
  • Georgia asked those banks to close and why Russia climed they did, doubts persisted (https://civil.ge/archives/108527)
  • In January 2006, evidence showed that Russian banks were propsering in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/109781)
• On 8 June 2005, Tbilisi and Sokhumi agreed that Abkhazia would pay the cost of electricity from the Enguri HPP and both sides would agree to export electricity from it to Turkey (https://civil.ge/archives/108266)
• The Sochi Format, established in 2003 by Shevardnadze and Putin, was reestablished on 15 June 2005 in Moscow when Abkhaz and Georgian officials met to discuss the railway and IDP issues (https://civil.ge/archives/108295)
  • During that meeting, Tbilisi said it was ready for talks over the railway and estimated the cost of repairs at 100 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/108301)
  • The sides also agreed on creating special groups to work over the IDP situation (https://civil.ge/archives/108317)
  • But on the railway, Sokhumi opposed the Georgian offer to link it to the IDP issue and also to use Georgian IDPs for the construction work (https://civil.ge/archives/108319)
  • The first meeting between Akhaz, Georgia and Russian sides on the railway itself took place in Gali on 2 July 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108426)
  • Talks resumed in Tbilisi on 11 July (https://civil.ge/archives/108477)
  • The Sokhumi meeting of July 19 agreed on the set up of a 41-member joint group to assess the current condition of the Abkhaz portion of the railway (https://civil.ge/archives/108534)
  • Talks were delayed in early August because 3 members of the Georgian group were IDPs (https://civil.ge/archives/108649)
  • Tbilisi called on Moscow to exert influence on Sokhumi to continue railway talks (https://civil.ge/archives/108691)
• In July 2005, Abkhazia demanded from Georgia compensation for war damages for a total of 13 Billion USD (https://civil.ge/archives/108452)
• The arrest of a Turkish ship carrying food and construction material to Abkhazia by Georgia harmed the UN-sponsored talks and Abkhazia boycotted the 22 July 2005 Tbilisi round (https://civil.ge/archives/108554)
  • Instead of the boycott, Tbilisi proposed a Joint Declaration on Non-Resumption of Hostilities, the text of which was handed over to the Group of Friends that same day (https://civil.ge/archives/108557)
  • Tbilisi returned the cargo on 1 AAugust (https://civil.ge/archives/108614)
• The UN Security Council extended UNOMIG again in July 2005 while condemning the continued lack of progress in talks (https://civil.ge/archives/108604)
• Informal talks between Khaindrava and Abkhaz NSC Sec Stanislav Lakoba were held in Vienna instead on 1 August (https://civil.ge/archives/108617)
• The UN-sponsored talks resumed between Khaindrava and Shamba on 4 Aug in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/108621)
• Shamba hailed Alasania as a very constructive person but he could not hold negotiations officially with him as head of GiE (https://civil.ge/archives/108622)
• On 4 Aug, Baghapsh proposed recognition of independence in exchange for return f IDPs to Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/108630)
• On 14 August, Alasania said the sending of troops in 1992 was a mistake (https://civil.ge/archives/108681)
  • In September, MS and Okruashvili walked back and said Georgia did not need to apologize for the conflict, to which Sokhimi responded that an agreement was unlikely without recognition of Georgia's mistakes (https://civil.ge/archives/108834)
• TO NOTE: The first half of August 2005 was illustrated with: UN-mediated talks, launch of railway talks that derailed and largest-ever Abkhaz military exercises (https://civil.ge/archives/109164)
• On 27 Sep 2005, Abkhazia did not hold a military parade, a decision hailed by MS (https://civil.ge/archives/108932)
• In Sep 2005, as Georgia hinted for a request to internationalize peacekeeping operations, Abkhazia opposed the move (https://civil.ge/archives/108954)
• On 7-8 October, the sides met in Sochi for UN-mediated talks, during which IDPs and railway was discussed (https://civil.ge/archives/109000)
  • During the talks, Alasania held private meetings with Abkhaz officials, including Sergey Shamba (https://civil.ge/archives/109009)
• The railway assessments resumed when Georgian delegates were allowed access on 17 October to Sokhumi, although none were IDPs (https://civil.ge/archives/109057)
  • The railway assessment on 200 km of railway was finalized on 25 October (https://civil.ge/archives/109118)
• UN-sponsored talks on 20-21 October were postponed because of a failure to finalize a draft on a joint Georgian-Abkhaz Declaration on Security Guarantees and Non-Resumption of Hostilities (https://civil.ge/archives/109082)
• On 27 October, in a letter to the UN SG, Amb. Rezo Adamia called for an international UN peacekeeping operation to replace the Russian forces and condemned what he called a cultural genocide against the Georgians of Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/109138)
• Tensions reappeared in early November 2005 in Gali after a series of kidnappings and murders of ethnic Georgians, after which Tbilisi hinted at the potential for the restoration of guerillas that were disbanded in 2004, something that was severely condemned by Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/109196)
  • Baghapsh confirmed that tensions were linked with his attempt to establish control over Gali and to expel returned refugees (https://civil.ge/archives/109200)
  • Tbilisi tried to enlist the Group of Friends (France, Germany, Russia, UK, US) over the Gali crisis *https://civil.ge/archives/109226)
  • Sokhumi also installed a security checkpoint in Nabakevi (https://civil.ge/archives/109233)
• The Human Rights situation and the Gali crisis was the main point of focus of the Kofi Annan visit to Tbilisi in Nov 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109235)
• Abkhaz paramilitary leader Givi Tsulaia was injured in an explosion in Gali on 27 November (https://civil.ge/archives/109279)
• In December 2005, the EU Commission funded 2 million EUR for rehabilitation projects in Gali, Ochamchire and Tkvarcheli and Tbilisi and Sokhumi worked together to implement the projects, forming a joint steering committee (https://civil.ge/archives/109325)
  • In parallel, Khaindrava announced on 7 December an agreement on security guarantees and non-resumption of hostilities in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/109346)
• On 13 Dec 2005, FM Shamba stated that accepting IDPs into regions other than Gali would lead to conflict. However, this may have been interpreted as a more conciliatory tone than previous Bagapsh statements (https://civil.ge/archives/109374)
• Sokhumi started an army drafting program that targeted severely ethnic Georgians. On 14 December, 17 ethnic Georgians were jailed for refusing to serve in the Abkhaz army (https://civil.ge/archives/109380)
• On 14 December 2005, Alasania stated that MS was ready to meet with Baghapsh (note that not the same readiness was shown for Kokoity) without any preconditions and to sign a mutually acceptable document (https://civil.ge/archives/109383)
  • Baghapash said he would be willing to meet in Geneva once the details of the agreement on non-use of force were agreed (https://civil.ge/archives/109397)
    • Baghapsh stated in late December 2005 that he would meet MS only after the signature of the agreement and opposed Tbilisi's demands to add additional (unknown) amendments, which may have been tied to peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/109468)
• 14 December: Shelling reported in the villages of Nabakevi and Otobaia (Gali) by drunk Russian peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/109395)
  • 21 December: Attackers open fire on Orsantia (Zugdidi). Two assailants are injured by Georgian response fire. (https://civil.ge/archives/109422)
    • The Georgian MFA claimed that the attackers were within the vincinity of Russian peacekeepers and called on UNOMIG to take respective measures (https://civil.ge/archives/109428)
• On the peacekeepers, Baghapsh recognized Georgia's right to demand the departure of Russian peacekeepers, but noted Sokhumi would need to agree on any replacement (https://civil.ge/archives/109401)
• On 16 December, Tbilisi and Moscow signed a final protocol envisaging the setting up of a joint consortium on the restoration of the Russian-Georgian railway via Abkhazia. (https://civil.ge/archives/109406)
• 6 Jan 2006: Armed men rob buses in Tagiloni, Gudava and Lekukhone (Gali) and kidnap the driver for a ransom. Tbilisi condemns the recent hike in local crims and call for the opening of an OSCE/UN human rights office or a UN police force in Gali, both rejected by Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/109546)
• On 9 Jan, Zaira Ekhvaia, governor of Nabakevi (Gali) was kidnapped for ransom (https://civil.ge/archives/109549)
• On 13 Jan, local Genadi Parulava was murdered in an attack by unknown gunmen (https://civil.ge/archives/109576)
• On 15 January, a resident of Nabakevi is kidnapped for a 50,000 USD ransom (https://civil.ge/archives/109580)
  • Baghapsh accused Tbilisi of being behind the destabilization in Gali, laying the blame on the Forest Brothers Gang (https://civil.ge/archives/109588)
  • 24 Jan: At UN-mediated talks in Gali, Sokhumi and Tbilisi agree on cooperation to address crime issues (https://civil.ge/archives/109665)
• 18 Jan: Sokhumi rejects Tbilisi's amended draft of the Georgian-Abkhaz Agreement on security guaranees and non-resumption of hostilities (https://civil.ge/archives/109606)
• 19 Jan: Sokhumi starts issuing Abkhaz passports (https://civil.ge/archives/109614)
• 23 Jan: Baghapsh lists the signing of an agreement on force, the lifting of international blockade, the stop of hostile propaganda and destabilization attempts, the stop of the anti-Russian peacekeeper efforts as preconditions for real conflict negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/109646)
• On 31 January 2006, the UN Security Council adopted a truncated resolution on Georgia which did not reiterate support for Georgia's territorial integrity and national sovereignty and only extended UNOMIG's mandate by two months (until March 31) instead of the traditional six-month expansion (https://civil.ge/archives/109731)
  • This showed that Russian leadership had now changed its position and was becoming more aggressive on Abkhazia, especially in the context of Kosovo (https://civil.ge/archives/109744)
  • Kofi Annan called for a six-month extension later (https://civil.ge/archives/110209)
• 15 Feb: Abkhaz militia raid in Ganakhleba (Gali) kills one Georgian (https://civil.ge/archives/109872)
• On 24 February, Irakli Ezugbaia, chief of Georgian Railway Company, visited Abkhazia to review technical details (https://civil.ge/archives/109985)
• On 2 March, three Georgians from the organization Art Salon, touring Abkhazia to film Georgian churches, were arrested, taken to Sokhumi, and submitted to beatings, including one woman. The government demanded their release. (https://civil.ge/archives/110039)
  • Sokhumi claimed their filming was a provocation (https://civil.ge/archives/110034)
  • They would be released on 25 March (https://civil.ge/archives/110211)
• On 8 March, an unknown armed group attacked Saberio, killing three men and a 7 year old girl. Sokhumi blamed the attack on Georgian armed groups. (https://civil.ge/archives/110060)
  • Sokhumi alleged that Tbilisi was resorting to terrorism to show that peacekeepers were ineffective and to convince Abkhazia to agree to the opening of a UN police force station in Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/110069)
• After the government started registering IDP registration in March 2006 and hampering for unknown reasons an agreement on the non-use of force, Moscow accused on 17 March Tbilisi of hampering the peace process in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/110148)
• To solve the Alasania participating in talks problem, MS appointed him as his presidential aide on Abkhazian conflict issues in March 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110162)
  • He immediately started working on a national strategy to deal with the Abkhazia conflict issue (https://civil.ge/archives/110180)
  • Shamba praised Alasania's appointment, claiming Sokhumi was impressed by him (https://civil.ge/archives/110184)
  • Alasania visited Sokhumi on 29 March, during which Tbilisi and Sokhumi agreed t resume the work of the Georgian-Abkhaz Coordination Council, the format of direct talks (https://civil.ge/archives/110247)
• On 28 March 2006, the UN Security Council held closed-door discussions on Abkhazia to discuss the extension of UNOMIG, before which the SG had called for a six-month extension. Russia blocked Georgia's participation (https://civil.ge/archives/110232)
  • Georgia called for transparent discussions (https://civil.ge/archives/110242)
  • On 31 March, the UNSC adopted a standard resolution extending UNOMIG for six months and expressing support for the Boden Paper on Abkhazia status
• 7 April: MS states he is ready to meet Baghapsh but under the condition that a concrete outcome will take place (https://civil.ge/archives/110320)
• On 26 April, Baghapsh stated he sought for Abkhazia's participation in the Russia-Georgia-Armenia consortium over the railway project (https://civil.ge/archives/110454)
  • The final protocol establishing te Black Sea Railways was signed by Georgia, Abkhazia, Russia and Armenia on 5 May (https://civil.ge/archives/110526)
  • Most of the deal remained confidential (https://civil.ge/archives/110709)
• May 3: Georgia boycotts (in the midst of the wine crisis) a session of the working group on the return of IDPs to Abkhazia held in Moscow, despite by participation by the UNCHR, which was criticized by Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/110500)
• May 4: Baghapsh offers Key to the Future, a peace , which, although not public immediately, was based on confidence restoration and abandonment of military rhetoric and diversification of peace plans (https://civil.ge/archives/110521)
  • The peace plan demanded a reassessment of past mistakes and an apology for the war and isolation (https://civil.ge/archives/110545)
  • End of the embargo
  • Peace agreement signature for security on air, sea and land
  • Consultations on peaceful coexistence of two states
  • Cooperation in the fight against organized crime, joint cooperation in the European Neighborhood Strategy
    • While Tbilisi did not agree with everything, Khaindrava hailed the overall proposal as a positive step (https://civil.ge/archives/110596)
• May 15 2006 : Georgian-Abkhaz Coordinating Council takes place in Tbilisi with Sergey Shamba under the auspices of the UN and representatives of the Group of Friends acting as mediators. The meeting addresses security, refugees and socio-economic issues. This was the first meeting since January 2001 (https://civil.ge/archives/110587)
  • Alasania qualified the talks as "fruitful" and both sides agreed to formally consider each other's conflict resolution plans. (https://civil.ge/archives/110593)
  • The sides agreed to continue this format in Sokhumi, Zugdidi and Gali and to divide the format into three working groups that would meet separately (https://civil.ge/archives/110595)
  • Alasania traveled to Sokhumi on May 24 with Bryza to present the Georgian peace plan (https://civil.ge/archives/110657)
  • The Group of Friends hailed the new talks, alleging that both sides showed willingness to dialogue (https://civil.ge/archives/110672)
  • The Group of Friends backed formally the presence of CIS peacekeepers in the region (https://civil.ge/archives/110671)
  • The peace plan, which was confidential, was rejected by Sokhumi on 1 June (https://civil.ge/archives/110736)
  • Principles of the Peace Plan were revealed eventually and included: (https://civil.ge/archives/110804)

- Launch consultations on broad internal sovereignty based on federalism and representation in all branches of government - UN police component and international monitoring to help the return of IDPs - Assess mistakes of the past - International assistance in implementing economic and infrastructure rehabilitation - Abkhazia direct involvement in the EU Neighborhood Policy and Black Sea regional cooperation initiatives

• But in late May 2006, Tbilisi protested the wording by Russian MFA of Baghapsh as President of Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/110684)
• In June 2006, Tbilisi started hinting it would support the opening of a Turkey-Abkhazia maritime link, maybe a potential alternative to Russia's economic monopoly (https://civil.ge/archives/110760)
• 21 June: Baghapsh threatens to withdraw from the negotiation process if Georgia doesn't stop talking against Russian peacekeepers and to arm the ABL with mines. (https://civil.ge/archives/110914)
• 26 June: Baghapsh expresses readiness to meet MS, sign an agreement on non-resumption of force and discuss any issue necessary (https://civil.ge/archives/110923)
• 30 June: In the format of the Coordinating Council, the working group on security meets in Gali. They agree to develop a plan of action on fighting against criminality and for confidence building in the conflict zone before the next meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/110953)
• 11 July: Working Group on IDPs meets in Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/111016)
• 17 July: Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov announces visit to Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/111086)
  • Luzhkov says in Sokhumi on 20 July that he supports Abkhazian independence (https://civil.ge/archives/111116)
  • The visit was strongly condemned by Tbilisi. Luzhkov pledged investments (https://civil.ge/archives/111120)

Crise de Kodori

• In late July 2006, Saakashvili's government dealt successfully with another major crisis, this time in Abkhazia's Kodori Gorge where Georgia's police forces disarmed a defiant militia led by a local warlord Emzar Kvitsiani.

• For more than a decade, Kodori had bee a safe heaven for criminals and a zone of lawlessness run by local warlords and out of control of everyone. (AD, 474)
  • In July 2006, a successful operation of Georgian forces established Georgian presence there
  • The region was renamed Upper Abkhazia
  • This was believe to be a bridge toward Abkhazia

• Zourabichvili
  • On 25 July 2006, the MIA accused Kvitsiani, head of the militias of Kodori, of trying to betray the Georgian state on behalf of Moscow and Sokhumi. (261)
  • This happened despite the fact that Kvitsiani had been in Tbilisi a few days before to meet with Georgian officials with no problem (261)
  • Nonetheless, the declaration justified the military-police operation to take back control of the Kodoru Valley and to install there MIA forces in high numbers, eventually justifying the invasion by Abkhaz forces in 2008 (261)
  • On 25 October 2006, the Merabishvili's plane was targeted with a missile in the Kodori Valley. But the missile was not found and the plane ended up unblemished (263)

• Despite calls by his party to replace him, MS decided to keep Kvitsiani as the presidential envoy in Kodori, a move to consider the difficult realities on the ground (https://civil.ge/archives/105392)
• In September 2004, Russia accused one of the Beslan terrorists of being hidden in Kodori. Shortly after, four Russian military helicopters violated Georgian airspace in the valley (https://civil.ge/archives/116047)
• The position of President's Representative in the Kodori Gorge was abolished on 3 December 2004 and the governing of the region was handed over to the Abkhaz Council of Ministers (https://civil.ge/archives/106723)
• There were a number of electricity sabotage attacks in Kodori in early 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107247)
• Mevlud Jachvliani, a former Border Guard officer, was appointed as Alasania's rep in Kodori on 23 May 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108123)
• The Monadire militia, which was made of local residents and eventually incorporated into the MOD, was abolished by Okruashvili in July 2005, which led to criticism by Alasania (https://civil.ge/archives/108441)
  • Okruashvili and Alasania entered in open conflict over the issue, with Okruashvili claiming that some figures in the NSC, including Vakhtang Kapanadze and Paata Gaprindashvili (both sacked by Okruashvili who then found work in the NSC), tried to take him down (https://civil.ge/archives/108484)
• On 15 March 2006, the MIA arrested someone who tried to murder MP Zurab Jguburia and Anzor Margiani (exile MIA) because he thought hed be appointed Governor of Kodori with them gone (https://civil.ge/archives/110120)
• On 27 March, a bullet shot in Sakeni (Kodori) damaged the Kavkasioni high-voltage power line (https://civil.ge/archives/110219)
• On 30 June, the Abkhazian and Georgian sides met in Gali for the first meeting of the security working group of the Coordination Council. During the meeting, they discussed eventual joint patrolling of the Kodori Valley (https://civil.ge/archives/110953)
• 22 July:
  • Emzar Kvitsiani, head of Monadire, announces defiance of the central government. Monadire counted around 300-400 men despite having previously been disbanded. Kvitsiani claimed Okruashvili was planning an armed incursion into Kodori on 27 July. (https://civil.ge/archives/111144)
  • Tbilisi downplayed the defiance, claiming Kvitsiani was weak (https://civil.ge/archives/111146)
• 23 July:
  • Burjanadze claims that Abkhazia's MOD and Sergey Chaban, Commander of the Russian peacekeeping troops in Abkhazia, met with Kvitsiani in Kodori before his rebellion. Burjanadze saw Russian links with the revolt (https://civil.ge/archives/111147)
  • Kvitsiani demands Parliament not to confirm Merabishvili and Okruashvili once more in the Noghaideli II Cabinet (https://civil.ge/archives/111148)
• 24 July:
  • The opposition comes out against military incursion but condemns Kvitsiani and calls on the government to negotiate with him and restore Monadire (https://civil.ge/archives/111150)
  • Nugzar Ashuba, Speaker of the Abkhaz Parliament, warned against a police operation in Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/111143)
  • Baghapsh states that sending troops to Kodori would be a violation of the 1994 ceasefire agreement. MoD Sultan Sosnaliev warns of an Abkhaz response to a Georgian intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/111154)
  • Saakashvili rejects any negotiation and in a flamboyant statement pledges to "make the mothers of those who infringe on Georgian statehood and unity cry". He pledged to put Kvitsiani and his associates in jail (https://civil.ge/archives/111156)
  • Georgian MOD sends additional forces in western Georgia and security is heightened in Svaneti.
  • MP Givi Targamadze claims that Russia armed Kvitsiani (https://civil.ge/archives/111157)
• July 25:
  • Okruashvili and Merabishvili travel to Mestia. Additional forces are deployed in Svaneti near the Abkhaz border (https://civil.ge/archives/114941)
  • A military convoy of 30 Kamaz trucks, 18 Niva off-road cars and 2 armored behicles move into Kodori according to Sokhumi. Abkhaz troops are on high alert and Sokhumi calls this a violation of the ceasefire (https://civil.ge/archives/114943)
  • Phone communication is cut off with the gorge. Merabishvili and Okruashvili go into Kodori and meet with the council of elders. In Tbilisi, Burjanadze spars with Svan and Kodori tribal leaders meeting with her and calling on Georgia to not use force. (https://civil.ge/archives/114945)
  • Moscow accuses Tbilisi of violating the 1994 ceasefire (https://civil.ge/archives/114947)
  • Authorities are careful to not characterize this as a military operation. Bezhuashvili denies the presence of military forces and the presence of Okruashvili in Kodori, although Merabishvili is confirmed there (https://civil.ge/archives/114950)
  • Shots are reported near the villages of Omarishara and Sakeni. Kvitsiani continues communication with Georgian opposition leaders like Irakli Batiashvili. (https://civil.ge/archives/114948)
  • In the evening, Education Minister Kakha Lomaia confirms a police operation in Kodori to restore constitutional order (https://civil.ge/archives/114953)
  • Rebels blow up a bridge in the gorge. Tbilisi claims having disarmed a 60-member unit of the militia. (https://civil.ge/archives/114954)
  • Two helicopters are damaged and a Georgian pilot is injured.
• 26 July
  • 4 people are injured overnight, including two police officers. (https://civil.ge/archives/114957)
  • An estimated 500-800 troops are in Kodori. Reporters are barred for security reasons. Independent media reports claim that North Caucasian paramilitaries had infiltrated Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/114958)
    • The village of Khaishi becomes a base for journalists (https://civil.ge/archives/114962)
    • Nana Lezhava of Rustavi 2 is the only journalist allowed to accompany security forces during the operation (https://civil.ge/archives/114978)
  • Georgian police forces take control of Azhara and Gentvishi villages (https://civil.ge/archives/114955)
  • Russia claims Georgian Iroquois helicopters land in the gorge (https://civil.ge/archives/114966)
  • Noghaideli is in Brussels to brief NATO HQ on the operation (https://civil.ge/archives/114965)
  • Baghapsh warn of retaliation if Georgian forces fire into Abkhaz-controlled territory (https://civil.ge/archives/114967)
  • A Russian peacekeepers' helicopter lands in Kodori to feed rebels and is prevented from flying back (https://civil.ge/archives/114969)
  • In the evening, Georgian forces clash with Kvitsiani and around 60 of his men in a forest near the Azhara village. (https://civil.ge/archives/114961)
  • Russia warns Georgia for restraint (https://civil.ge/archives/114970)
  • Kote Kemularia is in Khaishi talking to reporters. He's the Secretary of the NSC (https://civil.ge/archives/114971)
  • By the evening, Georgian forces control Sakeni, Zemo and Kvemo Omarishara, Gentsvisi and Chkhalta, the base of Kvitsiani (https://civil.ge/archives/114972)
  • MP Giga Bokeria announces the police would remain deployed in Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/114973)
  • By the end of the day, only Zemo Azhara remains under Kvitsiani control (https://civil.ge/archives/114974)
  • The Prosecutor's Office charges him with treason charges (https://civil.ge/archives/114964)
• 27 July:
  • By the morning, Kvitsiani and 50-60 men are besieged in a cave near Chkhalta and Zemo Azhara (https://civil.ge/archives/114976)
  • Nora Kvitsiani, sister of Emzar, claims an elder woman is killed by Georgian forces in Chkhalta after a bombing campaign (https://civil.ge/archives/114978) This is later confirmed. Saakashvili lays the blame on Kvitsiani for using the civilian population as shield.
  • Around 1400, Tbilisi confirms Kvitsiani's escape after a bombing campaign of Chkhalta (https://civil.ge/archives/114981)
  • Revealed that Kvitsiani had IGLA and STRELA anti-aircraft missiles (https://civil.ge/archives/114981)
  • MIA announces a 100,000 GEL prime to anyone who can offer valuable information on his whereabouts (https://civil.ge/archives/114982)
  • 7 opposition parties issu a joint declaration claiming that the Kodori crisis was an attempt to provoke Georgia's impulsive government to launch a large-scale armed operation in a sensitive region. (https://civil.ge/archives/114985)
    • Zourabichvili was the only politician to praise the operation (https://civil.ge/archives/114990)
  • MIA claims that Kvitsiani is in hiding in Abkhazia. Russian Public TV ORT broadcasts an interview of Kvitsiani from his hiding (https://civil.ge/archives/114987)
  • Saakashvili announces the relocation of the Abkhaz gov in exile to Kodori, the first time the Georgian state institution will operate out of Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/114988)
  • In the evening of July 27, Saakashvili made a live television address in which he praised the operation as a "huge success" and highlighted that Kodori was so close to Sokhumi, clearing the territory of criminal units that had been controlling it since the 1990s and stated it was a mistake to not have tackled the challenge earlier. He accused Kvitsiani of cooperating with Abkhazia, especially Gari Kupalba, deputy MOD. In the speech, he called the media irresponsible for their coverage which unveiled some information about the troops. Saakashvili linked the rebellion with the 18 July resolution passed by Parliament on Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He also called on the resumption of the weekly Chuburkhinji talks.
  • Saakashvili also announces humanitarian aid deployed to Kodori Gorge and allowances to be distributed to local residents, the rehabilitation of a road linking Kodori to Svaneti and the rehabilitation of the Kodori Gorge Air Field. He ordred the purchase of planes "from a neighboring country" to conduct regular flights to Kodori. He also talks of rehabilitation of local roads, schools and hospitals. (https://civil.ge/archives/114989)
  • More details on the escape: Kvitsiani is allowed to escape from Chkhalta to save the civilian population. He meets with Gari Kupalba. Georgian forces uncover arms and ammunition worth 30 million USD. (https://civil.ge/archives/114995)
• 28 July
  • Sokhumi walks out of the Chuburkhinji sessions out of protest of the presence of exile reps (https://civil.ge/archives/114996)
  • Tbilisi sends 70 tons of humanitarian aid to the Kodori Gorge. (https://civil.ge/archives/114994)
  • The Presidential Administration claims Kvitsiani is in Sokhumi and accuses Monadire of being engaged in arms trade (https://civil.ge/archives/114995)
  • Moscow fears Georgia will use Kodori to attack Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/115002)
  • The stationing of the exile gov in Kodori was represented as "shattering a 13-year-old status quo in Abhazia" (https://civil.ge/archives/115003)
• 29 July
  • Georgian troops start to withdraw from the Gorge (https://civil.ge/archives/115006)
  • Irakli Batiashvili of Forward Georgia is arrested for his links to Kvitsiani and for an attempted government overthrow. MIA releases a phone conversation between Kupalba, Batiashvili and Kvitsiani (https://civil.ge/archives/115007)
  • Nika Gvaramia talks of introducing a bill that matches the US Patriot Act against extremism and treason. He admitted the bill would be aim at politicians like Shalva Natelashvili for his treasonous statements, calling on Georgian forces to surrender. (https://civil.ge/archives/115008)
  • MIA claims Kvitsiani is in Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115010)
• 30 July
  • Nora Kvitsiani is arrested in Tbilisi for her involvement. Her son Bacho Argvliani is also wanted and likely still hiding in Kodori forests. (https://civil.ge/archives/115011)
  • Rezonansi claims that the Kodori developments may have been deliberate and an attempt by the Georgian government to shift public attention away from the SG scandal. This doesn't mean that Kvitsiani worked with Saakashvili but that the government deliberately scheduled a disbandment of Monadire and intentionally leaked the information to Kvitsiani to force him to react (https://civil.ge/archives/115013)
• 31 July
  • Kokoity pledges assistance to Abkhazia in case of hostilities (https://civil.ge/archives/115015)
  • Russian MOD claims Georgia is sending more military forces to Kodori, including 500 troops. (https://civil.ge/archives/115016)
  • After Russian demands of monitoring Kodori, Tbilisi responds with a demand to inspect Gudauta (https://civil.ge/archives/115020)
  • Okruashvili compares opponents to traitors (https://civil.ge/archives/115021)
• 1 August
  • Baghapsh states that a refusal to monitor Kodori would be evidence that Georgia is preparing for war. The 1994 ceasefire agreement does state the need for peacekeeping forces and international forces to monitor periodically Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/115023)
    • Monitoring of Kodori had stopped in 2003 after the kidnapping of UN observers (https://civil.ge/archives/115025)
  • Natelashvili accuses Okruashvili of being behind the Kodori crisis to boost his political ambitions (https://civil.ge/archives/115024)
• 2 August
  • Moscow accuses Georgia of deliberately escalating the situation by sending troops to Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/115036)
  • According to Abkhaz sources, denied by Georgia, clashes between a rebel group and Georgian troops near Azhara leads to the death of 10. Georgian media reports the discovery of an abandoned militia camp instead (https://civil.ge/archives/115045)
• 4 August
  • Tbilisi condemns the flying of a Russian helicopter and dropping of anti-heat seeking missiles over Kodori. (https://civil.ge/archives/115047)
  • A group of 15 militia rebels escape into Abkhaz territory (https://civil.ge/archives/115052)
• 9 August:
  • Tbilisi announces it will allow UN observers to monitor Kodori on 20 August (https://civil.ge/archives/115077)
  • Shamba proposes the delimitarization of Lower Kodori for the withdrawal of Georgian forces in the Gorge (https://civil.ge/archives/115080)
• 10 August:
  • Sokhumi asks for the inclusion of Abkhaz monitors in the monitoring team, refused by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/115084)
  • Tbilisi also refuses the participation of Russian peacekeepers in the monitoring (https://civil.ge/archives/115088)
• 15 August:
  • CIS, UN and Abkhaz monitors inspect the Lower Kodori region. (https://civil.ge/archives/115105)
  • Saakashvili announces plans to build a new mini-town in the Gorge (https://civil.ge/archives/115109)
    • In that emergency government meeting, he instructs Merabishvili to build an airport in three weeks and a town in a month. (https://civil.ge/archives/115117)
• 17 August: Merabishvili, put in charge of the Kodori rehabilitation works, visits the region and plans building of a bank, school, hospital and housing units in Azhara. (https://civil.ge/archives/115122)
• 20 August: UN monitoring does not start because of a UN delay (https://civil.ge/archives/115160)
• 22 August: Sokhumi warns it will not allow monitoring of Lower Kodori if Russian peacekeepers are not allowed to monitor the Georgian Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/115146)
• 23 August: An office of the Georgian Ministry for Accomodation and Refugees is set up in Kodori to administer the distribution of humanitarian aid. Energy Ministry launch the construction of an HPP in Omarishara. Four school constructions are started. Projected cost is 7 million GEL. (https://civil.ge/archives/115155)
• 1 September: According to Sokhumi, the Adanga Pass in Lower Kodori comes under fire from the Georgian side. (https://civil.ge/archives/115222)
• 2 September: CEC prepares local elections in Kodori ahead of the municipal elections of 2006, the first time Kodori takes part in local elections. The Kodori Gorge is divided in four districts (Chkhalta, Azhara, Gentsivi and Omarishare) for the Sakrebulo (https://civil.ge/archives/115223)
• 7 September: Moscow accuses Tbilisi's Kodori policy of being behind the stalemate in the Abkhaz conflict settlement process (https://civil.ge/archives/115265)
• 11 September: From hiding, Kvitsiani unveils a video spread via Imedi TV warning to launch guerilla warfare in Kodori and urging the evacuation of women and children (https://civil.ge/archives/115295)
• 20 September: 1 policeman is injured following a clash with an armed group. Tbilisi claims the assailants were an Abkhazian crime gang and rejected claims it was linked to Kvitsiani (https://civil.ge/archives/115373)
• 25 September: The government announces a plan to hold a fact-finding mission for foreign diplomats in the region, condemned by Moscow and Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/115419)
• 26 September: MS claims Kvitsiani is in Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/115428)
• 27 September:
  • MS renames Kodori into Upper Abkhazia, which is dubbed stupid by Baghapsh (https://civil.ge/archives/115424)
  • MS announces a new protocol that would require foreign diplomats traveling to Sokhumi for negotiations to also visit Chkhalta to meet the gov in exile (https://civil.ge/archives/115425)
  • MS visits the Gorge along with the Patriarch to open the new government office in Chkhalta, dubbing it the Temprary Administrative Center of Abkhazia on the anniversary f the fall of Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/115429)
  • MS inaugurated a new road that made a Zugdidi-Chkhalta trip possible in 2:30 hours (https://civil.ge/archives/115443)
• 2 October: As the spy row comes to an end but sanctions start and Abkhazia pulls out of negotiations, Georgia softens its stance and agrees to Russian peacekeepers participating in a monitoring of Kodori with UN observers (https://civil.ge/archives/115503)
• 13 October:
  • A UNOMIG observation mission notes the presence of 550 MIA troops (technically not a violation of the 1994 ceasefire), mortars and anti-aircraft gun, allegedly seized from the militia. Russia states that if monitoring continues, the Chuburkhinji talks will resume (https://civil.ge/archives/111194)
  • The UN Security Council adopts a resolution which extends the mandate of UNOMIG but calling on Georgia to refrain from provocative actions, especially in upper Kodori." (https://civil.ge/archives/111199)
    • In response, John Bolton called the Kodori operation Georgia's sovereign right (https://civil.ge/archives/111202)
• 19 October: Georgia media reports about the Abkhaz side reinforcing Lower Kodori. Tbilisi says being ready to counter any provocation (https://civil.ge/archives/111223)
• 25 October: An MIA post in Zemo Azhara is fired at from Tkvarcheli while Abkhaz forces are holding military exercises (https://civil.ge/archives/111265)
  • Abkhazia denies and Russia questions the validity of the reports (https://civil.ge/archives/111286)
  • UN observers eventually confirmed the rocket luanch but denied it came from Tkvarcheli (https://civil.ge/archives/111324)
  • Kvitsiani claimed responsibility on 2 November (https://civil.ge/archives/111329)
• 11 March 2007: Chkhalta and Azhara are shelled from Abkhaz territory, although no casualty is reportd. One GRAD missile hit the backyard of a local school. Officials reported Russian army helicopters flying over the gorge (https://civil.ge/archives/112052)
  • Tbilisi blamed the Russian Federation for the shelling (https://civil.ge/archives/112050)
  • MS convenes a meeting of the NSC (https://civil.ge/archives/112054)
  • Bezhuashvili demands talks with Lavrov over the shelling (https://civil.ge/archives/112057)
  • They hold talks, Bezhuashvili demands an immediate explanation (https://civil.ge/archives/112062)
  • Saakashvili told the NSC that the shelling was a "very dangerous provocation with the long-sighted aim to undermine stability in Georgia and the entire region". The shelling territory was announced as Gentvisi, Azhara, Chkhalta, Kvapchari and Zima. Russia denied all accusations (https://civil.ge/archives/112063)
  • MS went to Kodori three days later where he pledhed the response to the "barbaric" attacks would be more rehabilitation (https://civil.ge/archives/112077)
  • On 20 March, Russian public TV Channel One broadcasted a video of Kvitsiani allegedly speaking from Chkhalta where he warned the Georgian government that the Gorge would be "lost forever" to Georgia unless the region was demilitarized and his sister Nora was released (https://civil.ge/archives/112126)
  • UNOMIG headed a fact-finding mission with the Russian, Georgian and Abkhaz sides. (https://civil.ge/archives/112117)
  • On 2 April, the MIA claimed the missiles used were radar-operated Ataka guided missiles used by army helicopters (https://civil.ge/archives/112242)

• 31 May: Tbilisi calls on the UN SG's GoF (France, German, UK, Russia and US) to persuade Sokhumi to resume the UN-mediated talks in Geneva (https://civil.ge/archives/112474)
• 8 June: UN SG GoF ambassadors visit Sokhumi but fail to reach an agreement on the resumption of talks, with separatist authorities demanding a withdrawal of troops from Kodori, the removal of the autonomous republic's government from Kodori and the release of David Sigua (https://civil.ge/archives/112517)
• 22 June: Sokhumi agrees to participate in talks in Bonn, Germany with the GoF and Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/112579)
• 8 July: Russian peacekeepers set up Checkpoint 302 on the Zugdidi-Mestia road, which also happens to be the only road from Tbilisi to Kodori, despite no agreement with Georgian authorities (https://civil.ge/archives/112660)
• UNOMIG unveils an official report on the 11 March 2007 helicopter attack in which it suggests that Russian army helicopters were used in the bombing. The report stated that because unanimous consensus was required for every decision, it made providing a full picture hard. (https://civil.ge/archives/112682)
  • In response to the report, Georgia's strategy was one of moderate praise, choosing to not attack Russia outloud in the international arena, Georgia still being fresh off from the October 2006 spy row. (https://civil.ge/archives/112686)
  • Also in the aftermath of the report, the Georgian MFA called for the establishment of a UNOMIG post in the Kodori Gorge. (https://civil.ge/archives/112699) Sokhumi was opposed to this offer (https://civil.ge/archives/112713)
  • The US praised the UNOMIG report and "condemned this violent attack on Georgian sovereign territory" (https://civil.ge/archives/112701)
  • Russia carefully drafted a position to the report according to which the Georgian side was the one that gained the most out of the bombing by strengthening its position in the Gorge (https://civil.ge/archives/112706)
  • The report did, however, call on the Georgian government to close down its Ganmukhuri "patriotic youth camp", something that the opposition caught on rapidly (https://civil.ge/archives/112739)
  • Irakli Alasania called on the Security Council to reauthorize the UNOMIG investigative operation, this time with Russia required to cooperate or face removal from the Group of Friends (https://civil.ge/archives/112756)
  • By 26 July, Davit Bakradze (State Minister) was already criticizing the report (https://civil.ge/archives/112755)
• 26 July: To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Kodori recapture, Tbilisi opens a NATO Information Center in the Valley (https://civil.ge/archives/112752)
• 10 August: Saakashvili announces a "vacation in Abkhazia" and travels to Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/112841)
  • There, he inaugurated a patriotic youth camp while calling for peace (https://civil.ge/archives/112845)
• 29 September: Saakashvili inaugurates a peace road, a new link to Kodori to replace the existing road that is blocked because of bad weather for 6 months of the year (https://civil.ge/archives/113152)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4952&i=1
  • In his 2007 parliamentary address, he directly blamed Russia for causing the Kodori crisis

Tensions

• Zourabichvili
  • In July 2007, two young men were arrested in Abkhazia for spreading pro-Georgian propaganda. After a prisoner exchange, they returned to Georgia and were decorated by MS. This was a Georgian-planned operation from the beginning (265-266)
  • In the summer of 2007, a youth patriot camp was set up near Gali by Georgian MIA, protected by special forces. MONUG and the Group of Friends expressed their concern. (268)
  • On 30 October 2007, the camp is assaulted and four police officers are beaten, while MS arrived within half an hour with journalists, camera crews, the MIA and MOD, the Tbilisi Mayor and guards armed with Kalashnikovs. The timeframe was seen to be too small to be realistic. (269)
  • In the scene, MS's guards pointed their weapons at the Russian peacekeepers, who went backward. MS then used the rhetoric for days and weeks that the Russian retreat was possible. It was eventually believed that the MIA had planted this scene in cooperation with Russia. (269)
  • A confidential letter would be sent to Putin by MS proposing a sharing deal of Abkhazia, with Gali returning to Abkhazia (312)

• 1 August 2006: Tbilisi calls for a new format of negotiations not led by Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115028)
  • A few days later, Bezhuashvili states that Russia had exhausted its role as a mediator (https://civil.ge/archives/115042)
• 2 August:
  • The session of the Georgian-Abkhaz Coordination Council fails to meet because of the participation of the exile gov's representatives. Sokhumi blames Tbilisi for refusing to have a small meeting involving Alasania and State Minister Merab Antadze only and institing on having a larger but secret delegation (https://civil.ge/archives/115027)
  • Matthew Bryza calls for an international police presence in Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/115034)
• 8 August:
  • Shamba states that Abkhazia is preparing for war because of Georgian hostile actions (https://civil.ge/archives/115068)
  • 2 Georgians are killed in Repi (Gali) in a clash between ethnic Georgians and Abkhazians. Sokhumi denies even that a clash took place. In the evening, another clash takes place when Georgians try to retrieve the corpses of the other 2, and Sokhumi claims they were Georgian saboteurs. (https://civil.ge/archives/115076)
• 9 August:
  • Abkhaz forces arrest several residents of Kvemo Bargebi (Gali) for allegedly having ties to Georgian saboteurs trying to take pictures of military posts in Ochamchire (https://civil.ge/archives/115076)
  • Moscow calls on Sokhumi to consider allowing an international human rights office under UN auspices in Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/115082)
• 10 August: Sokhumi deploys several new troops to lower Gali and forces local Georgians to dig trenches for armed formations. Tbilisi condemns the inaction of CIS peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/115087)
• 11 August: The US Mission to the OSCE claims that North Caucasian and Russian armed volunteers have entered Abkhazia against ceasefire provisions (https://civil.ge/archives/115093)
• 14 August:
  • Baghapsh formally rejects "independence negotiations" with Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/115096)
  • Baghapsh calls on Moscow and the UN to pressure Georgia toward Kodori withdrawal, monitoring and the signing of a non-resumption of hostilities agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/115101)
• 17 August: Two UN observer vehicles come under fire in Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/115128)
• 31 August: Sokhumi offers to resume talks if Tbilisi pulls out its troops from Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/115211)
• 9 September: Antadze and Shamba meet in Sokhumi to try and restart dialogue within the Coordination Council (https://civil.ge/archives/115293)
• 20 September: Lavrov opposes Georgian efforts to internationalize peace efforts at a session of the UN Security Council (https://civil.ge/archives/115381)
• 26 September: Following Saakashvili's speech at UNGA, Abkhazia accuses Georgia of trying to pull out from the negotiation process (https://civil.ge/archives/115417)
• 30 September:
  • 1 Abkhaz is killed and 3 Georgian police officers are injured in a clash near a police post in Shamgona (Zugdidi) (https://civil.ge/archives/115489)
  • Baghapsh meets Putin in Sochi (https://civil.ge/archives/115494)
• 2 October: Abkhazia pulls out of the negotiation process following the spy scandal, officially blaming Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/115499)
• 3 October: Russia presents a resolution at the UN calling on Georgia to stop its provocative actions against Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/115526)
  • The US rejects the Russian-proposed resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/115549)
  • The US refused to grant a diplomatic visa for Shamba to address the UN Security Council as Russia wanted to convene an Arria Formula meeting within the UNSC (https://civil.ge/archives/111197)
  • On 13 October, the UN adopted a controversial resolution on Abkhazia which, while ignoring Russia's language on Kodori, it still welcomed the stabilizing nature of Russian peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/111201)
  • The resolution was hailed by Moscow and Sokhumi.
  • But on the other hand, this was seen as the possible beginning of the internationalization of the peace process. Alasania announced on 16 October that the Goup of Friends would meet in January 2007 on the topic (https://civil.ge/archives/111211)
• 7 November: Abkhazia holds air force and air defense exercises despite UNOMIG calls to refrain from doing so (https://civil.ge/archives/111354)
• 21 November: In the midst of the WTO debate, Shamba ruled out the presence of Georgian customs officers at the Adler-Leselidze checkpoint (https://civil.ge/archives/111470)
• 29 November: Georgia announces being ready for talks without preconditions. Baghapsh says Sokhumi would hold negotiations only over the withdrawal of troops from Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/111531)
• 8 December: Georgian police arrests Pridon Chakaberia, mayor of Kvemo Bargebi (Gali) for drug trafficking. Sokhumi suspends border crossings with Georgia and threatens to cut power supply from the Enguri HPP to Samegrelo (https://civil.ge/archives/111579)
  • A 2007 Imedi TV report reveals that the heroin charges were fabricated and his arrest was only linked to his cooperation with Sokhumi authorities, a step that was qualified by locals as going against principles of confidence-building (https://civil.ge/archives/112112)
• 25 December: Tensions start in Gali. Otar Turnanba, deputy cheif of the Abkhaz police in Gali and qualified as a local warlord by Tbilisi, responsible for raids against Georgian villages, is killed in a landmine (https://civil.ge/archives/111676)
  • The next day, Alik Khishba, chief of the Abkhaz police in Otobaia, is murdered (https://civil.ge/archives/111684)
  • MIA denies having any links to the assassinations (https://civil.ge/archives/111692)
  • UNOMIG condemns the attack (https://civil.ge/archives/111698)
  • Tbilisi accuses Abkhazia of deploying a special unit to retaliate in Gali, leading to 38 arrests. (https://civil.ge/archives/111707)
• 5 January: Clash in Ganmukhuri leads to the death of one Georgian police officer (https://civil.ge/archives/111722)
• 16 January: Ban Ki-moon is concerned by the recent violence in Gali and calls on both sides to engage in dialogue to bring peace (https://civil.ge/archives/111762)
• 29 January: Sokhumi calls the Tbilisi demand to Russia to allow Georgian customs officers at the Leselidze checkpoint "unreal" (https://civil.ge/archives/111833)
• 31 January: Baghapsh changes tone, sets condition for meeting Saakashvili to demilitarization of Kodori and an end to the Gali tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/111841)
• 2 February: Abkhaz militia opens additional police posts in Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/111859)
• 3 February: David Sigua, head of the Gali CEC, is kidnapped (https://civil.ge/archives/111861)
  • During the Gali crisis, a group called Patriots for Abkhazia emerged which aimed at operating reprisal operations against Georgians collaborating with Abkhaz authorities in the region. In February, 12 houses of Georgians were burnt down in various Gali villages by the group (https://civil.ge/archives/111975)
• 12-13 February: Geneva talks. Tbilisi proposes a direct dialogue and the opening of an Human Rights Office in Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/111921)
  • On 15 Feb, the Abkhaz government pledges the opening of an human rights office (https://civil.ge/archives/111934)
  • On 17 Feb, Sokhumi agrees to a direct Baghapsh-MS meeting in the condition of real breakthrough (https://civil.ge/archives/111948)
• 1 March: 3 Georgian activists of New Generation for United Georgia are arrested crossing into Gali, leading to a shootout between Georgian and Abkhaz police. According to Sokhumi, the group was trying to convince Georgians to boycott Abkhaz parliamentary elections. The NGO had been responsible in recent months for seevral protests near the Enguri Bridge. There was no confirmed link between this NGO and Patriots for Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/112008)
  • Speaking to Russian media, the 3 activists would confirm their plans to organize a boycott campaign (https://civil.ge/archives/111993)
  • Saakashvili supported them (https://civil.ge/archives/112016)
• 4 March: Abkhaz parliamentary elections condemned by the EU, NATO, the US (https://civil.ge/archives/112029), the COE (https://civil.ge/archives/112036) and the OSCE (https://civil.ge/archives/112037) but respected by Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/112031)
• 18 March: Two Abkhazians die in an explosion in a Gali border post (https://civil.ge/archives/112106)
• 13 April: UN Security Council adopts new resolution on Abkhazia, calling on Georgia to make sure the situation in Kodori is in line with the 1994 ceasefire agreement and extending the UNOMIG mandate by six months. Both sides were called to resume dialogue and CIS peacekeeping forces were endorsed https://civil.ge/archives/112233)
• 23 April:
  • Pridon Chakaberia, mayor of Kvemo Bargebi, is released. Allegations claim that his release by Tbilisi is part of a potential prisoner swap for the three Georgian students, but the latter are not immediately released (https://civil.ge/archives/112276)
  • The Republican Party claims the Georgian students are part of Georgian special services (https://civil.ge/archives/112281)
  • Sokhumi demands also the release of David Sigua in return for the students (https://civil.ge/archives/112283)
• 24 April: Sokhumi rejects direct dialogue with Tbilisi under current cirumstances (https://civil.ge/archives/112289)
• 1 May: Tbilisi condemns the Russo-Abkhazia attempts to link the resumption of talks to the Kodori conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/112322)
• 2 May: Avlabari calls on Sokhumi to directly release the Georgian students (https://civil.ge/archives/112331)
• 3 May:
  • Baghapsh calls for the release of David Sigua (https://civil.ge/archives/112332) and releases the three Georgian students the same day. Saakashvili, bullish, claims Georgia does not need to apologize for anything and bashes Abkhazia as "that self-proclaimed group that claims to be the Abkhaz authorities" (https://civil.ge/archives/112333). Saakashvili awarded the Medal of Honor to the three students (https://civil.ge/archives/112335)
• 24 May: MS claims in a speech that that Georgian textbooks in Gagra public schools had been publicly burned, a claim denied by Sokhumi. The de facto authorities accuse MS of inciting "ethnic hatred" and xenophobia. (https://civil.ge/archives/112440)
• 26 May: MS opens a "patriotic camp" for teenagers in Ganmukhuri for up to 2,000 students. Zourabichvili criticized this as a reckless step in a village that suffered an attack a few months earlier. (https://civil.ge/archives/112448)
• 11 June: Peter Somneby, EU Special Representative for the SC, proposed confidence-building measures through EU mediation during a meeting with Baghapsh in Sokhumi, who refused as long as Georgian troops remained in Kodori and Davit Sigua remained in jail. (https://civil.ge/archives/112525)
  • Somneby claims that 2007 was only the beginning of the EU's involvement in conflict resolution. (http://civil.ge/archives/112520)
• 29 June: Sokhumi agrees to resume the Chuburkhinji security talks following a two-day meeting in Bonn of the GoF with Shamba and Antadze. The talks are to be held in a quadripartite format and had been cancelled since November 2006. (https://civil.ge/archives/112618)
• 4 July: In an interview with Reuters, MS states that a mix of "soft power" and "people power" should be applied in Abkhazia to resolve the conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/112634)
• 6 July:
  • 2 Abkhaz civilians are shot dead in Chuburkhinji. Sokhumi claims the involvement of Georgian paramilitary groups (https://civil.ge/archives/112651)
  • A Turkish vessel en route to Abkhazia is intercepted by Georgian Border Guard (https://civil.ge/archives/112654)
• 9 July:
  • Another murder attempt on Ankvab. Baghapsh hints at possible Georgian involvement (https://civil.ge/archives/112658) Tbilisi instead sees a power struggle (https://civil.ge/archives/112667)
  • Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov announces new investment projects in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/112661) and the Moscow Municipality signs an agreement with the Abkhaz government on economic cooperaiton on 11 July (https://civil.ge/archives/112675)
• 11 July: Tbilisi unveils secret documents showing that Russian state agencies, Oleg Deripaska, former PM Sergei Kirienko and Governor Alexandre Tkachev of Krasnodar as owning large assets in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/112672)
• 31 July: Abkhaz NSC Secretary Stanislav Lakoba states that Tbilisi lacks the levers to exert influence and stop investments into Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/112782)
• 22 August: Sokhumi claims a Georgian reconnaissance drone flew into Gali from Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/112897)
• 23 August: Tbilisi claims downing a drone in Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/112905)
  • Sokhumi would claim that the drone had come from the direction of Turkey and lost altitude over Abkhazia before crashing in Kodori. The drone was not found immediately (https://civil.ge/archives/112911)
• 20 September: According to Baghapsh, armed Georgians enter the Tkvarcheli District from Kodori and fire at a training camp, killing two Abkhaz servicemen (https://civil.ge/archives/185533)
  • Georgian MIA claims that Georgia really repelled Abkhaz saboteurs (https://civil.ge/archives/185534)
  • 6 Abkhaz are captured during the raid, including 4 Russians (https://civil.ge/archives/113072)
  • Moscow blames the clash on Georgia
  • The UN SG's report on the situation recommended the expansion of UNOMIG's deployment to the Kodori Gorge, which was welcomed by Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/113220)
  • Another UNOMIG report gave justice to the Abkhaz side of events (https://civil.ge/archives/113240)
• 6 October: Saakashvili states that the "countdown has started for the return of Abkhazia" (https://civil.ge/archives/113195)
• 15 October: The UN approves the first Abkhaz resolution calling for the return of IDPs to Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/113257)
• 25 October: Bakradze visits Sokhumi for direct dialogue (https://civil.ge/archives/113319), downplayed by Abkhaz officials (https://civil.ge/archives/113328)
  • The meeting leads to the release of 7 Abkhaz militiamen captured during the 20 September clash (https://civil.ge/archives/113329)
• 30 October: Russian peacekeeping troops intrude in the territory next to Ganmukhuri patriotic youth camp, taking Georgian policemen hostages, beating them up brutally. (https://civil.ge/archives/113360)
  • Saakashvili calls Commander Sergey Chaban of the Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia an undesirable person (https://civil.ge/archives/113361)
  • Russia refused to remove Chaban, despite Georgian demands (https://civil.ge/archives/113366)
  • Parliament relaunches discussion on removing Georgian peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/113367)
  • Russian MFA states that Ganmukhuri was a provocation by the Georgian authorities aimed at internal consumption in the wave of the Okruashvili scandal (https://civil.ge/archives/113385)
• 1 November: Sokhumi warns that the departure of Russian peacekeepers will lead to war (https://civil.ge/archives/113378)

• He berated the term Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in his 2007 parliamentary address, claiming it was an invention by "silly people" and emphasizing that Malkhaz Akishbaia, the head of the legitimate Abkhaz government, was an Abkhaz. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4952&i=1)

Minorités éthniques

Arméniens de Djavakhétie

• In May 2004, MIA troops were dispatched following clashes between Armenians and Geogians in which several people were injured in Tsalka (https://civil.ge/archives/105911)
• Tsalka was eventually placed for several weeks under special MIA rule with troops remaining in the town (https://civil.ge/archives/105942)
• Visiting Akhalkalaki on 29 December 2004, MS called for integration with the preservation of language and culture and announced the construction of a new Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki highway, as well as a scholarship program for those local students studying at TSU (https://civil.ge/archives/106909)
• In March 2005, hundreds of local Armenians protested against the closure of Russian military bases and MS promised them all jobs (https://civil.ge/archives/107555)
• After clashes in Tsalka between Armenian and Greek minorities in March 2005, the MIA dispatched a special purpose unit to patrol the streets (https://civil.ge/archives/107606)
• Armenians of Akhalkalaki protested again against the base withdrawal on 31 March 2005 and demanded the impprovement of existing social conditions in the town, notably by solving the energy crisis and rehabilitating road communications in the region (https://civil.ge/archives/107687)
• Armenian studnts protested in front of the Georgian embassy on 14 April 2005 against violation of the rights of Armenians (https://civil.ge/archives/107802)
• In June 2005, the government drafted a National Concept on the Protection of National Minorities, which envisioned: (https://civil.ge/archives/108199)
  • Right to speak in native language but promoting of learning of Georgian for integration
  • Local language included in local school curricula (https://civil.ge/archives/108199)
  • Right to open private schools
  • Right to establish private media sources and funding for programs broadcasted in minority languages on state-funded media sources
  • Right to participate in judicial process in native language (https://civil.ge/archives/108199)
  • Creation of Georgian language learning programs
  • Setting up of centers to publicize Georgian and minority cultures
• In 2005, Armenia spent 350,000 USD for school construction and infrastructure projects in Javakheti (https://civil.ge/archives/108576)
• As the Akhalkalaki Base was closing down, the MOD announced that the Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda districts would receive almost monopoly in state procurements for foodstuff for the Georgian armed forces (https://civil.ge/archives/108654)
• On 24 September 2005, the Council of Armenian NGOs in SJ adopted a resolution calling on Tbilisi to consider granting autonomy to the region with broad authority and bashing the discrimination against Armenians in talks of Ossetian and Abkhazian autonomy offers (https://civil.ge/archives/108926)
• In October 2005, the Financial Police closed down trade facilities, which led to hundreds of protesters and their dispersal by law enforcement shooting in the air on 5 October (https://civil.ge/archives/108999)
  • Garnik Isagulyan, NSA of the Armenian President, warned that the lack of caution could derail into armed conflict in Javakheti (https://civil.ge/archives/109008)
• Armenians in Tsalka sporadically started protests in 2004-2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110081)
• The death of a 24 year old Armenian activist by police in Tsalka on 9 March 2006 led to widespread protests among Armenian communities in Georgia, including a massive riot on 11 March in Akhalkalaki that led to the storming of the TSU branch and a local court chamber. NB claimed this was tied to people wanting to trigger destabilization (https://civil.ge/archives/110095)
• On 16 March, Akhalkalaki based Virk and Javakhk called for Armenian to be made official language in the SJ region (https://civil.ge/archives/110132)
• In April 2006, MS announced the spending of 400 million GEL over the course of the next few years on rehabilitating old roads and building new ones in Javakheti to put an end to the region's isolation (https://civil.ge/archives/110409)
• On 26 April, a 25 people protest of local Armenians "hindrered" the scheduled withdrawal of military hardware from the Russian Akhalkalaki base (https://civil.ge/archives/110444)
• On 7 June 2006, the offices of Multinational Georgia, a NGO, were robbed of computer hardware, while it was preparing an alternative report on ethnic minority rights in Georgia critical of the government. For weeks before, government officials had been asking for the group's documents (https://civil.ge/archives/110780)
• In June 2006, Noghaideli ruled out autonomy (https://civil.ge/archives/110919)
• On 13 April 2007, NGOs Virk and Javakhk held protest rallies demanding that Armenian be made the second official language in the region (https://civil.ge/archives/112230)
• A controversial statement made by UNM MP Beso Jugeli was criticized by ethnic minority groups after he stated that "Mirkirtich had no need to live in Sololaki" in response to criticism that a proposed tax scheme for Old Tbilisi would be discriminatory toward local ethnic minorities. Saakashvili refused to condemn Jugeli's comments (https://civil.ge/archives/112294)
  • The bill aimed at creating a special property tax for residents of the old district for cultural heritage purposes (https://civil.ge/archives/112315)
• Despite calls for one by locals, the Ministry of Education refused to set up an Armenian-language university in Akhalkalaki (https://civil.ge/archives/112886)
• He claimed in December 2007 that Javakheti was full of separatists in 2004 but that the situation was over (https://civil.ge/archives/113853)
• Police was often tight-lipped in Armenian separatist cases.
  • On 22 January 2009, Grigl Minasyan and Sarkis Akopjanyan are arrested for alleged spying in Akhaltsikhe They were members of Dashnaktsutyun. (https://civil.ge/archives/118290)
  • They were accused of working with the Association for Legal Assistance to the Population (ALAP), a Belarus-based organization with ties to the FSB (https://civil.ge/archives/118485)
• On 1 September 2009, President Sargsyan stated during a meeting with Armenian diplomats to outline his foreign policy goals that Georgia should grant Armenian the status of regional language in Javakheti as a step to help strengthen friendship between both countries. (https://civil.ge/archives/119341)
• The historical road, crossing Kvemo Kartli, leading to Akhalkalaki, crossing SJ and reaching the Turkish border, costing 209 million USD and a 2-year rehabilitation using the Millenium Challenge Account, was inaugurated in November 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/185730)
• Chakhalayan was a leader of the Akhaltsikhe group that staged protrsts in 2005 against the withdrawal of Russian weapons and eventually called for the autonomy of Javakheti. (https://civil.ge/archives/186627)
  • He was arrested in July 2008 for illegal weapons possession and hooliganism, after which charges of acts against public order restisting officials dating back to 2005 and 2006 were added
  • Among his supporters'actions were the storming of a court chamber and a building of TSU aKHALKALAKI
  • He was released from jail on 24 January 2013 following the Amnesty law, which Saakashvili condemned.
    • Saakashvili's statements were condemned by the Armenian Church in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/186629)
      • Saakashvili was surpised by the Church;s statement, arguing that Chakhalayan was contributing to anti-aRMENIAN sentiments (https://civil.ge/archives/186630)
• In October 2013, Chakhalayan protested against Saakashvili while the latter was touring Akhalkalaki. The two exchanged barbs. (https://civil.ge/archives/123268)
  • Saakashvili's decision to grant several Turks Georgian citizenship in his last weeks in office was badly perceived in the Armenian community (https://civil.ge/archives/123268)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4950&i=1
  • In his 2005 parliamentary address, he stated: "We have destroyed many myths. For example, I have visited Akhalkalaki. For many years there was talk that it was dangerous even to go to Akhalkalaki, let alone walk in the streets and speak to local people. In fact, it is a part of Georgia like any other, a place where people love our flag, anthem and statehood, just as they do in the rest of Georgia. They were offended by claims to the contrary that had been made for so many years."

Azerbaïdjanais de Kvemo Karthli

• There were concerns raised by Baku-based NGOs that property rights were not enforced for ethnic Azerbaijani families in southern Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/106776)
• MS sacked Governor Zurab Mazmiashvili and appointed Zurab Melikishvili as Governor of Kvemo Kartli following a failure of fighting crime in the region. The appointment took place days after the NGO allegations. (https://civil.ge/archives/106785)
• Following the Baku NGO allegations, Azerbaijani Obmubdsperson Elmira Suleymanova and a group of Azerbaijani MPs visited Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/106796)
• Financial Police clashed with local population in Dec 2004 and Jan 2005 after raids against goods smuggled from Azerbaijan in Vakhtangisi (https://civil.ge/archives/107094)
• The Zurab Zhvania School of Public Administration was opened in Kutaisi in September 2005 to train at first 300 Azeris, Armenians and Ossetians to help them be able to be employed in local governments (https://civil.ge/archives/108652)
• On 22 February 2006, 15 Azeri protesters in Damia-Gerakhi (Marneuli) were arrested after a clash with the police. They were demanding fair distribution of land in the region. Baku expressed concern and called for the setting up of a joint commission with Tbilisi to work over the land distribution issues in Kvemo Kartli. Azeri journalists were physically abused by the police and their tapes were confiscated (https://civil.ge/archives/109956)
• Saakashvili called ethnic Azerbaijanis an "inseparable part of our nation" during a visit by President Aliyev in May 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112378)
• In December 2008, Saakashvili ordered the Ministry of Education to raise salaries of public school teachers who teach in areas populated by ethnic groups to 1,000 GEL, while ordering a review of national exam standards for ethnic minority students. He also called for the development of special incentive programs, including scholarships, for students in Kvemo Kartli and Javakheti to study in Tbilisi instead of Baku or Yerevan. (https://civil.ge/archives/118116)
• In February 2010, Saakashvili announced there would be minority quotas in universities (https://civil.ge/archives/119922)
• Saakashvili declared Nowruz a national holiday while in Marneuli on 21 March 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/119996)
• In March 2013, Gardabani-born Azeri businessman in Russia Soyun Sadikov indicated wanting to be involved in Baku politics. Saakashvili condemned this. Sadikov had previously, according to him, called for the autonomy of Azeris in Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/186659)

La question des Meskhétiens

• MS opposed the resettlement of Meskhetians to Javakheti because of the local Armenian population (https://civil.ge/archives/107078)
• Elene Tevdoradze accused Azerbaijan of pressuring Georgia to relocate Meskhetians by applying pressure on Ingilos (https://civil.ge/archives/107723)
• Russia criticized Georgia for refusing to repatriate Meskhetians, although those living in Krasnodar did not have Russian citizenship (https://civil.ge/archives/107542)
• On 23 March 2005, MS created a special commission over the repatriation issue, chaired by Goga Khaindrava (https://civil.ge/archives/107628)
• The COE had been uring the repatriation of Meskhetians ever since it joined in 1999 and undertook this (https://civil.ge/archives/107728)
• On 6 June 2005, there was hope as Minister Khaindrava announced that the government would back the repatriation, although the exact number of Meskhetians was unknown (https://civil.ge/archives/108231)
• Khaindrava toured the 10 CIS countries where Meskhetians were located in October 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109011)
• The issue was lobbied by Turkey (https://civil.ge/archives/110107)
• In October 2006, the Russian MFA called on Georgia to meet the 1999 COE commitments on the repatriation of Meskhetians (https://civil.ge/archives/111244)
  • It seems there were discussions by the government to not resettle Meskhetians in Samtskhe Javakheti but across the country
• In June 2007, UNM introduced a bill on Meskhetian repatriation after NATO also started raising the issue. The proposal made deportees, their family members and their grandchildren would be eligible for repatriation. Anyone wishing to be repatriated would have to apply to the nearest Georgian consulate throughout 2008. Applicants would be required to old Soviet papers to prove they were deported from Georgia in 1944. (https://civil.ge/archives/112540)
  • The opposition was against it, arguing about risk of potential clashes in southern Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/112570)
  • Parliament passed the law 134-14 on22 June (https://civil.ge/archives/112587)
    • Second reading passed on 101-2 on 27 June. Industrialists added a stipulation that returnees provide a property declaration (http://civil.ge/archives/112606)
    • Third and final approval passed 117-9 on 11 July (https://civil.ge/archives/112674)
• In July 2007, Guram Sharadze's daughter Rusudan claimed publicly that the murder of her father in July 2007 was directly tied with his opposition to Meskhetian repatriation (https://civil.ge/archives/185524)
• On 24 December 2008, Parliament approved an extension of the deadline to submit applications for potential return from 1 Jan to 1 July 2009, citing the busy nature of 2008 as a reason. Only 900 applications had been submitted at the time. (https://civil.ge/archives/118133)

Controverses

Éléctions parlementaires de 2004

• AD
  • The Republican Party of David Usupashvili and the Conservative Party of Zviad Dzidziguri were the first ones to leave the ruling block in protest of the constitutional changes of 2004 (AD, 475)
  • They founded the Democratic Front with several other non-parliamentary parties
  • New Rights of David Gamkrelidze and Labor of Shalva Natelashvili were fragmented but existed as opposition

• Zourabichvili
  • His UNM would take the strategy of the CUG by encompassing the entire political class of Georgia and becoming a de facto one-party state (19)

• Kavadze
  • UNM won in coalition with Burjanadze-Democrats Union (67)

• Ucha Bluashvili 2016
  • UNM won a constitutional majority. Nino Burjanadze was elected speaker (377)

• Republican Party
  • The elections ended pluralism and was the first threat to freedom of speech, even though there was no widespread voter fraud (189)
  • Another controversial aspect was the fact that CUG majoritarian deputies quickly joined MS's party (189)
  • Republicans were offered the Ministry of Justice (Usupashvili or Khidasheli) to stay in the block, but they refused (189)
  • The RP proposed an electoral reform that would created a parliament made partly of proportional mandates and party of multi-mandate districts (191)

• The OSCE warned against holding parliamentary elections in March
• The New Rights said that early parliamentary elections in March would prevent the opposition from organizing.
• The same for Irakli Gogava and the NDP (https://civil.ge/archives/105018)
  • NB set the elections for March 28
• On 28 Jan 2004, Zhvania's United Democrats and MS's National Movement merged (https://civil.ge/archives/105144)
• The COE urged Georgia to pass electoral reforms in cooperation with the COE ahead of the parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/105154)
• PACE expressed concern that the parliamentary elections would be a direct threat to pluralism, notably following the merger of UD and NM and urged the government to amend the constitution to lower the barrier from 7 to 5% (https://civil.ge/archives/105156
• Mze TV and Rustavi 2 stopped broadcasting daily political talk shows before the parliamentary elections, something the opposition attributed to government pressure. (https://civil.ge/archives/105213)
• Even the CEC chair said that pluralism was endangered (https://civil.ge/archives/105230
• The OSCE funded the administrative expenses of the election at the tune of 1 million EUR (https://civil.ge/archives/105262)
• The international observation mission noted with concern that the CEC was mainly dominated by government backers (https://civil.ge/archives/105271)
• The New Rights and the Industrialists launched an electoral bloc for the election, called the Rightists (https://civil.ge/archives/105283)
• MS opposed the reduction of the barrier from 7 to 5 (https://civil.ge/archives/105294)
• The NDP and the Traditionalists launched a joint bloc (https://civil.ge/archives/105305)
  • The Republican Party and the Union of National Forces, previously part of NM, boycotted the elections.
  • The Supreme Court only cancelled proportional results.
• There were also concerns about holding elections before investigations into the fraud of 2003 (https://civil.ge/archives/105307)
• Ultimately, Parliament failed to adopt the 5% reduction (https://civil.ge/archives/105328)
• PACE criticized the CEC imbalance (https://civil.ge/archives/105330)
• The triumvirate drafted together the party list but that came with conflict and intrigues (https://civil.ge/archives/105339)
  • One report revealed that 60% of the list was MS supporters while Zhvania and Burjanadze had to split the remaining 40% (https://civil.ge/archives/105334)
• The EU allocated 1.3 million EUR for the election (https://civil.ge/archives/105344)
• PACE expressed concern that Georgia did not adopt its recommendations after the last elections (https://civil.ge/archives/105350)
• There were also wide concerns about holding electons in Adjara, which was not cooperative (https://civil.ge/archives/105416)
• MS claims that he opposed reducing the proportional threshold because it would have prevented the opposition from uniting (https://civil.ge/archives/105362)
• Following COE pressure, the government finally agreed giving more opposition representation in the CEC, although not the full Baker Plan (https://civil.ge/archives/105357)
• The ruling party campaigned on a platform of social welfare, promising spending 70 million GEL on social benefits in the first year (https://civil.ge/archives/105386)
• The Traditionalist-NDP platform was liberalization of taxes, Euro-Atlantic integration, decentralization (elected governors) and bicameralism (https://civil.ge/archives/105523)
• Labor platform was strongly socialistic and demanded the nationalization of strategic facilities (https://civil.ge/archives/105525)
• The Rightist Opposition was strongly pro-business (https://civil.ge/archives/105526)
• Special precinct was opened in Zugdidi for Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/105549)
• Kodori could not participate due to weather conditions according to Kvitsiani (https://civil.ge/archives/105560)
• The CEC noted alarming violations in Kvemo Kartli, including double voting (https://civil.ge/archives/105562)
• CIS observers hailed the polls (https://civil.ge/archives/105579)
• PVT showed that UNM and Rightist Opposition won seats (https://civil.ge/archives/105579)
• The international observation mission said it was improvement over the 2003 elections (https://civil.ge/archives/105581)
• Labor held rallies against voter fraud the day after the polls (https://civil.ge/archives/105583)
• US praised the elections (https://civil.ge/archives/105584)
• Abashidze also accused voter fraud *https://civil.ge/archives/105592)
• And so did the Rightist Opposition, which addressed the US embassy (https://civil.ge/archives/105599)
• Detail of the results (https://civil.ge/archives/105600)
• Abashidze proposed a referendum in Adjara to see if the elections were fraudulent or not (https://civil.ge/archives/105595)
• CEC cancelled the results of 48 precincts days after ED, especially in Kvemo Kartli, which hardly hit the Rightist Opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/105607)
  • GYLA protested this move, arguing that only a court had the right to do so (https://civil.ge/archives/105645)
• Labor called for a recount (https://civil.ge/archives/105624)
• After the election, only 217 out of 235 credentials were confirmed on 22 April. 12 from Abkhazia had their credential approval postponed. 4 did not undergo drug tests. 1 failed his drug test. 1 (Bondo Shalikiani) was in custody (https://civil.ge/archives/105743)
• NB was elected as new speaker almost unanimously (https://civil.ge/archives/105745)
• The Parliament approved an electoral code amendment on 12 October 2004 to allow by-elections be declared valid without the one-third participation requirement, harshly criticized by the opposition, just in time for the Krtsanisi, Didube, Zestaponi and Gori by-elections (https://civil.ge/archives/106327)
• In the October 24 2004 special elections, MS called on voters to vote for Jumber Patiashvili (former communist), Olympian Giorgi Asanidze in Krtsanisi, Teimuraz Cheishvili in Didube, Teimuraz Tsertsvadze in Zestaponi (https://civil.ge/archives/106398)
• There was another controversy with the opposition walking out of Parliament upon the adoption of amendments to the electoral code banning the appointment of party activists on the CEC board (https://civil.ge/archives/106563)
• In the 1 October 2005 special parliamentary elections, the ruling party was accused of violating campaigning laws by providing transportation for voters to voting precincts while the law banned campaigning on Election Day (https://civil.ge/archives/108962)

• Glucksmann
  • MS said he was 'afraid' of these electoral results as too unanimous (140)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • When the Supreme Court cancelled the results of the 2003 proportional parliamentary elections, criticism arose that the majoritarian elections were not cancelled. One possible reason is that the majoritarian deputies were well-entranched, wealthy individuals that MS wanted the support of (512)
  • Until the new parliamentary elections, the 1999-elected Parliament remained in power. These MPs might have been promised immunity in return for allegiance. It's exactly that Parliament that approved the constitutional amendments that strengthened the President's powers (512)

Mort de Zourab Jvania

• Temur Alasania’s name is linked with obscure death of the late prime-minister of Georgia Zurab Zhvania. (http://www.humanrights.ge/index.php?a=main&pid=14322&lang=eng)
  • In 2005 “Global Research” wrote about Zurab Zhvania’s death and said one of the motives for “Zhvania’s murder” was competition about the construction of the terminal at the Tbilisi International Airport.
  • Namely, Zurab Zhvnia was against the Turkish company, Çelebi Holding, which won the competition and was lobbied by Temur Alasania.
  • Finally the competition results were annulled and later again the Turkish company, TAV Urban, obtained the right to construct the new terminal in the airport.
  • A journalist of the Global Research assumed one of the motives of “Zhvania’s murder” was the failed competition.

• In February, 2005 Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, one of the outstanding leaders of 'Rose Revolution' and the founder of the Georgian Green Party died in very suspicious circumstances. (https://arcade.stanford.edu/blogs/privatized-death-machine)
  • His family and representatives of Civil Society in Georgia have asked for an investigation.
  • But President Saakashvili refused to conduct an independent investigation and after 6 years the case is not solved.
  • Many questions appeared but almost none were answered.
  • Georgian Society and Zurab Zhvania's family were left left on its own.
  • The young investigator from Georgian Prosecutor's office who found some controversial evidence was also killed in very mysterious circumstances in several months.
  • Independent investigative journalist, Vakhtang Komakhidze together with his team traced the circumstances of death and has concluded that there was a significant evidence indicating that authorities were lying.
  • Since then he was threatened multiple times and was forced to leave Georgia and has received political asylum in one of the European countries.
  • Zurab Zhvania's family is still asking for an investigation—but there is not response.

• Okruashvili also caused a sensation when, speaking of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania’s death in 2005 - officially from carbon monoxide poisoning - he suggested that suspicions of murder were well-founded. (https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/attach/174/174106_CACIA18.pdf)

• Zourabichvili
  • One episode marked SZ: during the negotiations on base withdrawal, MS and ZZ got into a fight over details of the negotiations, leading almost to a fistfight inside the NSC. They pledged to never work together again. It may have been the intervention of Burjanadze that calmed them (76-77)
  • Zhvania was seen as a continuation of the Shevardnadze era with nepotism, double entendres, and informal ties to Moscow (77-78)
  • In the morning of 3 February 2005, Zhvania was announced dead. An emergency session of the Cabinet was called (82)
  • At the ministers' council, Vano Merabishvili announced he died from a gas asphyxtion, despite the lack of investigation at the time (82)
  • In the first days, rumors were abound about the death. All we know is he was found with a young man, both dead (82)
  • Two theories abound: one that the gas excuse was used to protect Zhvania from a potential gay life, the other that it was a political assassination (83)
  • His family at first calls it a political assassination, something that was shut up with gay rumors (83)
  • After the family's silence, the wife was given his residence and a pension for herself and for the education of her kids. (83-84)
  • He was burried with honor at a state funeral at Sameba (84)
  • Many believed it was a political assassination ordered by MS and silenced by Merabishvili (84)
  • Baramidze, who was Zhvania's protege, was informed at 3AM at the Shavnabada presidential complex (85)
  • Zhvania's widow cut all ties with Baramidze after that night despite being close friends (85)
  • Merabishvili would declare in a press conference mere hours after his death that it was an accident and ruled out foul play (254)

• Rayfield
  • ZZ allegedly died in a rented flat where he was playing backgammon with Azeri governor Rafael Yusupov. (396)
  • His bodyguards gave contradictory evidence. (396)
  • Photographs of the scene varied with each edition of the newspapers (396)
  • Bodies wre rapidly buried (396)
  • Forensic scientists and journalists were badly beaten or mysteriously died (396)
  • The English report of the scene found too little carbon monoxide, while the Georgian version found more than enough (396)
  • One version saw a death that took place after a quarrel at the presidential palace over South Ossetia, followed by the murder of the Azeri, the installation of an Iranian stove and a clumsy campaign to make the scene look like a homosexual tryst. (396)

• Zhvania was at the house of Kvemo Kartli Deputy Governor Raul Usupov. Merabishvili announced in a few hours that his death was due to gas poisoning from a faulty heater (https://civil.ge/archives/107174)
• Putin sent his condolences (https://civil.ge/archives/107206)
• Baghapsh said his death would not impact conflict settlement (https://civil.ge/archives/107207)
• A few hours after Merabishvili, Deputy Prosecutor General Giorgi Janashia said that preliminary conclusions by medical exerpts showed poisoning from carbon monoxide (https://civil.ge/archives/107210)
• Tskhinvali sent its condolences and expressed sorrow for the party of peace (https://civil.ge/archives/107211)
• Davit Berdzenishvili expressed questions on the very first day (https://civil.ge/archives/107215)
• MS assumed the functions of PM before appointing a replacement (https://civil.ge/archives/185348)
• The US expressed tis condolences through Rice-MS phone call (https://civil.ge/archives/107223)
• The FBI intervened on 4 February to provide forensic expertise per Tbilisi request (https://civil.ge/archives/107227)
• Carbon monoxide poisoning was confirmed on 4 February by Levan Samkharauli, with the amount of carboxihemoglobin in the blood of ZZ amounting to 60.6% (https://civil.ge/archives/107228)
• National mourning was declared (https://civil.ge/archives/107229)
• Giorgi Khelashvili, a young employee of the Presidential Administration, committed suicide on 5 February (https://civil.ge/archives/107232)
• 17 international delegations attended the funeral (https://civil.ge/archives/107235)
• There may have been links with the Gori blast (https://civil.ge/archives/107236)
• The funeral took place on 6 February at Sameba and he was burried in Didube (https://civil.ge/archives/107237)
• Mamuja Jincharadze, Georgian-Russian businessman with ties to the Georgian gov and a member of the Nizhnevortovsk City Council, was shot dead in Moscow on Feb 5 (https://civil.ge/archives/107239)
• While the US Embassy said it did not see a connection betweeen the Gori blast and the Zhvania death, the FBI team investigated both. The Embassy also said it did not find signs of foulplay in the death (https://civil.ge/archives/107245)
• The Usupov family cast doubt about the accident version and claimed that the apartment was not even rented by Raul. Oficial reports claim that Raul Usupov rented the apartment months before (https://civil.ge/archives/107249)
• MP Koba Davitashvili (opposition) called for refraining from making conclusions, said both versions were equally possible, and added that there was an activation of hostile forces in the country (https://civil.ge/archives/107262)
• There were inconsistencies between different versions of official statements. (https://civil.ge/archives/107257)
  • Independent forensic expert Maia Nokolaishvili claimed that symptoms of carbon monxide poisoning can be the result of other chemical substances.
  • The last person Zhvania talked to on the phone was Levan Mikeladze, Ambassador to US (https://civil.ge/archives/107257
• MP Elene Tevdoradze, of Zhvania clan, raised a number questions (https://civil.ge/archives/107267)
• Nino Burjanadze refused the opposiion's demand to open a parliamentary probe (https://civil.ge/archives/107282)
• The FBI experts said it share the preliminary results of Georgian officials after one day of investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/185353)
• On 1 April 2005, the FBI shared the Georgian conclusion of Zhvania's death (https://civil.ge/archives/185364)
• There were doubts also tied to the fact that no fingerprints of Zhvania were found in the apartment of his death. (https://civil.ge/archives/107712)
  • Goga Zhvania, his brother, expressed doubts about the government's and the FBI's versions
• The Chief of State Forensic Examinations Dept Levan Samkharauli was shot dead in Kvareli on 22 May 2005. His killer then committed suicide (https://civil.ge/archives/108116)
  • The next day, Goga Zhvania said he was now sure his brother had been assassinated (https://civil.ge/archives/108129)
  • Nino Zhvania then stated that she believed the Prosecutor was deliberately hiding evidence and not considering other versions. She pointed out at contradictory versions by the bodyguards and the disappearance of all files of Zhvania (https://civil.ge/archives/108159)
  • Parliament refused to set up a probe into the Zhvania death on 31 May 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108186)
• In March 2006, in an interview with the WP, Shevardnadze stated he believed Zhvania had been murdered (https://civil.ge/archives/110154)
• On 3 February 2007, two years after the death, Goga Zhvania, brother of the late PM, stated there was an attempt to cover up the truth. He publicly announced his distrust of te investigation and accused MS of failing to keep his promise. (https://civil.ge/archives/111860)
• Okruashvili would claim that Zhvania's corpose was brought into the flat and evidence was fabricated (https://civil.ge/archives/113105)
• Okruashvili's claims led to new attention that brough details to the case, including: the lack of Zhvania's or Usupov's fingerprints in the apartment, discrepancies in the findings of FBI experts including the FBI's finding that the lowest recorded oxygen level in the apartment was 18%, above what would be considered dangerous, the murder of Levan Samkharauli (https://civil.ge/archives/113194)
• The investigation into Zhvania's death was reopened by Tsulukiani in November 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/186562)
• In October 2013, Ivanishvili (PM) announced that Saakashvili may face prosecution in the new Zhvania case (https://civil.ge/archives/186816)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • The morning after the death, at an international conference at the Courtyard Marriot in Tbilisi, MS talked of Zhvania's "murder". Some blamed a lapsus lingua. (513)

• The Force Awakens
  • Zhvania and Saakashvili had once clashed as to who would chair cabinet meetings (90)
  • MS accused eventually Zhvania of being close to Patarkatsishvili, even corruptly (90-91)
  • MS saw Zhvania at 22:00 the night before his death (93)
  • Koba Kharshiladze, head of Zhvania's security, called Saakashvili from Zhvania's cell phone to tell him the death and say that it was a very unconfortable situation (93)
  • MS clearly hints in his book that Zhvania was in a homosexual relationship with Usupov (93)
  • MS ordered Kharshiladze to stop touching things and to contact MIA immediately (93)
  • MS claims that Bush personally got the FBI involved to check Russian involvement (94)
  • For personal reasons, to avoid Zhvania's shame, MS classified the Georgian government (94)
  • MS claimed that while his widow was at first understanding, she then demanded money for silence (95)
  • MS links the accusations of his ties to Zhvania's death with Bidzina Ivanishvili, who used it for electoral purposes (95)
  • Under Ivanishvili were arrested Zhvania's security guards (95)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4950&i=1
  • The mother and widow of Zhvania both attended the address to parliament speech on 10 February 2005

Limogeage de Salomé Zourabichvili

• Zourabichvili
  • Fissures first appeared in September 2004 against SZ, after she launched her widespread reforms. The first of these fissures was a campaign which she would later lay the blame on UN Ambassador Rezo Adamia (former KGB, MP, Minister of Defense) was a media campaign accusing her of causing Georgia's loss of vote at the UNGA, something caused by years of upaid dues under Shevardnadze (69-71)
  • It seems at the time that this may be part of a triumvirate war and that Burjanadze is the one launching attacks against her to go after MS (70)
  • Zhvania never trusted her and she never trusted him. In December 2004, he told her of the decision to create a new ministry of Euro-Atlantic integration, thus gutting her of Russia, EU and NATO (77-78)
  • It would be tough to decipher whether this was due to a Zhvania-Saakashvili battle, their agreement, or yet a Burjanadze-Zhvania alliance against MS, a symbol of the power struggles in the early years of MS (79)
  • This conflict may also have been due to her reorganization of diplomatic posts, something that went against Zhvania's nepotism. (80)
  • After her dismissal, any mention of her on the website of the MFA would be removed (113)
  • Pro-government media claimed that she resigned while MS was planning on giving her another post, something she denied (153)
  • SZ's ratings were amazingly high after her signature of the Russia accord (166-167)
  • There was a conflict between SZ and NB dubbed by the media as the "guerre des dames" but MS was really behind the conflict (168)
  • In August 2005, she organized the first-ever ambassadorial conference in Batumi and invited the President to address the conference (168)
  • At the last moment, MS refused to come, despite prior agreement, and demanded the conference be moved to Borjomi. (168-169)
  • They all went to his summer residence of Borjomi where they would be attacked by the President for failing to bring investments into the country (169)
  • Nino Burjanadze was also in attendance, unexpectedly, a sign that MS was backing her over SZ (169)
  • The Borjomi episode was followed by the New York incident, two weeks later: while in NYC for the UNGA, Parliament accuses the MFA of failing to transmit documents linked to the Minority Language Convention of the COE that Georgia had pledged to sign. In reality, the MFA had transferred it to the Preisdent for his signature but he was the one who withheld it. SZ believes this was a well-organized campaign to go against her (177-178)
  • Soon, MP Kirkitadze went against SZ publicly (179)
  • SZ condemned the move as she was in official visit to London at the time. She said Parliament should not go after the MFA in time of an official visit (179)
  • The ambassadors to the UN, Russia and Ukraine would be convoked at a special audition of the Parliament's FA Committee to discuss the SZ problem, where the three ambassadors accused her of corruption, icompetence and nepotism, in October (180-181)
  • Following this, Parliament votes immediately on a motion to ask the government to dismiss her (182)
  • PM Lado Gurgenidze claimed knowing nothing of this (183)
  • The next day, she would find out through TV that Gurgenidze decided to follow Parliament's recommendation and dismiss her (183)
  • Saakashvili would also deny and pretend that this was an assault by the Parliament and that he would try to rectify the situation, in vain (184-185)
  • The same night on Rustavi 2, she called on the population to fight for the principles of the revolution that were being lost to anti-demoicratic forces and called for a massive protest the next day, while many believed she announced her departure to France (186)
  • On 19 October 2005, the first massive anti-Saakashvili protest takes place at the Tbilisi Hippodrome, despite police blockades of certain streets to create massive traffic jams (188)
  • Immediately, MS appointed a new MFA tasked with fighting corruption, incompetence and nepotism. (189)
  • Her name and photo and biography would be erased from the MFA website (191)
  • And despite having sort of being sent from France, the French embassy would never be debriefed on the removal (191)
  • Eventually, she would hint that her removal may have been tied to her pro-Western, pro-European stances and her trial to normalize relations with Russia, something that may have gone against two classes of people: those who wanted to play a more complicated game in foreign relations than simple pro-Westernism and those who would have benefited from increased militarization (195)

• Rayfield
  • She was forced out of office on 19 October 2005 after protesting the President's undermining of her diplomatic efforts and parliamentary interference in ambassadorial appointments. (396)

• Kavadze
  • MS would take foreign policy decisions alone and would never take into account others' recommendations (81)

• In December 2004, Kote Gabashvili slammed Zourabichvili for ordering embassies to inform the MFA before sending information to MPs (https://civil.ge/archives/106905)
• In April 2005, SZ recalled the ambassador to EU dring the visit to Brussels of Nino Burjanadze, harshly criticized by Burjanadze (https://civil.ge/archives/107799)
• Another row between MPs and SZ took place in May 2005 when SZ recalled Amb. Lana Gogoberidze while she was participating at the COE Summit of Warsaw (https://civil.ge/archives/108086)
• When SZ wanted to appoint her deputy Giorgi Gomiashvili as Ambassador to Switzerland, a group of ruling party MPs led by Mikheil Machavariani opposed him because of so-called 'diplomatic inexperience' This was seen as a move to block SZ (https://civil.ge/archives/108094)
  • On May 20 2005, Parliament refused to vote on his nomination (https://civil.ge/archives/108100)
  • Gomiashvili, who hinted that some MPs refused his confirmation because of their own hidden bank accounts in Switzerland, resigned and announced entering the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/108115)
• On 23 May, SZ faced a tough parliamentary hearing on the bases even though she insisted it be done behind closed doors with a small group of MPs (https://civil.ge/archives/108117)
  • SZ stated that the MFA should serve the country and not the interests of the party (https://civil.ge/archives/108156)
• Tensions rose as MP Davit Kirkitadze slammed SZ for negligence over the delay in submitting a Framework Convention on National Minorities, which SZ criticized as she was on official visit to the UK (https://civil.ge/archives/109060)
• On 18 October, SZ was convened for a parliamentary hearing by the Committees for Foreign Relations and Integration into Europe. (https://civil.ge/archives/109067)
  • This was accompanied by serious condemnations by NB of SZ's criticism of MPs.
  • That same day, the two Committees called on Noghaideli to dismiss her (https://civil.ge/archives/109070)
  • Noghaideli had to postpone his US visit during this crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/109074)
  • MP Gia Tortladze left the ruling party due to the treatment of SZ (https://civil.ge/archives/109075)
  • MS remained silent at first (https://civil.ge/archives/109079)
  • On 19 October, Noghaideli sacked SZ (https://civil.ge/archives/109084)
  • 30 minutes before, she went on Rustavi 2 and called on MS to dissolve the Parliament and called for new elections (https://civil.ge/archives/109085)
• New Rights claimed her dismissal was an attempt by the gov to switch to a pro-Russian orientation (https://civil.ge/archives/109087)
• On 20 October, thousands gathered in her support on Hippodrome, but she called for activists to prepare for elections and not revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/109088)
  • The RP asked for her to join the party (https://civil.ge/archives/109089)
  • MS convened the NSC (https://civil.ge/archives/109093)
  • State Minister Khaindrava said her dismissal was a mistake (https://civil.ge/archives/109119)
• On 31 October, Parliament announced (Parliament!!) the withdrawal of Amb. Levan Mikeladze (US) and Lasha Otkhmezuri (Spain), allies of SZ (https://civil.ge/archives/109145)
• Days after her dismissal, the government slammed SZ for spending thousands of GEL to cover travel expanses for journalists (https://civil.ge/archives/109169)

Meurtre de Sandro Guirgviliani

• Okruashvili also hinted in 2007 that the Interior Minister, Vano Merabishvili and the head of the Constitutional Security Department, Dato Akhalia, were directly implicated in the 2006 murder of the banker Sandro Girgvliani, for which several officials from the Interior Ministry were sentenced (https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/attach/174/174106_CACIA18.pdf)

• Zourabichvili
  • Merabishvili kept early on the ministers under surveillance and went after the more independnent ones, such as Salome Zourabichvili, by having MS fire her deputy for treason without her input (159-160)
  • A few months after SZ's removal, Sandro Girgvilaini, 26, is taken to a forest near Tbilisi and beaten to death. (197-198)
  • He was involved in a bit of a squandrel involving the MIA's wife and high officials of the MIA (198)
  • He was followed in a car, taken in a pickup and left for dead in the woods (198)
  • Nobody would be arrested or charged (198)
  • Eventually, some small officers of the MIA would be arrested (198)
  • Bachu Akhalaia would be questioned (198)
  • Some officials would be temporarily fired before being restored to their functions despite public opinion (198)
  • This event led to a wave of protests (198)
  • Sandro's mother would die a year and a half later of cancer (199)
  • This episode was a symbol of the lack of justice present in the country despite reforms (198-199)
  • It also revealed the amount of power held by the Akhalaia clan (199)
  • Girgviliani incident took place in a restaurant in central Tbilisi and involved SA, the wife of VM and two high-ranking officials of the MIA (254)
  • At first, there was no investigation until public outcry dominated the scene (254)
  • Eventually, four low-ranking MIA officials would take the fall and be jailed, while no investigation or charges would be issued for the highest ranking officials involved in the murder. (255)
  • Merabishvili would never be punished despite his direct involvement in hiding the case (255)

• 27 January: SG and a friend are at a cafe in downtown Tbilisi to meet Tamar Maisuradze, SG's girlfriend (who was with Salakaia, Data Akhalaia, Guram Donadze and Vasil Sanodze). AAfter a dispute, SG and friend leave the cafe but are kidnapped and taken to Okrokana, where friend escapes and SG is murdered.
• 28 January: SG, head of United Georgian Bank's international relations dept, is found dead on the outskirts of Tbilisi with injuries from physical abuse.
• 12 February: Imedi TV airs details on the murder alleging that top officials from the MIA, including Merabishvili, his wife Tako Salakaia were linked to the murder.
• 21 February: SG's mother states that the MIA masterminded her son's murder.
  • Donadze confirms he has already been interrogated but denies allegations.
• 22 February: Opposition MPs summon Merabishvili on the investigation of the murder. They call on the arrest of MIA employee Oleg Melnikov for his involvement in the kidnapping. Merabishvili states being ready. (https://civil.ge/archives/109948)
• 24 February: Sozar Subari calls on MIA to sack Guram Donadze (https://civil.ge/archives/109964)
• 25 February: Merabishvili refuses to sack those officials implicated in the murder. (https://civil.ge/archives/109971)
• 27 February: Merabishvili requests the delay by one day of the parliamentary hearing. (https://civil.ge/archives/109983)
• 28 February: Merabishvili states at his hearing that the investigation is ongoing and will be quickly finalized. The opposition demands the resignation of officials implicated in the murder, which Merabishvili refuses again. The minister accuses attempts to discredit the police. (https://civil.ge/archives/109997) The opposition walks out of the session (https://civil.ge/archives/109998)
• 1 March: The opposition calls for the resignation of Merabishvili, accusing him of cover-up (https://civil.ge/archives/110003)
• 3 March: The opposition parliamentary faction Democratic Front announces a plan to set up an indepenendet public monitoring group to probe into the case (https://civil.ge/archives/110024)
• 6 March: Four officers from the MIA's Department of Constitutional Security are arrested on suspicion of killing SG (https://civil.ge/archives/110040)
  • The opposition accuses the government of covering up the involvement of high-level officials (https://civil.ge/archives/110042)
  • The MIA claims the case is solved. (https://civil.ge/archives/110043)
• 7 March: Guram Donadze is sacked as MIA spokesman (https://civil.ge/archives/110045)
  • The opposition demands the sacking of Data Akhalaia and the arrest of more officials (https://civil.ge/archives/110046)
  • UNM officials back Merabishvili amid calls for his resignation (https://civil.ge/archives/110050)
• 10 March: Protests start taking a daily form, with opposition becoming involved, along with CSOs and the Girgvliani family (https://civil.ge/archives/110082)
• 13 March: The Ombudsman bashes the MIA for failing to conduct a proper investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/110092)
  • Data Akhalaia and two officials of the DCS suspend their office temporarily pending investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/110094)
• 16 March: MS strongly backs MIA and claims scandals like this take place in western countries, including England, France and the US (https://civil.ge/archives/110136)
• 17 March: The Presidential Administration accuses the opposition of causing instability (https://civil.ge/archives/110134)
  • Government suspends all participation in live television debates, accusations of weakness from the media (https://civil.ge/archives/110147)
• 18 March: Merabishvili claims the campaign against him is linked to his fight against organized crime (https://civil.ge/archives/110153)
• 31 March: Following Gelashvili's impeachment, the opposition boycotts Parliament. One of its demands is the resignation of Merabishvili for his ties to the Girgvliani murder. He said he would not bow to ultimatums and would not resign (https://civil.ge/archives/110325)
• 17 April: 90 prominent Georgian figures write a joint letter to MS, asking him to solve the murder scandal. (https://civil.ge/archives/110388)
• 2 May: Irina Enukidze, mother of Girgvliani, claims representatives of government offered her money in exchange for her silence. (https://civil.ge/archives/110491)
• 18 May: CSOs warn of large-scale protests unless the Prosecutor's Office interrogates MIA officials like Akhalaia (https://civil.ge/archives/110615)
• 23 May: A small group of protesters launch a hugher strike in front of Parliament and demand the resignation of Vano Merabishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/110654)
• 24 May: Overnight, the police disperses the small group of protesters and arrests 2 (https://civil.ge/archives/110655)
• 7 June: Police arrests 5 activists of the Equality Institute for staging a protest outside of Parliament demanding a fair investigation. They had laid down on the road in an attempt to block the avenue. (https://civil.ge/archives/110784)
• 20 June: Akhalaia, Sanodze, Donadze and Merabishvili's wife are interrogated by the General Prosecutor's Office (https://civil.ge/archives/110889)
• 27 June: The Tbilisi City Court launches hearings (https://civil.ge/archives/110927)
• Judge Giorgi Chemia of the Tbilisi City Court presided over the hearings (https://civil.ge/archives/110958)
• 3 July: Gia Alania, former chief of the first unit of the MIA's Dept for Constitutional Security, admits in court that he and his three colleagues in detention took Girgvliani and his friend outside of Tbilisi and beat them up (https://civil.ge/archives/110962)
• 5 July: Trial ends, court summary: https://civil.ge/archives/110975
• 6 July: Gia Alania is sentenced to 8 years in prison. Three other officers from the dept are sentenced to 7 years. The verdict leads to new protests (https://civil.ge/archives/110985)
  • Khaindrava criticizes the verdict and calls on the President to intervene (https://civil.ge/archives/110986)
  • Large public outcry (https://civil.ge/archives/110992)
  • The Presidential Administration backs the court and the MIA and claims the opposition of trying to stir political tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/110999)
  • Rustavi 2 anchor Eka Khoperia quits live after refusing the authorities' order for her to interview Data Akhalaia in a positive light (https://civil.ge/archives/110988)
• 7 July: Opposition leads widespread protests, Khaindrava calls on Merabishvili to resign and bashes Supreme Court Chair Kote Kublashvili for keeping silence (https://civil.ge/archives/111001)
• 12 July: Prosecutors launch investigation into key witness Levan Bukhaidze who was beaten up with SG. Bukhaidze had identified three people but had doubts about the fourth one and eventually identified Oleg Melnikov although not recognizing him during the police lineup. Melnikov's participation would mean the fight was not spontaneous and was scheduled (https://civil.ge/archives/111039)
• 11 December: The Court of Appeals uphelds the 8 and 7-year prison sentences imposed on Gia Alania and 3 former police officers. The appeal by the prosecution sought to increase sentences by one year, while defense attorneys sought to clear their clients from all charges. The Girgvliani family lawyer Shalva Shavgulidze sought the incrimination of higher officials, but all evidence was dismissed (https://civil.ge/archives/111589)
• 13 February 2007: In a surprising comment, Burjanadze calls on Georgian courts to "shed light on the murder of SG in a way expected by society" (https://civil.ge/archives/111917)
• 16 February: UNM votes down an opposition prposal to set up a probe into the murder (https://civil.ge/archives/111942)
• 26 April: Subari makes a speech on Girgvliani during a report presentation at Parliament, in which he states that, "trial was a precedent, as the most high-profile murder case in Georgia?s recent history ended in the shortest period of time, and only six trials took place. The court has practically denied all motions which would have cast light over this case and settle our doubts regarding those persons who might have been behind the crime. Hence, the judge himself has compromised the independence and impartiality of the court" (https://civil.ge/archives/112302)
• 31 July: The Supreme Court reduces the sentences of Gia Alania and 3 other MIA officials jailed by 6 months (https://civil.ge/archives/112777)
• 12 March 2009: New Rights leaks that Saakashvili pardons the four MIA officials (Gia Alania, Avtandil Aptsiauri, Aleksandre Gachava and Mikheil Bibiluri), halving their sentences. (https://civil.ge/archives/118486)
  • This was criticized by several members of his government, including Baramidze and MP Gigi Tsereteli (https://civil.ge/archives/118505)
• Vasil Sanodze, who was suspended from office along with other MIA officials in 2006 because of the SG case, was suspected of continuing to perform his duties with the MIA. He was previously chief of general inspection of the MIA. During the April 2009 protets, video footage showed Sanodze at a MIA building balcony throwing a water gun down the balcony to be used against protesters (https://civil.ge/archives/118725)
• 6 September 2009: Gia Alania, Avtandil Aptsiauri, Aleksandre Gachava and Mikheil Bibiluridze are released from prison along with 384 convincts whose imprisonment verdicts were replaced with probation terms. The four men met with Ilia II and spent a year in a monastery (https://civil.ge/archives/119347)
• On 1 December 2009, Parliament voted down a proposal by CDM to launch a parliamentary investigative probe into the murders of Girgvliani, Robakidze, Vazagashvili and Khubulov (https://civil.ge/archives/119638)
• Saakashvili would say in 2013 that the Girgvliani case had been overpoliticized, stating it became a black mark of his presidency not because of his involvement but because it happened. He said he was ready to share responsibility for the pardoning. He although refused to cooperate in any biased investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/122593)
• In June 2013, charges of obstructing justice by covering up evidence would be filed against Merabishvili, who was arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/122965)
• On 1 July, Data Akhalaia and two former MIA officials are charged in connection with the case (https://civil.ge/archives/122987)
• Saakashvili was charged by the POG of conspiring with other former senior officials to obstruct justice in the Girgvliani case (https://civil.ge/archives/124191)
• In 2019, MS said in an interview that he should have fired Vano Merabishvili after the Girgvliani scandal (https://civil.ge/archives/300824)

Abus de pouvoir

• Saakashvili has appointed several of his family members to lucrative posts in government, giving one of his brothers a position as chief adviser on domestic issues to the Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline project, backed by British Petroleum and other oil multinationals. (https://arcade.stanford.edu/blogs/privatized-death-machine)
• In a televised declaration on September 25 2007, Okruashvili accused the president of having acquired most of his wealth illegally, and of having tried to cover up extortion charges against his uncle, Temur Alasania (https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/attach/174/174106_CACIA18.pdf)

• AD
  • Many of the reforms caused problems in society because of their uncompromise, the ignoring of other opinions and their rude implementation. (AD, 473)
  • Promotion of young people angered older people.
  • The government was criticized for the lack of public dialogue, influencing media, lack of checks and balances and shortcomings in the judicial system (AD,475)

• Zourabichvili
  • He would often brag about the luxury of his foreign visits (52-53)
  • His residences included Bobokvati from Abashidze and the Romanov Borjomi residence for the summer (95)
  • The Batumi presidential residence was the penthouse of a Soviet-era hotel remodeled by a Turkish developer. It included golden drapes, furniture in rare woods. It was dedicated to the President, the First Lady, and the PM (141)
  • His government would often resort to brutal expropriations of private property (213)
  • The presidential palace he built himself would be a neoclassical building of huge proportions with a golden dome with some similarities to the Reichstag (234)
  • The so-called libertarian economic policy was entirely contradicted by the policy of expropriation, demolition without judicial approval. The Public Defender Sozar Subari often accused the government of violating key principles of private property (245-246)

• Kavadze
  • Having inherited a failed state with three separatist regions, the government empowered the MOA, MOD and MOJ with increased powers and additional human, budgetary and extra-budgetary resources to build a repressive machine originally directed against organized crime and separatism (425)

• MP Bondo Shalikiani (Tkibuli) was arrested in early March 2004 in a descent on crime mob bosses in Kutaisi but his parliamentary immunity was never waved and his family went on hunger strike (https://civil.ge/archives/105402)
  • Shalikiani's assets were confiscated (https://civil.ge/archives/115716)
• The Aprasidze murders in Svaneti took place on 24 March 2004. Dozens were also rounded up by police in the village. MS hailed the operation. (https://civil.ge/archives/105527)
• In October 2004, a group of NGOs co-penned a letter accusing the post-Rose Revolution government of "alarming developments in Georgian politics", including "Intolerance towards people with different opinions is being planted in Georgian politics and in other spheres of social life (business, education, science, culture, sport etc.)"
  • The letter was spearheaded by GYLA.
  • It also criticized deep disrespect toward opposition membrs.
  • It also warned of the cosntant "post-revolutionary emergency situation" used to take radical approaches.
    • As a result of the letter, the government set up monitoring groups at the Public Defender's Office to permanently control law enforcement agencies, which announced 14 charges against officers for torture and planting of drugs in its first days allegedly (https://civil.ge/archives/106418)
• Sulkhan Molashvili was considered a true political prisoner by some human rights organizations (https://civil.ge/archives/106389)
• On 4 April 2005, a phone recording revealed talks of illegal transactions, including the purchase of cars, by Davit Kezerashvili, head of the Financial Police and obtaining drugs (https://civil.ge/archives/107716)
• The Shida Kartli Gov Mikheil Kareli was accused by the Ombudsman in April 2005 of intimidating businesses (https://civil.ge/archives/107857)
• The Financial Police caused several controversies in June 2005, including dozens of Kalashnikov-wielding masked men breaking into two fast food restaurants of Nikala in Tbilisi to confiscate tax-related documents while customers were having meals. Davit Kezerashvili, head of the FP, had to make a public apology (https://civil.ge/archives/108322)
  • When Parliament called him for a hearing, Kezerashvili refused to show up (https://civil.ge/archives/108887)
• NGOs accused him of misusing money allocating to the Presidnetial and Government Reserve Fund, which are reserved for emergency situations. GYLA pointed out in 2005 at hundreds of thousands of dollars for a pop concert in Tbilisi and for Georgian cultural days in Kyiv (https://civil.ge/archives/108566)
  • On 28 December 2005, Parliament liberalized the use of the Presidential and Government Reserve Funds (https://civil.ge/archives/109439)
• In August 2005, it was revealed that customs officers were charging 1,000 GEL per 1 cubic meter of imported cargo at the eastern borders of Georgia, instead of the value of goods. It was revealed that this per direct order of David Kereselidze of the FP. This was in violation of the law and was condemned by the business community (https://civil.ge/archives/108695)
• Data Akhalaia, chief of the MIA's Department of Constitutional Security, fabricated a case against Giorgi Usupashvili (brother of Davit), accusing him of extortion, and intimidating Irakli Sioridze, the MOJ's officer who carrie out court orders. (https://civil.ge/archives/108698)
  • Akhalaia had Sioridze beaten after he refused to hand over evidence of bribing by Usupashvili
• The 2006 Budget was slammed as obscure and non-transparent, including 505 million GEL used for "other goods and services" (https://civil.ge/archives/109339)
• On 16 February 2006, Gia Telia, a former police officer, was killed in a clash in a drug raid. The MIA claimed he was involved in the drug trade. Later, evidence surfaced that he was murdered under orders of the MIA as he was preparing to blow the whistle on drug trade patronage under the MIA (https://civil.ge/archives/110035)
• In early 2006, one of MS's security guards beat up a local resident in Svaneti with no repercussions (https://civil.ge/archives/110515)
• The Financial Police, created in February 2004, was reduced in August 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/115049)
• In December 2006, Nugzar Nachkebia, former official of the State Audit Agency, claims he was under pressure from the MIA to prepare a document incriminating ex-chief of Forestry Dept Bidzina Giorgobiani (exiled in Germany) and exchief of the tate Standardization Agency Mikheil Janikashvili (in detention). This led opposition MPs to call for a probe into the State Audit Agency, rejected by UNM (https://civil.ge/archives/111561)
• In December 2006, many entrepreneurs came out and accused Adeishvili and the Financial Police on pressuring businesses to hand over office space in downtown Tbilisi to the authorities (https://civil.ge/archives/111634)
  • UNM rejected a proposal by the opposition to set up a probe to investigate these allegations (https://civil.ge/archives/111655)
• The Ombudsman stated that property rights were on the decline in the face of government action since 2004. He cited a case when the government refused to wait for a court decision and destroyed a building in Tbilisi against an owner's will (https://civil.ge/archives/111661)
  • One case in November 2006 showed Sandro Tateishvili, who owned 9% share of an office space in Downtown Tbilisi pressured to give his share to the Ministry for Refugees and Accomodations and was questioned by the Prosecutor's Office (https://civil.ge/archives/111831)
• Economic adviser Mart Laar blew the whistle on 7 February 2007 in an interview with 24 Saati in which he underlined the worrying trends on property rights abuses, calling them a "signal to the authorities that the current policy is a risky one that may lead to a halt of foreign investments and to an endless process of redistributing property" (https://civil.ge/archives/111880)
• Property rights violations started becoming increasingly frequent in early 2007. Sometimes, eminent domain was abused, 15,000 GEL paid for properties estimated at 1 million, sometimes properties just confiscated. Subari compared it to Soviet practices. (https://civil.ge/archives/112238)
  • On 16 April, restaurant owners who were forced to hand over their properties to the State held a protest, claiming they were pressured (https://civil.ge/archives/112238)
• In April 2007, his government butted heads again with the Public Defender over the illegal evictions of dozens of IDP families in Tbilisi without providing new housing to them https://civil.ge/archives/112298
• On property rights, an inter-factional group of MPs was formed to work on a draft law but the opposition left it on 8 May, claiming the ruling party showed no interest in doing a reform that would comensate those already victims and did not go far enough (https://civil.ge/archives/112354)
• Georgian Football Federation election scandal: Giorgi Nemsadze, an UNM Sakrebulo of Tbilisi member, resigned hours after being elected GFF President on 13 May 2007. It seems there was a UNM battle in the GFF between the Kirkitadze clan (supporting Nemsadze) and the Bokeria clan (supporting ex-president Nodar Akhalkatsi) (https://civil.ge/archives/112383)
  • The UEFA observed the new election in which Akhalkatsi was elected (https://civil.ge/archives/112404)
• In May 2007, Sozar Subari published a report on human rights in which he stated that it was almost impossible to ascertain whether or not human rights had improved overall since the Rose Revolution. (https://civil.ge/archives/112442)
  • He noted a decrease in torture but an increase in property rights violations.
  • Sometimes, the government claimed that eminent domain was necessary, but financia compensation was not given and sometimes, the government forced owners to hand over their land with threat of persecution.
• In July 2007, Imedi TV unveiled that MP Beso Jugeli (UNM) had received 10,000 Swiss Francs from the State, and Minister Gia Kheviashvili for Refugees and Accomodation 1,270 EUR for personal medical treatment (https://civil.ge/archives/112648)
• Property rights abuses came again to the forefront on 20 July 2007 when police forced out residents of 13-story apartment block in downtown Tbilisi, with no compensation. It became evetually clear that the eviction was linked to the construction of a Kempinski Hotel on Tabukashvili Street on site of the complex (https://civil.ge/archives/112729)
• In September 2007, Rezonansi broke a report showing that authorities were applying pressure on SMEs to purchase grapes from farmers (https://civil.ge/archives/112949)
• Following the Tsitelubani incident, RP Chair Davit Usupashvili alleged that there was a "sophisticated network of agents operating in both countries' administrations, capable of organizing incidents similar to the one on August 6." He claimed that both Putin and Saakashvili capitalized from the increase in tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/112954)
• The Georgian National Olympic Committee voted to impeach Badri Patarkatsishvili as President on 9 October 2007, following the Okruashvili release (https://civil.ge/archives/113215)
• There was also a presidential residence in Zugdidi (https://civil.ge/archives/117223)
• The Avlabari Palace was also controversial because of its funding. Saakashvili stated it was the largest governmental building in 2000 years. Officially, its construction cost 13 million GEL but some believed the real cost neared the hundreds of millions. (https://civil.ge/archives/119138)

• Glucksmann
  • He had a presidential residency lost in the woods of Borjomi (8)
  • In response to the criticism that MS's government did not take into account public discussions, he stated that his reforms needed to be implemented fast to prevent the enemies of reform from abroad and inside the country to organize campaigns against reforms (118)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4950&i=1
  • During his parliamentary address of Feb 2005, he responded to criticism on the Financial Police: "I would like to name these people and talk about a new organization, the financial police. When everybody was berating them, saying that it was wrong to fight smugglers, suggesting that people should be able to make a living at the expense of pensioners and the poor. They did not retreat when they came under fire, nor when the smugglers attacked. They did not retreat when dozens of cars were blown up, when dozens of employees were wounded. These people still perform their duties. I would like to welcome the head of the Kvemo Kartli operational department of the financial police, Davit Karseladze, who is here now. He and his friend collected about 3 million lari within a week. This money went to pensioners, poor people and for the development of the country. Batono Davit, I would like to thank you for your work."

• He had a presidential residence in Tserovani until it was converted into a kindergarten for IDP kids (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4953&i=1)

Traitements de l'opposition

• using the judicial system to go after his political opponents in spite of this.
• On 25 October 2007, former defense minister Irakli Okruashvili accused the president of planning Patarkatsishvili's murder.
  • Okruashvili was detained two days later on charges of extortion, money laundering, and abuse of office.
  • However, in a videotaped confession released by the General Prosecutor's Office on 8 October 2007, in which Okruashvili pleaded guilty to large-scale bribery through extortion and negligence while serving as minister, he retracted his accusations against the president and said that he did so to gain some political benefit and that Badri Patarkatsishvili told him to do so.
  • Okruashvili's lawyer and other opposition leaders said his retraction had been made under duress.

• In 2007, Irakli Okruashvili went on a six-month 'voluntary exile' in Ukraine and UK, before returning to Georgia to create the "Movement for a United Georgia" party (https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/attach/174/174106_CACIA18.pdf)
  • Okruashvili declared that Saakashvili had, on several occasions, ordered the attack or the assassination of opponents.
  • Okruashvili was arrested on September 27, two days after his interview, officially on charges of extortion and abuse of power.
  • Several supporters in his new political party were also arrested, as were close allies of his such as Malkhaz Bukia, head of the party’s branch in Poti.
  • On the day Okruashvili made his declaration, police arrested two other close associates: Dmitry Kitoshvili, spokesman for the President and Parliamentary Secretary, and Mikhail Kareli, the governor of Shida Kartli.
  • These accusations were made while Saakashvili was in the US and he made no comment for several days, despite the arrests.

• Zourabichvili
  • Constant reorganizations and firings of public employees threatened anyone, from regional clinic nurses to kindergarten teachers, accused of being linked to the opposition (206-207)
  • Businessmen and women who expressed their support for the opposition would often see visits by the financial police (207)
  • This would almost bring down to zero business contributions to the opposition (207)
  • When Okruashvili was in prison, government authorities let him out, gave him a French visa obtained overnight and let him flee to France, where he would be less dangerous than in prison at home (215)
  • Patarkatsishvili would fund several opposition parties, from the New Rights to the Labor Party. He would also consider funding Georgia's Way until he was discourgaed by the President himself (236-237)
  • On 20 May 2007, Guram Sharadze, an opposition politician outspoken against the UNM, was shot downtown Tbilisi in broad daylight (253)
  • Sharadze's death was followed by a rapid investigation, a suspect caught ten minutes after the act, and security cameras near the Aldagi insurance company office where the murder took place confiscated by the MIA and made confidential. (255)

• Rayfield
  • The opposition was split between disillusioned former minsisters, businessmen wanting trade with Russia, and a scattering of idealists (398)

• Along the first ruling party MP criticism was Vasil Maghlaperidze, who condemned the authorities for blocking on 31 October 2004 200 Georgian bus passengers coming from Russia through SO. The government had argued the road was illegal and prevented them from coming back to Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/106478)
• Shortly after ruling party MP Bezhan Gunava called for the resignation of Gigi Ugulava as Governor of Samegrelo-ZS, the Financial Police started an investigation into his brother. Gunava left the ruling party. This happened in January 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/106977)
• The Conservative Party, one of the early opposition parties, was targeted: raid on the CP office in Tbilisi, attack against CP MP Guga Tsanava in Zugdidi, both of which were not investigated, and then an assault on MP Kakha Kukava on May 17 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108073)
• The CP Zestaponi head Kakha Beradze's car exploded on 16 June 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108313)
• Republican MP Valery Gelashvili (Khashuri) was severely beaten up on 14 July 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108503)
  • Gelashvili blamed the authorities and a row over the building of the presidential palace by Gelashvili's firm Evra. (https://civil.ge/archives/108508)
  • Gelashvili's car was blocked in broad daylight in central Tbilisi where he was beaten along with two others.
  • Gelashvili had stated publicly that he was not being paid for the construction work of the palace by the government and put to sale the apartment complex
  • Usupashvili came out and condemned the authorities (https://civil.ge/archives/108517)
  • In 2006, the ruling party launched a campaign against Gelashvili, accusing his construction company of being behind the school fire that destroyed a school in Avlabari (https://civil.ge/archives/110150) and calling him an oligarch that would be ended (https://civil.ge/archives/110164)
  • Accusing him of remaining illegally involved in the management of his business, Parliament impeached Gelashvili on 31 March 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110273)
  • The opposition started boycotting Parliament in response to the impeachment (https://civil.ge/archives/110277)
  • In April 2006, Ombudsman Subari claimed the government was behind Gelashvili's attack (https://civil.ge/archives/110312)
• On 23 August 2005, MP Tamaz Kacheishvili (New Rights-Industrialists) was attacked in his home, taken to Mtskheta and tied to a tree. This was blamed on robbery (https://civil.ge/archives/108734)
  • Merabishvili said his stolen car would not be recovered, laying the blame on Ossetian crime groups (https://civil.ge/archives/108937)
• When the opposition accused Mikheil Machavariani of having corrupt ties to the Opiza customs terminal, Parliament opened a probe into Davit Gamkrelidze's activities in the 1990s (https://civil.ge/archives/108831)
• Conservative Party activists were beaten in Batumi on 13 September 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108847)
• Ana Dolidze, chair of GYLA, claimed that the government was pushing for a rift within the organization to control the organization. In January 2006, a group of GYLA members tried to get her expelled after a series of reports accusing the government of fund misappropriation (https://civil.ge/archives/109547)
  • On 12 January, a group of NGOs, including Article 42, Georgian Association of Judges, the International Center for Conflicts and Negotiations, Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights, issued a statement accusing the government of trying to silence GYLA (https://civil.ge/archives/109570)
  • They would be joined later by Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development, The Association of Young Economists of Georgian, Internews Foundation, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, United Nations Association of Georgia, Open Society ? Georgia Foundation and the Green Alternative (https://civil.ge/archives/109577)
• MS criticized the opposition and called them "market politicians" as an insult (https://civil.ge/archives/110002)
• The 2006 parliamentary boycott was softened on 16 May when the Democratic Front (RP and CP) announced they would return to Parliament in return for electoral reforms that would institute direct elections of city mayors and regional governments and the creation of interim investigative commission to probe into high-profile criminal cases. (https://civil.ge/archives/110605)
  • The ruling party proposed the opposition the Deputy Chairmanship of the Committee for Defense and Security in return for an end to the boycott (https://civil.ge/archives/110641)
    • This only angered the opposition and 3 New Rights MPs resigned (https://civil.ge/archives/110660)
• 8 June: Koba Davitashvili claims a young person planned an attempt on his life and asked the authorities for security guard. He shot twice from a gun with a silencer but missed. He dropped his bag in which there was a Russian SIM card. (https://civil.ge/archives/110796)
  • The Presidential Administration hinted that Russia was behind the attempt (https://civil.ge/archives/110873)
  • The MIA claimed that the Giorgi Kurtaev, a North Ossetian, was behint the attempt and was already in Russia. There was an FSB-MIA meeting over the issue (https://civil.ge/archives/110874)
• The Constitutional Court turned down the appeal of Gelashvili on his impeachment (https://civil.ge/archives/111045)
• On 31 July, Levan Bezhashvili announced working on a new bill to enhance police capacity against political extremism, something that was condemned by the opposition as political. It happened in the aftermath of Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/115014)
• The government set 5 October as the date for the 2006 municipal elections in late August. The opposition claimed this was made to prevent opposition participation: the law requiring an MP running for mayor to resign before filing, the filing deadline being on Sep 11 and the next parliamentary session being on Sep 12, this made it impossible for a sitting MP to run. (https://civil.ge/archives/115182)
  • NGOs also accused the government of setting the election so quickly to prevent opposition organization (https://civil.ge/archives/115207)
  • An NGO revealed that hundreds of deceased voters and many other inaccuracies existed in voter lists (https://civil.ge/archives/115336)
• The OSCE/ODIHR noted that while the 2006 municipal elections were held with progress, there was no clear distinction between the ruling party and the authorities and there were some discrepancies in voter lists, such as voters not finding their names (https://civil.ge/archives/115570)
• Final election results: UNM gets 77.08%, Republican/Conservatives - 8.57%. (https://civil.ge/archives/111184)
• On 12 October, following the election, a leaked footage showed Koba Davitashvili receiving 20,000 USD from an Aladin Mirzaev. Davitashvili claimed this was a standard financial contribution but then accused the government of planting party activist Akaki Kapanadze - who introduced Davitashvili to Mirzaev. (https://civil.ge/archives/111182)
• The parliamentar boycott was put to an end on 23 October 2006 due to ongoing international crisis, particularly linked to Kodori, Russia, embargo, etc. (https://civil.ge/archives/111253)
• The 2007 State of the Nation address was the first to remove the opposition's right to make comments and ask questions following the speech (https://civil.ge/archives/112085)
• On 11 May 2007, dozens of policemen entered the offices of the Green Party and eviced its members after the City canceled an office space leasing contract with the party. The European Greens Party condemned the move as a form of "political discrimination" (https://civil.ge/archives/112368)
• Guram Sharadze had been arrested twice during the Saakashvili years, once in 2004 for hooliganism and once in 2006 for public disorder (https://civil.ge/archives/112419)
• 28 October 2007: A group of young men beat up Conservative MP Bezhan Gunava in Zugdidi (https://civil.ge/archives/113345)

État policier

• The majority of criticism leveled at Saakashvili's administration was over his handling of the justice system.
• He was accused of giving police a free hand to fight corruption as part of his anti-corruption drive to the point where they could mistreat suspects.
• Under his administration, the prison population soared, and the judiciary allegedly became more harsh.
• It was described "an extremely punitive and abusive criminal justice, law-and-order system, which ended up with the highest per capita prison population in Europe – even higher than in Russia – in which torture became absolutely routine... Almost zero acquittal cases in criminal trials, mass surveillance, telephone tapping, and a lot of pressure put on businessmen, including intimidation, so they contribute to government projects."
• On 27 March 2006, the government announced that it had prevented a nationwide prison riot plotted by criminal kingpins.
  • The police operation ended with the deaths of 7 inmates and at least 17 injuries.
  • While the opposition cast doubts over the official version and demanded an independent investigation, the ruling party was able to vote down such initiatives.

• Zourabichvili
  • One of the very first episodes of police brutality was the attack with bulldozers of a church occupied by an integrist priest (57)
  • Under the pretext of countering Russian interference, phone recordings are increased, hidden cameras are placed (217)
  • The MIA and MoD would be directly under the control of the President, their ministers would not obey the PM and would not be present at cabinet meetings (228)
  • On 7 April 2004, while he still just National Security Adviser, Vano Merabishvili uses the absence of the MOD, MIA, and President to accuse someone of trying to ruin Russia-Georgia relations by planning a terrorist attack against the Russian Transcaucasia HQ and injured MG Studenkin... He indirectly accused Russia of a false flag operation (257)
  • Following the October 2006 local elections, a video showed a businessman meeting an opposition leader at a public restaurant and giving him money in exchange for a spot in electoral lists. The video was meant to discredit the opposition but showed the extent of police surveillance (263)
  • Camera surveillance in public and private places, phone conversation recordings were widespread across society (264)
  • These extralegal surveillance techniques were used as evidence to start criminal proceedings (264)

• Rayfield
  • Police beatins were routine (397)
  • Acquttals were impossible (397)
  • Prison sentences were often long, including like collecting firewood, bringing death from TB (397)
• Kavadze
  • On 24 November 2004, 19-year-old Buta Robakidze was killed in Didube during a police operation. While police claimed he had led an armed resistance with four friends, the reopening of the investigation in 2012 revealed that the police fabricated evidence, planted weapons and ammunition in the car and that an innocent person was deliberately killed. (429-430)
  • On 2 May 2006, Zurab Vazagashvili and Alexander Khubulov were killed by police in their car. The police's version was that they were on their way to a robbery. A reopening of the investigation in 2015 revealed their innocence and that they were just made examples by police forces. (430)
  • Many times, suspects were killed by police as "collateral damage" but a 2007 Freedom House report claimed these looked like extrajudicial killings (430)

• In Feb 2004, two Chechens acquitted by the Tbilisi Court of illegally crossing the Georgian border, were abducted and likely extradited to Russia secretly, leading to protests by Chechen refugees (https://civil.ge/archives/105277)
• The ECHR visited Georgia to investigate the Chechens' case (https://civil.ge/archives/105251)
• HRW issued a report already in February 2004 about human rights abuses in the early days of the MS regime (https://civil.ge/archives/105303)
• It was later revealed that the two Chechens were indeed in Russian detention (https://civil.ge/archives/105336), something that led to fear by Chechen refugees of similar fates (https://civil.ge/archives/105356)
• Adeishvili was appointed as General Prosecuturo on 10 June 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106089)
• The appointment of Russia Ambassador Kote Kemularia in June 2004 as Chairman of the Supreme Court. The New Rights feared that Kemularia would not be impartial (https://civil.ge/archives/106166)
• Already on 1 July 2004, riot police violently dispersed, including beating up, protesters demanding promised compensation for housing damage linked to the 2002 earthquake. This was condemned by Liberty Institute and Kmara (https://civil.ge/archives/106219)
• Sulkhan Molashvili, jailed state audit chief, was tortured in prison (https://civil.ge/archives/106251)
  • Molashvili suffered a heart attack but was returned to prison after medical service (https://civil.ge/archives/115684)
• The appointment of Sozar Subari was meant to be an open arm to NGOs (https://civil.ge/archives/115657)
  • But NGOs rapidly started criticizing the government over the lack of democratic reforms
• MS set up the Council to Monitor Human Rights on 19 July (https://civil.ge/archives/115695)
• Anti-torture TV advertisements were banned in December 2004 for "humiliating the image of the police" (https://civil.ge/archives/106978)
• On 17 March 2005, Bidzina Giorgobiani, Chairman of the Forestry Department, fled Georgia to Germany after receiving threats from the Security Service which followed an investigation he led about security officials being involved in theillegal timber business (https://civil.ge/archives/107586)
  • Giorgobiani directly accused Merabishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/107589)
• Human Rights Watch stated that torture continued under his regime in 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107792)
• Protesters against the arrest of Aleko Davitashvili, President of the Georgian Wrestling Federation, and his brother for alleged extortion clashed with the police on Rustaveli on 30 June 2005, leading to several arrests (https://civil.ge/archives/108412)
  • As a result of the violent dispersal, the opposition called for the resignation of Merabishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/108413)
  • Merabishvili was backed by Noghaideli (https://civil.ge/archives/108418)
  • This was the first time riot police was used on Rustaveli Ave since the Rose Revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/108420)
  • The opposition rallied on 1 July with hundreds of people (https://civil.ge/archives/108424)
  • This was called a crime against humanity by Levan Berdzenishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/108514)
• The COE report of 2004 on Georgia highlighted the fact that criminal suspects were under the significant risk of being ill-treated by the police (https://civil.ge/archives/108461)
• In November 2005, new laws were adopted to abolish house arrest and allow criminal probes from anonymous testimonies. Merabishvili called on police officers to shoot criminal suspects dead, something that led to protests, led by SZ on 12 November. (https://civil.ge/archives/109203)
• Amnesty International stated that torture persisted after the Rose Revolution in Nov 2005, including: electric shocks; putting plastic bags over the head of a detainee; suspending a detainee from a pole between two tables; cigarette and candle burns; placing the barrel of a gun in a detainee's mouth threatening to shoot; threats to beat the detainee's family; gagging the detainee with a piece of cloth so they cannot shout; beatings, including with truncheons and butts of guns, and kicking. (https://civil.ge/archives/109256)
• In late 2005, Ombudsman Szar Sobari was accused by the opposition of whitewashing his human rights report, failing to mention acts by the Financial Police, human rights violations by police officers and pressure on media (https://civil.ge/archives/109394)
• According to the Republican Paty, 19 people were killed in 2005 by the police because of havy handed tactics. (https://civil.ge/archives/110010)
• In December 05-January 06, the Financial Police unconstitutionally forced dozens of restaurants in the suburbs of Tbilisi to shut down for weeks during tax investigations, leading to severe financial losses (https://civil.ge/archives/110018)
• 2 May 2006: 2 suspects are killed in downtown Tbilisi. Police claimed it was necessary to prevent a planned robbery, triggering a debate on police violence, especially as the robbery had not actually taken place and the killings took place publicly in a crowded place. (https://civil.ge/archives/110495)
  • The debate surfaced revelations that 3 others were killed in a plice operation in Kutaisi on 24 February. This was all happening during the Girgvliani scandal (https://civil.ge/archives/110535)
  • Merabishvili accused opponents of police violence of being backed by thieves-in-law. https://civil.ge/archives/110538
  • The Parliamentary Committee for Legal Issues and Human Rights studied the issue of the use of excessive force by police (https://civil.ge/archives/110539)
• The Liberty Institute sided with the government against Publc Defender Sobari when the latter came out against excessive police force. (https://civil.ge/archives/110626)
  • Kote Kemularie, Secretary of the NSC, called Sobari "stupid" (https://civil.ge/archives/110632)
• The UN Committee Against Torture (CAT) noted in May 2006 that despite legislative reforms, torture and intimidation remained widespread in Georgia. Amnesty International called for more reforms (https://civil.ge/archives/110640)
• On 30 June 2006, Human Rights Watch wrote a letter to George W. Bush urging the US President to address regressing human rights situation in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/110952)
• His government used force in Adjara to expel IDPs from an empty building bought by a Kazakh developer. (https://civil.ge/archives/110963)
• On 2 July 2006, the MIA raided a church near Dmanisi. According to Bishop Zenon of Dmanisi, armed and masked police officers entered without warning, shouted on priests to lie down, threatening to kill them if they move. The MIA originally denied having entered a church but eventually walked back the comment. (https://civil.ge/archives/110955)
• On 18 July 2006, UNICEF expressed concern with the 10-year sentence of 14-year-old Giorgi Zekeridze for attempted murder (https://civil.ge/archives/111096)
• The 2006 Country Report on Human Righs Practices of the State Department underlined the serious police violence problems (https://civil.ge/archives/112022)
• In March 2007, following the President's State of the Nation address that addressed the drug problem,lawmakers sarted drafting a bill to confiscate the property of drug dealers. (https://civil.ge/archives/112098)
• Aleksandre Khositashvili was beaten and killed by several police officers in civilian clothes in April 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112244)
• Sozar Subari called for the suspension of Irakli Kodua, chief of the MIA's Special Operations Department for his involvement in the arrest and torture of innocent men and the fabrication of evidence. He made the call in May 2007. The allegations were tied to a case involving the detention f three men in Mestia in February 2007 charged with illegal pssession of weapons and drugs. The Public Defender's Office carried out an investigation that revealed that Kodua was helping his girlfriend Nanuka Zhorzholiani (former Rustavi 2 journalist and then head f the NATO Information Center) who was angered by a phone call received at 3AM from a cellphone belonging to one of the arrested. (https://civil.ge/archives/112429)
• A May 2007 report accused the Georgian police of continuing to receive impunity in dozens of cases of trture and ill-treatment (https://civil.ge/archives/112433)
• On 9 February 2010, Parliament passed an amendment to the criminal procedure code changing the rule of consecutive sentencing: convict to be sentenced fully for the gravest sentence and at least half for each consecutive sentencing (up to judge's discretion). Criminal responsibility is also increased from 12 to 14 (https://civil.ge/archives/119862)
• In February 2011, the MIA released the video game Police to popularize Georgian police (https://civil.ge/archives/185803)

Manifestations de 2007

• Georgia faced the worst crisis since the Rose Revolution. (https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/attach/174/174106_CACIA18.pdf)
• A series of anti-government demonstration were sparked, in October, by accusations of murders and corruption levelled by Irakli Okruashvili, Saakashvili's erstwhile associate and former member of his government, against the president and his allies.
• The protests climaxed early in November 2007, and involved several opposition groups and the influential media tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili.
• Although the demonstrations rapidly went downhill, the government's decision to use police force against the remaining protesters evolved into clashes in the streets of Tbilisi on 7 November.
• The declaration of state of emergency by the president (7–16 November) and the restriction imposed on some mass media sources led to harsh criticism of the Saakashvili government both in the country and abroad.
• Human Rights Watch criticised the Georgian government for using "excessive" force against protesters in November and International Crisis Group warned of growing authoritarianism.
• Saakashvili came under criticism for dispersing with rubber bullets and tear gas hundreds of protesters who were blocking Tbilisi's main transport artery, Rustaveli Avenue.
  • The demonstrations started as protest against the arrest of two well-known sportsmen accused of blackmail but soon grew into a demonstration against the central authorities.
  • 25 people were arrested including five members of opposition parties.

• AD
  • The unification of the scattered opposition took place in 2007 under Badri Patarkatsishvili, who started funding opposition parties in exchange for their unity (475)
  • Imedi, under his control, was used as large PR resource for the opposition. (475-476)
  • Government representatives soon boycotted Imedi because of the perceived subjectivity (476)
  • Mass protests began in early October 2007 (476)
  • The main demand of the protests was the annulment of the parliamentary decision to hold presidential and parliamentary elections the same day in January 2009 (476)
  • The opposition's demand was the holding of parliamentary elections in spring 2008 as the constitution required (476)
  • As the government refused to compromise, the situation grew tense and the opposition started asking for MS's resignation and some for the abolition of the presidency (476)
  • Some deputies of the opposition went on hunger strike (476)
  • On 7 November, the police used tear gas and water canons to disperse the demonstrators and clashes between police and opposition took place across city center throughout the day (476)
  • At the end of the day, the police entered Imedi and shut its broadcast down (476)
  • Noghaideli announced a state of emergency later that night (476)
  • The 7 November events caused widespread condemnation at home and abroad, a sign of MS's democratic credentials being downrailed. (476)

• Zourabichvili
  • The forces used on 7 November included anti-riot equipment, anti-riot gaz, shotguns and water cannons, ultrasound equipment and everything high-tech for crowd control (138)
  • Protests first began in September 2007 under the pretext of the firing of Okruashvili and his televised forced confessions (212)
  • Calling for spring parliamentary elections, per the constitutional request, 200,000 protesters gathered on Rustaveli on 2 November 2007 (216)
  • MS would refuse all calls for dialogue and negotiations with the opposition (216)
  • MS would accuse the opposition of being Russian agents (216-217)
  • At the end of a brutal day on 7 November, dozens of spetznats entered the Imedi building. Some opposition leaders were present inside the building, hiding from the police (217)
  • Following the 7 November events, he declared a state of emergency and the military, including tanks, started patrolling the streets (218-219)
  • Acording to an official report of the Public Defender, Merabishvili had set up a special HQ on 3 November to plan the repression of the protests (270)

• On 19 October 2006, Saakashvili announced a plan to hold early presidential elections in 2008 eight months instead of the scheduled ones in 2009, to be scheduled at the same time as parliamentary elections. He stated there was no need to hold elections every year to waste time and energy on elections (https://civil.ge/archives/111234)
  • This move was immediately criticized by the opposition who linked it to a fear of losing popularity (https://civil.ge/archives/111240)
  • On 24 October, MS proposed a constitutional amendment that would hold presidential and parliamentary elections on the same day in late 2008 at a date set by the President. Parliamentary elections were originally scheduled for spring 2008 and presidential ones for April 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/111262)
  • The amendments also gave the President the right to unilaterally recall an ambassador (https://civil.ge/archives/111264)
• Okruashvili resigned on 17 November 2006 just a week after being appointed Minister of Economy (https://civil.ge/archives/111434)
  • This was described as a surprise to the President (https://civil.ge/archives/111435)
  • It was criticized as hasty by Ugulava (https://civil.ge/archives/111442)
  • It was believed a Bokeria-Merabishvili-Lomaia faction had won a battle for control in the government (https://civil.ge/archives/111441)
  • On 20 November, he returned from Ukraine and made a much-awaited joint statement with Saakashvili in which the president announced he would be in charge of defense-political issues abroad (https://civil.ge/archives/111451)
• On 23 November, TI Georgia stated that 3 years after the Rose Revolution, there was practically no division of authority or of competence in Georgia and no institution is imune from interference, at least in reality if not legally. The report compared Georgia to super-presidential systems in Russia and Central Asian states. It also noted that Parliament lost a lot of power since the days of Shevardnadze (https://civil.ge/archives/111480)
• On 13 December, MS justified the proposed constittional amendments as a necessity to further consolidate power against the background of pressure from Russia. (https://civil.ge/archives/111607)
• The Venice Commission criticized the constitutional amendments as political (https://civil.ge/archives/111660)
• The amendments were passed on 27 December 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111688)
• After signing the amendments on 10 January 2007, MS proposes a new format of dialogue with the opposition and proposes a broaded National Security Council with the participation of opposition MPs and the drafting of a new constitution (https://civil.ge/archives/111727)
  • The opposition agreed with the condition that the new constitution would be adopted before the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/111737)
  • To which MS stated that the new constitution would be adopted only after the restoration of territorial integrity (https://civil.ge/archives/111739)
  • The Republicans stated this proposal was a political maneuver (https://civil.ge/archives/111748)
• In its World Report 2007, HRW called the human rights situation in Georgia uneven and criticized police violence and the strong executive government as well as prison conditions (https://civil.ge/archives/111745)
  • This report led Equality Institute to demand the resignation of Justice Minister Gia Kavtaradze (https://civil.ge/archives/111771)
• By late May 2007, Okruashvili was already positioning to launch his own political party with an expected high popularity. He was holding consultations with the Republican Party and some TV celebrities and expected to be a major threat for MS's popularity. (https://civil.ge/archives/112467)
• By June 2007, it was believed several UNM MPs would leave the ruling party and defect to Okruashvili's party (https://civil.ge/archives/112601)
• 12 September:
  • Three Shida Kartli officials, including two mayors, are arrested for corruption. (https://civil.ge/archives/113024)
  • Governor Mikheil Kareli of Shida Kartli is dismissed (https://civil.ge/archives/113025)
• 14 September: MPs Teo Tlashadze and Ketevan Makharashvili, tied to Okruashvili, leave UNM (https://civil.ge/archives/113038)
• 15 September: Chairman Marlen Nadiradze of the Gori Sakrebulo is dismissed and replaced by Zviad Khmaladze, who also serves as acting governor (https://civil.ge/archives/113051)
• 23 September: Mikheil Kareli is arrested for bribery (https://civil.ge/archives/113085)
• 25 September:
  • Dimitri Kitoshvili, MS's spokesman, is arrested for embezzlement (https://civil.ge/archives/185535)
  • The Revenue Service launches an investigation into the yet-still-to-be-created Movement for United Georgia (Okruashvili) (https://civil.ge/archives/113096)
  • Okruashvili makes his first public statement since November 2006, in which he accuses the President of ordering murders, of ordering him several times to liquidate certain influential and important people. (https://civil.ge/archives/113097)
  • Okruashvili claims MS ordered him to liquidate Patarkatsashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/113103)
• 27 September: Okruashvili is arrested at party HQ (https://civil.ge/archives/113129)
  • Arrested for extortion, money laundering, misuse of power and criminal negligence (https://civil.ge/archives/113131)
• 28 September:
  • A group of major opposition leaders from the Republican Party, Conservatives and Party of People, call for mass protests (https://civil.ge/archives/113130)
  • Kitoshvili is released after testifying against Okruashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/113134)
  • Thousands rally on Rustaveli Avenue, which was filled with armed police officers (https://civil.ge/archives/113137)
  • Putin says he hopes the mass protests will be peaceful (https://civil.ge/archives/113143) which was criticized by Saakashvili, who lamented the murder of Anna Politovskaya in response (https://civil.ge/archives/113150)
• 29 September:
  • Saakashvili responds to Okruashvili, denying his interference with the court system (https://civil.ge/archives/113141)
  • The opposition sets up a committee to unite, made of Republican Party, Conservative Party, Movement for United Georgia (which was set up by Okruashvili just before his arrest), Freedom Party, Labor Party, Party of People, Georgian Troupe, Georgia’s way. Goga Khaindrava, ex-State Minister and now an activist from the human rights group Equality Institute, is also a member of the committee. (https://civil.ge/archives/113151)
• 2 October:
  • The Duma adopts a resolution condemning the anti-democratic developments in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/113165)
  • Opposition announces campaign to call for early parliamentary elections in April 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/113167)
• 3 October: MP Guguli Magradze (UNM) calls Okruashvili a political prisoner (https://civil.ge/archives/113170)
• 7 October: Ilia II calls for a constitutional monarchy (https://civil.ge/archives/113202)
  • The proposal is welcomed by the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/113203)
• 8 October: Okruashvili is released on bail after he pleads guilty to bribery through extortion and negligence. The Prosecutor's Office released a videotaped confession by Okruashvili in which he claimed he made up accusations against Saakashvili, including his claims on Patarkatsishvili and Zhvania (https://civil.ge/archives/113205)
  • His lawyer Eka Beselia stated she was not present during the confession and that it came under pressure from the prosecutors (https://civil.ge/archives/113205)
  • His 10 million GEL was paid anonymously. His lawyer did not know who paid (https://civil.ge/archives/113217)
• Okruashvili announced his departure from politics on 11 October 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/113235)
• 16 October: Saakashvili proposes reducing the parliamentary threshold from 7 to 5%, to restrict the presidential power to dissolve Parliament and to extend parliamentary terms from 4 to 5 years to avoid holding elections simultaneously. (https://civil.ge/archives/113268)
• 17 October: 10 political parties launch the National Council of Unified Public Movement (https://civil.ge/archives/113270)
  • It calls for democratic elections, new system of checks and balances, an independent judiciary, decentralization, eradication of political violence, free press and protected property rights, and a welfare state (https://civil.ge/archives/113271)
  • It demanded holding of early parliamentary elections, the creation of a new CEC, changes to the majoritarian winner-take-all system and release of political prisoners (https://civil.ge/archives/113275)
• 18 October: 4 activists from the Equality Institute are arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/113279)
• 19 October: Thousands rally in Kutaisi (https://civil.ge/archives/113289)
• 28 October: Patarkatsishvili announces financing the protests (https://civil.ge/archives/113346)
• 1 November:
  • A convoy of cars headed from Batumi to Tbilisi for the protests is stopped and attacked by unknwon groups of young men (https://civil.ge/archives/113379)
  • Eka Beselia claims that Okruashvili was given a visa by the French embassy and sent to France to prevent him from participating in the 2 November rally (https://civil.ge/archives/113380)
    • But prosecutors claim he was sent abroad for medical treatment (https://civil.ge/archives/113383)
  • Despite opposition requests, Daniel Fried (US Assistant Secretary of State) rejects the US as a mediator between the opposition and the government (https://civil.ge/archives/113386)
• 2 November: Thousands of people gathered in front of Parliament and launch the largest rally since the Rose Revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/113390)
  • Among their four demands: early parliamentary elections in spring 2008 instead of autumn, new CEC composition, change in the majoritarian MP system, release of Irakli Batiashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/113397)
  • There were between 25,000 and 100,000 protesters (https://civil.ge/archives/113400)
• November 3: Protests continue. Calls for Saakashvili to resign start. (https://civil.ge/archives/113399)
  • A 10-party opposition coalition calls for the resignation of Saakashvili. Its motto is "Georgia without Saakashvili" (a hint at the 2003 Georgia without Shevardnadze motto). Gachechiladze, an opposition MP, starts to appear as an opposition leader (https://civil.ge/archives/113402)
• 4 November: Protests continue as Saakashvili keeps quiet (https://civil.ge/archives/113407)
  • In the evening, Saakashvili appears in a recorded 1 TV interview in which he accuses the opposition of being "a factory of lies" directly operating under those who made the "factory of lies against Boris Yeltsin in the mid-90s". He claims Russian oligarchs are behind the chaos. (https://civil.ge/archives/113412)
• 5 November: 3 MPs (Levan Gachechiladze [Independent], Koba Davitashvili [Party of People], Paata Davitaia [On Our Own]) go on hunger strike (https://civil.ge/archives/113416)
  • A human chain is formed all around Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/113417)
  • Okruashvili makes his first televised interview in days, calling Saakashvili a plague and demanding his resignation (https://civil.ge/archives/113421)
    • Okruashvili claimed that he was not responsible for the 10 million GEL bail paying. He stated that a businessman close to the government was responsible, which was rejected by Deputy Prosecutor Nika Gvaramia (https://civil.ge/archives/113422)
• 6 November:
  • Protests continue. Town of Tents is announced unless Batiashvili is released (https://civil.ge/archives/113430)
  • A leaked phone conversation allegedly between Okruashvili and Bacho Akhalaia claims that Okruashvili pledges to end the demonstrations in exchange for his nomination as PM (https://civil.ge/archives/113431)
    • Okruashvili claimed the audio was hoaxed (https://civil.ge/archives/113432)
• 7 November: In the 6-7 night, police breaks up protest rally outside of Parliament and arrests opposition activists. Subari condemns the incident as illegal and as proof of lack of democracy. Ugulava ties the break-up with the threat to set up the Town of Tents. Imedi TV staff reporting on the police breakup sees their cameras confiscated (https://civil.ge/archives/113433)
  • Following the Break-Up, the opposition attempts at breaking through the poloce cordon. During the clash, the police, armed with batons, injures several people, including Gachechiladze. (https://civil.ge/archives/113435). The opposition attempting the breakthrough was 3000-5000 (https://civil.ge/archives/113440)
  • Following the clash, riot police is deployed, armed with batons, shields, water cannon vehicles just as protesters took back control of Rustaveli Avenue (https://civil.ge/archives/113436)
  • The newly-deployed riot police uses tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse the protesters. Donzens of potesters run inside Parliament to find shelter. Footage reveals large group of men in black and masks attacking protests, they were not riot police. (https://civil.ge/archives/113437)
  • Thousands gather at Rike Park for new demonstrations hours later (https://civil.ge/archives/113446)
  • Tensions at Rike Park. Protesters are shown throwing stones at riot police. Police breaks up the new protest using tear gas and water cannons (https://civil.ge/archives/113450)
  • Saakashvili makes a statement in the evening. He claims an alternative government has been set up in Moscow and that Russian counter-intelligence intensified its activities in Georgia. He links destabilization to a chance to restore territorial integrity. (https://civil.ge/archives/113452)
  • At least 508 injured according to Ministry of Healthcare (https://civil.ge/archives/113460)
  • Police claims 21 were arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/113477)
  • HRW condemns the dispersal of peaceful protesters (https://civil.ge/archives/113470)
  • COE calls for restraint and avoiding provocations (https://civil.ge/archives/113472)
  • PACE monitors assessed that Georgia's reputation was damaged (https://civil.ge/archives/113510)
  • Koba Davitashvili is kidnapped, brutally beaten and isolated for two days (https://civil.ge/archives/113475)
• 8 November:
  • Shalva Natelashvili is charged with coup plotting and espionage by Gvaramia (https://civil.ge/archives/113485)
  • Patarkatsishvili is suspected by Gvaramia of coup conspiration (https://civil.ge/archives/185546)
• The Public Defender would eventually call the use of rubber bullets illegal (https://civil.ge/archives/113797)
• HRW issued a release on 20 December in which he said, "The November 7 violence exposed the Georgian government?s ?shaky commitment to human rights and the rule of law? and it is high time for the west to confront Georgia over the issue" (https://civil.ge/archives/113809)
• In February 2008, HRW issued a second report in which it said the events caused "a serious human rights crisis" and that the government "gambles with freedom" (https://civil.ge/archives/114211)
• He would later claim that western intelligence indicated Yaponchik had visited Georgia shortly prior November 2007 protests to plan regime change in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/117253)
• On 7 Nov 2008, one year later, Saakshvili stated that "lessons were learnt" following the 7 Nov protests and that he recognized some mistakes were made (https://civil.ge/archives/117788)
• On 30 December 2008, Sozar Subari claimed having proof that Merabishvili planned for the violent response. He called on Parliament to set up an investigative commission to which he would submit the proof. According to Subari, on 4 November 2007, Merabishvili met at his office with Adeishvili, Kezerashvili, Data Akhalaia and other senior officials to list opposition leaders that should be beaten. Merabishvili underlined that protesters should be beaten in their lungs and stomachs, sometimes in the face. He stated forces wuld plant drugs to some and link others to organized crime. Merabishvili told Kezerashvili to crack down on businessmen supporting the oppsition. Subari was accused of being a politician (https://civil.ge/archives/118161)

• Glucksmann
  • MS: "Mais que vouliez-vous que je fasse? Quíl y ait des manifestations contre moi ou mon gouvernement, je trouve cela parfaitement normal, bien que cela ne me plaise pas plus qu'á n'importe quel dirigeant. Mais, en novembre, les mots dórdre devenaient revolutionnaires, la foule marchait sur le Parlement, les gens parlaient de renverser un regime fasciste... Il fallait a tout prix eviter la mise en place d'un cycle de violence. La Revolution des roses avait debouché sur la mise en place dínstitutions democratiques, il importait de les preserver et déviter que le pays ne sombre dans un scenario ressemblant a celui de la Revolution franc aise, qui a vu lélan populaire magnifique des origines deboucher finalement sur des cou[s de force a repetition et la v iolation permanente de la souverainete des representants du peiple. (142)

• The Force Awakens
  • According to him, the FBI shared a document that proved connections between Shakro Kalashov and Russian secret services on the organization of an overthrow of the Georgian government. Kalashov allegedly met with Baba Gurgur in Yerevan to plan for protests (120)

Liberté de la presse

• he was accused of stifling the media
• The late Georgian businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili claimed that pressure had been exerted on his financial interests after Imedi Television broadcast several accusations against officials.
• Patarkatsishvili's opposition television station Imedi was shut down in November 2007 after the authorities accused it of complicity with the plot to overthrow the elected government.
• The channel resumed broadcasts a few weeks after the incident, but did not cover news or talk shows until after the election.
• Subsequently, the station was sold to supporters of the Saakashvili government and some Georgian journalists have called for the station to be handed back.

• One of the most sensational of these allegations is that the president told Okruashvili to “get rid of” Badri Patarkatsishvili, the owner of the Imedi media group, whose television channel is considered to favor the opposition. (https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/attach/174/174106_CACIA18.pdf)

• At the end of the day on 7 November 2007, the police entered Imedi after the protests and shut its broadcast down (AD, 476)

• Zourabichvili
  • Already in 2004, two TVs (9 Channel and Iberia) and five newspapers (Mtavari gazeti, Diliz gazeti, axali epoka, La tribune, and Omega Magazine) would be closed down (208)
  • In the summer of 2005, under pressure, Imedi stops its national debates (208)
  • Meanwhile, Rustavi 2 takes an increasingly pro-governmental turn (208)
  • In the summer of 2006, Imedi's Patarkatsishvili was pressured to reach an agreement with the government to be neutral, thus removing the opposition's favorite TV from the game ahead of the local elections (208)
  • Under the auspices of a new law, the GPB fires old journalists and restructures the entire system, appointing a new director from the Freedom Institute and recreating new programs with new journalists (208)
  • This made the GPB very pro-governmental (208-209)
  • The director of the 202 Channel was jailed for extortion with a hidden camera and its waves would be transferred to the MoD, which would start broadcasting through a private company the military channel Sakartvelo (209)
  • Out of the regional TVs, only Maestro in Tbilisi and Hereti in Kakheti are not pro-government, but they face tremendous pressure (209)
  • Imedi is shut down manu military in November 2007 only to be reopened submitted in January 2008 (209)
  • Mze TV's debate and information programs are all closed down (209)
  • Erosi Kitsmarishvili, close friend of Zhvania, was the owner of Rustavi 2 until his death, after which he would be replaced by Khalvashi-Okruashvili (MoD), likely under pressure. (209-210)
  • Kitsmarishvili would then serve in the MFA and once his relations with MS restored, would be appointed Ambassador to Moscow (210)
  • Okruashvili would himself be depossessed of his shares in the TV when he resigned and criticized MS (210)
  • David Bezhuashvili, brother of Gela, would be the owner of Mze TV in 2004-2008. (210-211)
  • In 2005, most political shows of Mze would be cancelled (211)
  • In 2008, when there seems to be conflict between MS and the Bezhuashvili brothers, Mze's informational license is cancelled and it becomes only an entertainment TV (211)
  • The nomination of Kubaneishvili at the head of GPB deepened its submission to MS (211)
  • Following the 2007 protests, CNN, Euronews, TV5 and France 24 would see their broadcasts shut off from Georgian airwaves (211-212)
  • During the State of Emergency of 2007, only the GPB was allowed to broadcast information (211-212)
  • In the aftermath of the 2008 war, despite past contracts, all Russian channels would be cut off (212)
  • Online forums are constantly monitored and critical comments are often blocked (212)
  • ISPs would be replaced by a single monopolistic provider in the summer of 2008 (212)
  • Overnight on 7 November, once Imedi was already off the air, special forces of 200-400 men came to the station to dismantle whatever was left (218)
  • In the summer of 2007, Patarkatsishvili was offered to sell his TV in exchange for the Georgian Railway, a golden deal (237)
  • BP would soon be forced to sell his Kulevi petroleum terminal after his fall from the government's grace (238)

• The Vienna-based International Press Institute already expressed concerns about pressure on journalists by the MS government in February 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105243)
• On 19 February 2004, the opposition Iberia TV, Akhali Epoka and Media News were searched by law enforcement. They are owned by Omega Group, accused of financing Abashidze. (https://civil.ge/archives/105280)
• Channel 9, owned by Bidzina Ivanishvili, stopped broadcasting and closed down on 3 April (https://civil.ge/archives/105617)
• Already in April 2004, Freedom House, which ranked Georgian media as partly free, stated that the limited space for freedom “diminishes rapidly outside the capital Tbilisi. Private media [in Georgia] have demonstrated market dependence on powerful economic or political interests.” (https://civil.ge/archives/105798)
• Iberia TV closed down on 17 May 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105932)
• Rustavi 2 filed for bankruptcy on 8 June 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106098)
  • The government bailed out by writing off its massive government debt (https://civil.ge/archives/106184)
• Parliament approved a bill for freedom of speech on 17 June 2004 which laid the burden of proof on a plaintiff against the journalists while the media company would be held liable in case of slander and not the journalist. While very positive for journalistic freedom, some feared it was too vague (https://civil.ge/archives/106085)
• On 19 July, reports showed that Kibar Khalvashi ahd bought 90% of the shares of Rustavi 2 from its owners Davit Dvai, Jarji Akimidze and Erosi Kitsmarishvili. Khalvashi was known for his close ties to Okruashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/115701)
• O 2 August 2004, Revaz Okruashvili, editor of People's Newspaper, was detained for the illegal possession and sale of narcotics and sentenced to 3 months of preliminary detention. (https://civil.ge/archives/115800)
  • Human Rights activists alleged fabrication of evidence by Mikheil Kareli, governor of Shida Kartli, who may have been helped by Irakli Okruashvili, a longtime friend.
  • Liberty Institute was the main campaigner for his release.
  • Activists pointed at contradictory information given by different police officials.
  • Police did not have a warrant for his arrest or for searching the newspaper
  • People's Newspaper had been working on a report linking Kareli to illegal smuggling in South Ossetia.
  • The government prevented the publication from going to print, confiscating it entirely.
  • Okruashvili fully endorsed the arrest.
  • MP Bokeria called for an investigation in the event.
  • On 4 August, MS called Kareli a hero in the context of SO
  • Jouralists launched protests in Kutaisi, Tbilisi and Batumi
  • Revaz Okruashvili was released from detention after a secret deal with the government on 6 August (https://civil.ge/archives/115817)
• It was through intense lobbying from independent media that MP Bokeria was forced to amend the his proposals for a major bill that would have forced independent television stations to reapply for a license after 10 years. (https://civil.ge/archives/116138)
• Kitsmarishvili resigned from Rustavi 2 after allegations of a dispute with MS.
  • Nika Tabatadze, Depty FM, became GD of Rustavi 2 on 13 October 2004, previouusly being a 10% shareholder (https://civil.ge/archives/106332)
• Erosi Kitsmarishvili was a close ally of Zhvania during and after the Rose Revolution. But he became ambitious and tried to aim at the PM position himself, after which a rift took place between both. Rustavi 2 was used to spread scandalous news against Zhvania. His departure was directly linked to that (https://civil.ge/archives/106376)
• In the Reporters without Borders idnex of 2004, Georgia slipped from 73rd to 94th (post-revolution developments), largely to repressions in Adjara, making it one of the less free countries of the post-Soviet world (https://civil.ge/archives/106443)
  • In 2005, it dropped from 94 to 99 (https://civil.ge/archives/109106)
• Parliament approved a law on 11 November 2004 transforming the State Television into a public broadcasting network for 2006, which will receive 1.5% of annual tax collections and will have the right to sell commercial spots, something criticized by the opposition as giving it more advantage than private broadcasters (https://civil.ge/archives/108714)
• Print media was exempted from paying taxes in the 2004 tax reform (https://civil.ge/archives/106771)
• In February 2005, the government changed the rules on media access, restricting the previously unrestricted access to the State Chancellery by letting the media free only on the third floor, somethinc criticized by journalists (https://civil.ge/archives/107375)
• The opposition claimed that public television was not covering its events because of government pressure already in early 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107383)
• By early 2005, it was seen that the editorial policies of Rustavi 2, Imedi, Mze and State TV was controlled by the authorities. After Mze gave access to figures raising doubts about the official version of the death of Zhvania, the channel started receiving serious pressure (https://civil.ge/archives/107433)
• Badri Patarkatsishvili had severely decreased his media spending in 2004-2005, stopping financing InterPressNews and closing down the daily Mtavari Gazeti. (https://civil.ge/archives/107453)
• In Adjara, Zaza Khalvashi, MS-appointed director of Adjara TV, was pressuring journalists against independence, which forced some to quit in March 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107472)
• The March 2005 criminal code amendments allowed journalists to have the right to withhold information connected with their profession from an investigation. (https://civil.ge/archives/107720)
• In May 2005, George Soros in Tbilisi called for the establishment of a media council that would set and mnitor journalistic standards and interference from government or media owners as a step toward freedom of media *https://civil.ge/archives/108187)
• Patakatsishvili's Interpress closed down in June 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108203)
• The MIA sued svseral independent TV stations on 4 July 2005 for the use of Patrol footage reserved for Rustavi 2 (https://civil.ge/archives/108435)
• After coverage of the 30 June 2005 protests, Mze TV came under government criticism and then formally ended its talk show program (https://civil.ge/archives/108459)
• On 7 July 2005, 76 journalists from 20 media sources signed a joint declaration accusing the government of pressuring the media since the Rose Rev (https://civil.ge/archives/108466)
• Journalist Gela Mtivlishvili of Imedi had his house thrown a hand grenade in Kakheti in July 2005. He was already beaten in June and the office of the newspaper Imedi was robbed in January. This followed a series of articles about the involvement of local law enforcers and drug trafficking (https://civil.ge/archives/108509)
• RFE reported in August 2005 that the MOD was the least transparent ever under Okruashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/108684)

* In August 2005, Shalva Rmaishvili, founder and director of 202 TV (at the time the last TV that still hosted talk shows) was arrested over extortion allegations. The MP that was victim was never arrested.

• Ruling party MP Davit Zurabishvili left the party because of the Ramishvili row (https://civil.ge/archives/108767)
• 202 TV anchor Irakli Kakabadze beaten in September 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108805)
• In January 2006, Rustavi 2 bought the majority shares of MZE TV and planned to transform it into entertainment TV. Rustavi 2 was then owned by Kibar Khalvashi, a close friend of Okruashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/109485)
• Akaki Bobokhidze, former Governor of Imereti who resigned after being involved in a fistfight with journalist Irakli Imnaishvili, was then appointed Commander of the National Guard (===== Politique monétaire vers un lari stable =====
• Kavadze
  • Russian involvement, including 1 billion USD annually in remittances, kept the GEL alive (79)

• The GEL reached its highest level in three years in March 2004, 1.98 GEL to 1 USD (https://civil.ge/archives/105367)
• Another 3-year record was hit in August 2004, with 1.8 GEL to 1 USD. This growth was linked to significant budgetary surplus increases, the privatization process and the BTC construction.
  • The National Bank's policy was to let it freely move on the free currency market without setting a fixed rate, something criticized by some like Roman Gotsiridze.
  • Starting in September, a new regulation required individuals to submit their IDs to exchange currency into GEL, a move to curb money laundering, something that was expected to put a pause on the GEL growth (https://civil.ge/archives/115951)
• A 5-year record was hit on 7 September 2004, with 1.71 GEL to the dollar. (https://civil.ge/archives/115996)
• Roman Gotsiridze was appointed President of the National Bank by MS to succeed outgoing Irakli Managadze, whose 7-year term expired on 25 March 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107594)
• Georgia's first-ever international credit rating was issued by Standard and Poor's as B+ for long-term and B for short-term sovereign credit ratings, with a positive outlook in December 2005 due to efforts to raise revenue by reducing corruption and the black market and efforts to pay back debts (https://civil.ge/archives/109347)
• For the first time since 2002, the inflation rate did not go past 7% and dropped to 6.2% in 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109538)
• The IMF lobbied in 2006 for the Central Ban to receive more power in influencing the money supply than its current power to purchase and buy foreign exchange. IMF and Tbilisi reached an agreement on an arrangement where the gov would take some of its debt to the NB and turn it into gov securities of varying maturues for the NB to then buy and sell to affect the money supply.
  • The IMF also warned that the exchange rate of the GEL to the USD was considerably lower than their equilibrium due to various policies (https://civil.ge/archives/109880)
• In Feb 2005, the WB approved a 5 million USD grant for infrastructure (https://civil.ge/archives/109895)
• Ruling party MPs applied pressure on the Public Broadcaster to unveil internal affairs (https://civil.ge/archives/110013)
• During the Girgvliani murder scandal, Badri Patarkatsishvili openly claimed that the government was trying to mount pressure on Imedi TV after it reported first on the case. (https://civil.ge/archives/110248)
  • This marked Patarkatsishvili's official entrance in the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/110249)
  • The ruling party qualified him an oligarch (https://civil.ge/archives/110251)
• 14 June 2006: MP Badri Nanetashvili (UNM), owner of Trialeti TV, accuses Okruashvili and Bokeria of pressuring him to sell shares of the station (https://civil.ge/archives/110853)
  • He leaves UNM the day after (https://civil.ge/archives/110862)
  • He was impeached on 21 June (https://civil.ge/archives/110895)
• 15 June: Journalists protesting in Sighnaghi against MP Nugzar Abulashvili (UNM-Sighnaghi), accused of ordering local officials to stop cooperating with the media, are attacked by a group including local officials (https://civil.ge/archives/110858)
• Note the Khoperia scandal during the Girgvliani scandal. And add that officials, including Bokeria, criticized the media for covering protests more than the US visit (https://civil.ge/archives/110980)
• In August 2006, Director General of Rustavi 2 Nika Tabatadze was fired upon pressure of the presidential administration (https://civil.ge/archives/115181)
  • In response, 6 journalists left Rustavi 2 (https://civil.ge/archives/115287)
• A few days before Okruashvili left the government in November 2006, Kibar Khalvashi sold his 78% of shares of Rustavi 2 to the transportation company GeoTrans, owned by people close to government. (https://civil.ge/archives/111449)
• On 20 November, a few days later, information leaked about the merger of Rustavi 2, Mze and Pirveli Stereo following the purchase by GeoTrans. (https://civil.ge/archives/111459). Facts to consider:
  • Georgian Media Incorporated owned 22% of Rustavi 2 and Mze TV and 65% of Pirveli Stereo,
  • GMI was the media arm of Georgian Industrial Group and also owned Studio Spectr and Georgian Business Consulting (the latter was the main polling company during the 2006 municipal elections).
  • GIG is a business conglomerate bringing together Sakcementi, Saqinvesti, Georgian International Energy Corporation, World Techniques and Vipavia.
    • Look here for ties to Bezhuashvili brothers, Robert Powell, Ukrainian oligarchs.
  • Natia Turnava, Deputy MoE, was appointed Executive Director of GIG on 4 December (https://civil.ge/archives/111551)
• Erosi Kitsmarishvili, founder of Rustavi 2, became adviser to the GPB DG in march 2007 https://civil.ge/archives/112114)
• In March 2007, the GPB was accused of being biased toward Merabishvili, as his first interview in the year featured no question on Girgvliani or police violence in general and was onyl focused on his anti-drug campaign (https://civil.ge/archives/112115)
• In September 2007, Rustavi 2 made a segment in which it claimed that Saakashvili was the most popular Georgian of all time (https://civil.ge/archives/112962)
• Patarkatsishvili claimed in October 2007 that the authorities were trying to buy Imedi TV and its radio (https://civil.ge/archives/113228)
• On 7 November 2007, during the massive protest dispersals that saw 508 injured, Kavkasia TV was put off the air. (https://civil.ge/archives/113456)
  • In the evening, police broke into Imedi TV and the station went off the air (https://civil.ge/archives/113455)
    • The government claimed that closing down Imedi was necessary to prevent a coup. Imedi was providing extensive coverage of the demonstrations. Live, the anchor stated that "police broke into the television. They are now trying to break into this studio. I want to say that Imedi has always been the only window through which entire Georgia could watch the truth." Kavkasia went off the air a couple of minutes later, and so did Imedi Radio and the Imedi website. Protesters gathered in front of Imedi TV and the riot police again violently these protesters. (https://civil.ge/archives/113457)
• Following the announcement of a state of emergency, a government decree on 8 Nov banned all private media for 15 days and all news was to be provided through the GPB. The presidential decree stated a "freeze on the gathering of free dissemination of information in written or verbal forms". (https://civil.ge/archives/113462)
• News Corp, which owned Imedi TV, condemned the attack and Rupert Murdoch stated being shocked and horrified in what happened. News Corp claimed that the police break-in caused serious damage that would need three months to rehabilitate (https://civil.ge/archives/113500)
• Financing of Rustavi 2 was dark. GeoMedia Groupm which owned a majority of shares of Rustavi 2 and Mze TV, had no public information and was registered in the Marshall Islands (https://civil.ge/archives/114411)
• Nina Pazhava, head of Imedi Radio Zugdidi bureau, was dismissed when she asked a critical question to Giorgi Targamadze, asking him about rumors that his new CDM party was financed by Eco-Food (tied to Merabishvili) (https://civil.ge/archives/114528)
• Following the death of Patarkatsishvili, his family claimed government was attempting to take over the channel (https://civil.ge/archives/114552)
  • After his death, his shares were registered under the name of Gogi Jaoshvili, who would sell his 70% ownership to businessman Joseph Kay (relative of Patarkatsishvili) who was accused of negotiating with the authorities (https://civil.ge/archives/114572)
• Levan Kubaneishvili was elected on 4 April 2008 as DG of GPB with the support of the government (https://civil.ge/archives/114680)
• In April 2008, the GNCC refused to grant Maestro TV license for political programming (https://civil.ge/archives/114698)
• Rustavi 2 boycotted the United Opposition until a month before the 2008 parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/114844)
• Freedom House declined the 2007 ranking of media freedom from 57 to 60 (https://civil.ge/archives/114878)
• Imedi TV resumed airing only after the 2008 parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/114895)
• In June 2008, Joseph Kay sacked top management at Imedi Radio and replaced them with individuals tied with government members (Nino Gabriadze, spokeswoman for State Minister Davit Tkeshelashvili, became new Director), leading to protests (https://civil.ge/archives/116473)
• There were allegations of government pressure (through the Financial Police) when three firms withdrew their advertisement deals with Kavkasia TV in June 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/116643)
  • Saakashvili denied knowing anything about this (https://civil.ge/archives/116656)
• Sozar Subari stated that Georgia had been left "without an independent nationwide television station" in July 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/116695)
• In July 2008, journalists from Batumelebi noted surveillance and death threats (https://civil.ge/archives/116860)
• In September 2008, there were allegations that Forum.ge was being surveilled and censued (https://civil.ge/archives/117381)
• Maestro received its license for political programming after talks with Giorgi Arveladze, head of the GNCC in October 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/117700)
• In November 2008, Erosi Kitsmarishvili (founder of Rustavi 2) alleged that Saakashvili heald bearer bonds of the offshore company that owned 55% of Rustavi 2 (https://civil.ge/archives/117889)
• On 14 Nov 2008, Sozar Subari (still PD) published a report on the media where he stated that the editorial policies of all nationwide TV stations were "fully controlled by the authorities", while smaller channels like Maestro TV were under undue pressure (https://civil.ge/archives/117909)
• In February 2009, RAK Georgia Holding, a division of the Investment Authority of the Ras Al Khaimah Emirate, purchased 90% of Imedi TV and Radio from Joseph Kay. According to Noghaideli, the Georgian government was using funds stolen from weapons procurement to fund RAK Georgia Holding as a front for its own business ventures. (https://civil.ge/archives/118415)
  • In February 2010, Ras Al Khaimah strongly denied owning Imedi TV (https://civil.ge/archives/119847)
• In March 2009, the Public Broadcaster refused to host Okruashvili any longer, canceling all planned interviews with him. (https://civil.ge/archives/118474)
• On 17 March 2009, Georgian Times stopped publishing after its owner Malkhaz Gulashvili alleged pressure on his family after his son was stopped by the police. This came a the heels of his participation in a Russia-backed conference on the future of Georgia-Russia relations in Vienna (https://civil.ge/archives/118510)
• Nana Intskirveli, spokeswoman for the MOD, became news director of Imedi TV on 18 March 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/118512)
• In May 2009, Rustavi 2 and Imedi TV boycotted coverage of the opposition protests in front of GPB HQ in solidarity with 1TV (https://civil.ge/archives/118852)
• In June 2009, the GNCC reported that Degson Limited acquired 70% of Rustavi 2's shares (these shares were previously owned by Irakli Chikovani and GeoMediaGroup). Degson is registered in the British Virgin Islands (https://civil.ge/archives/119039)
• In July 2009, Saakashvili ally Giorgi Arveladze became general director of Georgia Media Production Group (Imedi TV and Radio, subsidiary of Ras Al Khaimah Investment Fund) (https://civil.ge/archives/119149)
• There were several news agencies that were set up as small promotions of Saakashvili. It is possible that Expressnews (set up in January 2009) was one of them (https://civil.ge/archives/119455)
• In October 2009, the RSF report ranked Georgia 81st in the media freedom index. In 2007, it was ranked 66th (120th ranking in 2008 was due to the war) (https://civil.ge/archives/119496)
• A report by TI Georgia from November 2009 highlighted that Sakartvelo TV was owned by Denal Union, which was closely linked to the MOD (https://civil.ge/archives/119606)
  • The report also highlighted that a lot of regional televisions were owned by UNM affiliated individuals
• On 30 Novmber 2009, Batumelebi accused the MIA of attempting to blackmail its journalist Tedo Jorbenadze, head of the investigative reporting team, by revealing his homosexuality. Jorbenadze came out publicly (https://civil.ge/archives/185669)
• In December 2009, invstigative jounrlaist Vakhtang Komakhidze visited Tskhinvali and met with Kokoity during the hostage crisis. He was also with Zakareishvili and NGO head Manana Mebuke. After this, he started receiving a series of aggressive treats from the authorities. On 10 February 2010, he asked for asylum in Switzerland (https://civil.ge/archives/119863)
  • The Journalists for Fredom of Speech, a Georgian NGO, called on Bern to accept him (https://civil.ge/archives/119879)
  • Bern granted Komakhidze asylum in July (https://civil.ge/archives/119865)
• At a speech in front of the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angels on 27 April 2010, Saakashvili stated that claims against media freedom in Georgia were bullshit (https://civil.ge/archives/120116)
  • The same day, Freedom House released a global ranking on media freedom and Georgia was ranked as partly free (126th out of 196) (https://civil.ge/archives/185686)
• In May 2010, over a dozen regional newspapers said in a joint statement that the authorities were prevented them from accessing public information. In protest, they printed newspapers on 3 May running a blank front page (https://civil.ge/archives/120130)
• On 3 January 2011, authorities broke up a hunger strike protest of veterans protesting at the Heroes' Memorial for better treatment. The arrest of 11 protesters was criticized by the Public Defender's Office, who called it illegal (https://civil.ge/archives/185777)
  • While the US Ambassador called for a serious investigation on police violence (https://civil.ge/archives/185778)
  • Rustavi 2, Imedi TV and GPB did not cover the protest or subsequent arrests, which was criticized (https://civil.ge/archives/185779)
• In September 2012, video footage emerged that showed a secret meeting at the house of Patarkatsishvili between MS, Zhvania, Erosi Kitsmarishvili (Rustavi 2), Vano Chkhartishvili (Mze TV) and BP showing the President speaking about the need to have a clear plan guaranteeing that no television station would wage war against the new authorities
  • Another video shows years later Ugulava telling BP that the authorities would take adequate actions against him because his actions were playing into the Kremlin's hands. (https://civil.ge/archives/122261)

• Glucksmann
  • MS states that Imedi was no longer a television but "le moyen qyue sétait offer BP, ancien bras droit de Boris Berezovski, toujpurs tres lie au business russe, pour destabiliser les institutions." (145)
  • He doubled down: "Ce nétait pas un media, cétait une courroie de transmission pour une partie de lópposition, dirigee par BP, celle precisement qui refusait les regles du jeu democratique et institutionnel. car elle se savait pertinemment incapable de rassembler une majorite des GHeorgiens." (145)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • Dardubala was a satirical cartoon featuring Shevardnadze as the main character. When someone tried to recreate the show featuring Saakashvili, he ended up being jailed for four years after being accused of theft (505)

• Spokesperson Gela Charkviani strongly denied the allegations that TV Imedi was pressured into cutting the story on Kezerashvili's leaked audio conversation off the air in 2005 (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=2435&i=6)

Démission

• On 8 November 2007, President Saakashvili announced a compromise solution to hold early presidential elections for 5 January 2008.
• He also proposed to hold a plebiscite in parallel to snap presidential elections about when to hold parliamentary polls – in spring as pushed for by the opposition parties, or in late 2008.
• Several concessions in the election code were also made to the opposition.[67]

• MS announced his resignation on 8 November 2007 after the events of the day before. (AD, 476)
  • The state of emergency was lifted shortly thereafter and Imedi was put back on the air.

• Zourabichvili
  • The US pressured MS to stop the crackdown after the protests (219)
  • MS did a chess move by agreeing to elections, but this time presidential. The opposition would be taken by surprise and not ready, especially as many of its leaders supported a parliamentary republic or even the complete abolition of the presidency (220)

• Saakashvili announced a state of emergency following the protest dispersal and the Imedi TV break-in in the evening of 7 November (https://civil.ge/archives/113458)
• Javier Solana was concerned (https://civil.ge/archives/113459)
• The November 8 decree on the State of Emergency imposed a SOE for 15 days across the country. All private media was banned. (https://civil.ge/archives/113461)
• Miguel Angel Moratinos, OSCE Chair in Office, expressed concern about the SOE (https://civil.ge/archives/113468)
• It is estimated that with the media ban and its online media loophole, 93% of the population had no access to non-government media (https://civil.ge/archives/113469)
  • Universities and public schools are closed till Nov 9
  • Riot police is deployed across Dowtown Tbilisi
  • Government continues to accuse the opposition of cooperating with Russian intelligence and refuses negotiations.
• 8 November:
  • Riot police disperses small group of protesting students in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/113473)
  • In a televised address to the nation, he announces presidential elections on 5 January 2008, accuses the 7 November protests of being a conspiracy against Georgian democracy, and proposes a plebiscite on 5 Jan on when to hold parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/113483)
  • He claimed that early presidential elections were necessary because he feared Russian conflict later that year. (https://civil.ge/archives/113484)
  • The 10-party opposition Coordination Council welcomes the snap presidential polls (https://civil.ge/archives/113487)
    • This was the first sign of the crisis receding (https://civil.ge/archives/113489)
  • The US State Dept calls on Georgia to lift the state of emergency and restore all media broadcasts (https://civil.ge/archives/113488)
  • France and the UK expressed concern with the development (https://civil.ge/archives/113494)
• 9 November:
  • Parliament backs the state of emergency amidst opposition boycott (https://civil.ge/archives/113495)
  • Germany expresses concern with SOE (https://civil.ge/archives/113497)
  • Okruashvili claims the snap presidential elecitons wont be fair (https://civil.ge/archives/113499)
• 10 November:
  • Bryza calls on Tbilisi to lift the SOE "immediately" (https://civil.ge/archives/113503)
  • Ilia II brokers and mediates talks between 5 opposition parties and the government (https://civil.ge/archives/113507)
  • MS brushes off western criticism and says he will not lift the SOE "upon instruction from foreign friends" (https://civil.ge/archives/113511)
  • OSCE CiO appoints Josep Borrell Fontelles as his Special Envoy to call for the lifting of the SOE (https://civil.ge/archives/113517)
  • The EU Special Envoy Peter Semneby was more careful in his wording (https://civil.ge/archives/113519)
• 12 November: Bryza arrives in Tbilisi, meets MS, Noghaideli and opposition leaders, and calls on Georgia to restore democratic momentum
  • He brokered the lifting of the SOE (https://civil.ge/archives/113536)
• 14 November:
  • Imedi TV loses its broadcast license and its assets are frozen by the Tbilisi City Court. (https://civil.ge/archives/113549)
    • The license is suspended for three months (https://civil.ge/archives/113572)
  • Tbilisi City Court orders the detention of Okruashvili, days after his interview from Munich (https://civil.ge/archives/185548)
  • MS pardons 1,000 prisoners (https://civil.ge/archives/113553)
• 16 November: The SOE is lifted at 1900 (https://civil.ge/archives/113555)
  • Kavkasia TV back on air (https://civil.ge/archives/113567)
  • Lado Gurgenidze is appointed PM after serving as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Bank of Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/113568)
    • The appointment of a banker as PM was seen as a move to focus the public attention of what was seen as Saakashvili's biggest strance, ie financial, economic and monetary reforms (https://civil.ge/archives/113569)
• 19 November: Education Minister Alexandre Lomaia is appointed Chief of Security Council (https://civil.ge/archives/113580)
• 21 November: GPB airs a documentary seemingly pro-Saakashvili, alleging links between the opposition and the FSB and accusing Patarkatsishvili of inciting a coup (https://civil.ge/archives/113593)
• 22 November: Nationwide protests in support of Imedi TV (https://civil.ge/archives/113607)
• 23 November: The Presidents of Poland and Lithuania visit Georgia to mark the anniversary of the Rose Revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/113615)
  • Saakashvili called it a show of support (https://civil.ge/archives/113622)
• 25 November: Saakashvili announces his resignation and the launch of his campaign. Burjanadze becomes interim president. (https://civil.ge/archives/113636)

Éléction présidentielle de 2008

• On 23 November 2007, the ruling United National Movement party officially nominated Saakashvili as its candidate for the upcoming elections.
• Pursuant to the Constitution of Georgia, Saakashvili resigned on 25 November to launch his pre-election campaign for early presidential polls.[68]

• AD
  • The opposition, before united, was unable to agree on a single candidate (476)
  • Shalva Natelashvili ran from Labor, David Gamkrelidze from NR, Levan Gachechiladze from the United Opposition (476)
  • Badri Patarkatsishvili was also a candidate (476)
  • On 5 January, MS won on the first round with 53% of the vote. (476)
  • The OSCE and EU recognized the elections as legitimate, while adding that there were some irregularities that needed to be addressed (476)
  • Western observers also called it the first competitive Georgian presidential elections in history (476)

• Zourabichvili
  • Bryza was the one to break the doubts of a runoff by publicly congratulating MS before the CEC published even partial results (96)
  • Electoral fraud was obvious in almost every precinct of the country (96)
  • The real margin was much closer than believed (96)
  • The 10-party opposition coalition selected Levan Gachechiladze, the anti-President, as presidential candidate and Salome Zourabichvili as PM nominee (220)
  • The ruling party rapidly changed the electoral code, set up an election HQ with members of every ministry and used administrative resources massively. (221)
  • The opposition adopted the joint "Saguramo Program" (220-221)
  • The government requisitioned all minibuses of the city to bus voters in (221)
  • The carrousel system was in full place and so was using inexistent voters (dead or having moved out) (221)
  • The opposition won the capital before the results from the regions appeared (222)
  • Suddenly, pressure allegations against opposition reps in the regions started to appear. Some precincts reported 103-104% voter turnouts (222)
  • Suddently, all regional voting precincts were told to stop the count (222)
  • Primary results are not issued at midnight as expected, nor at 9AM or at 11AM as announced (222)
  • It was then that Matthew Bryza congratulated MS (223)
  • It would eventually be said that Bryza did not speak on behalf of the DoS but the announcement, coupled with the eventual announcement of a 52% victory, thus dashing hopes for a runoff, killed all hopes for the opposition (223)
  • One of the VPs of the OSCE delegation would eventually express his concerns in German press, but it was too little too late (223-224)
  • Congressman Hastingsm, head of the OSCE delegation, would congratulate MS soon after Bryza (224)
  • On the inauguration, 200,000 protesters would be kept far from the inaugural site (225)
  • Patarkatsishvili's own candidacy was a sign of the division of the opposition (240)
  • BP was accused of trying to forment a coup against MS by hiring an MIA official. Some in the opposition believed the charges were fabricated and the story was taken out of context, that he likely wanted to secure MIA loyalty for a smooth presidential transition (240)
  • The government takes on an anti-Semite stance against BP (241)
  • TV shows training of special forces chanting "Dog Badri, we'll have your skin" (241)
  • Nobody would believe that BP died of a heart attack (242-243)
  • MS broke with his libertarian philisophy by promising a massive government program to get people out of poverty through massive public works, public employments, requirments of private companies to hire more and for larger salaries, requirements for private companies to create training programs, etc. (246)

• Republican Party
  • Berdzenishvili claims that MS added himself 10% through fraud. He did not expect he would not have enough resources to win outright in the first round (190)

• On 12 November 2007, shortly after the presidential election was announced, the RP, GW, Freedom, On Our Own, Party of People, Movement for United Georgia and National Forum nominated Levan Gachechiladze, independent MP, as its presidential candidate. Zourabichvili was talked about as PM (https://civil.ge/archives/113527)
• Koba Davitashvili, who backed Gachechiladze, claimed that the presidential election was a referendum on the very institution of the Presidency (https://civil.ge/archives/113525)
• The opposition complained that with the State of Emergency for the first 2 weeks of campaigning, Saakashvili had a clear media advantage (https://civil.ge/archives/113531)
• There were allegations of public employees pressured to vote for Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/113587)
• Davit Gamkrelidze was endorsed as a candidate by New Rights and the Industrialists (https://civil.ge/archives/113627)
• Candidate Saakashvili (already resigned) announced that Imedi TV would resume broadcasting once out of the hands of Patarkatsishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/113637)
• Patarkatsishvili announces his presidential campaign on 26 November, the day after MS's resignation (https://civil.ge/archives/113640)
• 22 originally filed for the presidency (https://civil.ge/archives/113644)
  • 19 remained (https://civil.ge/archives/113653)
  • Giorgi Gachechiladze of the Green Party dropped out to endorse Gachechiladze (https://civil.ge/archives/113700)
  • 13 remained after the document requirement deadline (https://civil.ge/archives/113716)
  • 7 remained at the end (https://civil.ge/archives/113753)
• Saakashvili signed a decree for a plebiscite before his resignation on NATO membership and parliamentary eleciton date (https://civil.ge/archives/113633)
• Saakashvili was allowed to use the Tblisi City Hall for campaign events (https://civil.ge/archives/113659)
  • He pledged Abkhaz IDPs they'd return within months.
• On 28 November, he instructed the Minister for Refugees and Accomodation Koba Subeliani and Mayor Ugulava to hand over state-owned property for IDPs (https://civil.ge/archives/113661)
  • This was criticized as vote-buying (https://civil.ge/archives/185550)
  • GYLA claimed they violated election law (https://civil.ge/archives/113697)
• Maisashvili stated he'd back Saakashvili in the runoff against Patarkatsishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/113674)
• One of his campaign messages was "There are no abandoned towns in Georgia" (https://civil.ge/archives/113676)
• Saakashvili pledged to increase pensions to 100 USD a month, state-funded rent allowance for regional students attending university n Tbilisi, state scholarships to 1000 students studying at foreign universities (https://civil.ge/archives/113681)
• Authorities were accused of organizing intimidation against Gachechiladze's campaign (https://civil.ge/archives/113679)
• Pridon Todua, founder and head of the Radiology Institute of Tbilisi, was chosen to lead the election campaign, a symbol of alliance with academics and not a politician. (https://civil.ge/archives/113688)
  • Gigi Tsereteli was his campaign spokesman.
  • Ugulava was seen constantly on the side of the campaign.
• Saakashvili said that South Ossetia returning to Georgia was a matter of months (https://civil.ge/archives/113693)
• MS presented 140,000 signatures to the CEC for his candidacy. 50,000 were necessary (https://civil.ge/archives/113695)
• State Minister Davit Bakradze was appointed as his campaign spokesman after Tsereteli (https://civil.ge/archives/113701)
• He pledged the Poti Free Economic Zone for January 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/113709)
• He also used the Wall Street Journal to campaign, defending his record (https://civil.ge/archives/113710)
• He pledged the foundation of a state bank to provide cheap long-term credit to help SMEs (https://civil.ge/archives/113713)
  • Days later, PM Gurgenidze met with bankers to discuss the issue (https://civil.ge/archives/113752)
• Gachechiladze sold his shares of Georgian Wines and Spirits to fund his campaign but also sought funding from Patarkatsishvili, which was descirbed as "abnormal" (https://civil.ge/archives/185555)
• During the campaign, he told the government to pay off the people's gas and electricity payment arrears (https://civil.ge/archives/113751)
• Saakashvili launched his youth wing (https://civil.ge/archives/113754)
• The CEC's decision (through opposition vote) to deny voting rights to Georgian soldiers stationed in Iraq and Kosovo was criticized by Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/185557)
  • The court sided with Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/113780)
• There were allegations that the voter lists' were inflated (https://civil.ge/archives/113781)
• He promised a three-fold economic growth, "Georgia without Poverty" was his slogan (https://civil.ge/archives/113785)
• Rustavi 2 openly backed Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/113787)
• GYLA called on both Patarkatsishvili and Saakashvili to be banned from the race for vote-buying (https://civil.ge/archives/113815)
  • But the Tbilisi City Court disagreed (https://civil.ge/archives/113844)
  • Gachechiladze criticized both (https://civil.ge/archives/113884)
• When HRW released on 20 December a report on the 7 November protest dispersal, the Justice Ministry slammed it as inappropriate (https://civil.ge/archives/113822)
• He pledged to not attack opponents (https://civil.ge/archives/113839)
• He campaigned to the diaspora (https://civil.ge/archives/113841)
  • He pledged to reshuffle his political team and to jettison his hardline style.
• Patarkatsishvili dropped out on 27 December after a leak of a phone conversation claiming desire for a coup in the event of an electoral loss (https://civil.ge/archives/113894)
  • The authorities criticized Gachechiladze for ties to Patarkatsishvili following the coup scandal (https://civil.ge/archives/113895)
• Saakashvili called Okruashvili his "biggest mistake" (https://civil.ge/archives/113896)
• He pledged to get Georgia into NATO in his second term (https://civil.ge/archives/113897)
• His New Year address took place from Kodori. His was the only onw broadcasted live on Georgian TV (https://civil.ge/archives/113821)
• Patarkatsishvili withdrew his withdrawal on 3 Jan (https://civil.ge/archives/113921)
• Gachechiladze raised concern about the exit polls commissioned jointly by GPB and Rustavi 2 (https://civil.ge/archives/113889)
• Saakashvili commissioned a poll that showed him at 42% to Gachechiladze's 19 (https://civil.ge/archives/113927)
• Gachechiladze pledged to abolish the presidency within 200 days (https://civil.ge/archives/113930)
• He compared himself to David the Builder and Giorgi the Brilliant (https://civil.ge/archives/113932)
• Saakashvili told the FT he hoped to win 60% of the vote (https://civil.ge/archives/113935)
• He compared Georgia to David v Goliath and pledged to build a highway to Sokhumi in his final speech (https://civil.ge/archives/113942)
• Saakashvili spent 23 million GEL on his campaigjn (https://civil.ge/archives/185571)

ELECTION DAY

• Opposition accuses Saaashvili campaign of engaging in carrousel practice. Saakashvili denies (https://civil.ge/archives/113967)
• Controversial exit polls give Saakashvili a 52.2% first round victory (https://civil.ge/archives/113974)
• Maisashvili concedes to Gachechiladze (https://civil.ge/archives/113980)
• Saakashvili announced his victory before first results come in from CEC (https://civil.ge/archives/113982)
• CEC delayed preliminary results (https://civil.ge/archives/113978)
• A precinct in Kutaisi blacked out and vote tallies went missing after men attacked the precinct (https://civil.ge/archives/113989)
• Lithuanian and Estonian observers hail the polls as democratic (https://civil.ge/archives/113986)
• Gachechiladze claims victory (https://civil.ge/archives/113993)
• The elections were hailed as a "triumphant step for democracy" by Congressman Alcee Hastings (https://civil.ge/archives/113994)
• COE SG Terry Davis criticizes the opposition's call for mass rallies and calls on political leaders to show "responsibility and political maturity" (https://civil.ge/archives/114013)
• GYLA calls for the annullment of election results from 30 precincts because of gross violations (https://civil.ge/archives/114004)
• As vote-count was delayed for days, Javier Solana congratulated the Georgian people on the peaceful conduct of a truly competitive presidential election (https://civil.ge/archives/114006)
• The Slovenian presidency of the EU calls on Georgians to respect election results (https://civil.ge/archives/114008)
• There were several cases of fraud in vote summary protocols (https://civil.ge/archives/114010)
• NATO welcomed the election as an "important step in Georgia's democratic development" (https://civil.ge/archives/114022)
• The Chief OSCE observer Dieter Boden states that there was no impression of falsification of election results (https://civil.ge/archives/114021)
  • But in a follow-up interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Rundscau, Boden stated that "There was crass, negligent and deliberate falsification during the vote counting." (https://civil.ge/archives/114035)
• By 11 January, with CEC numbers still not out, opposition accused it of throwing away valid ballot papers (https://civil.ge/archives/114041)
• GYLA noted discrepancies in vote summary protocols (https://civil.ge/archives/114045)
• By 12 January, the opposition claimed its own analysis gave Saakashvili no more than 37% of the vote (https://civil.ge/archives/114056)
• The election results came on 13 January, where Saakashvili won with 53.47% (https://civil.ge/archives/114063)
• The West's positive reaction to the eleciton was tied with Bryza being a close personal friend of Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/114072)
• Bush congratulated Saakashvili after the election results were made public (https://civil.ge/archives/114076)
• The OSCE post-election interim report criticized the "unusually high" amount of violations (https://civil.ge/archives/114120)
• PACE Monitor Matyas Erosi called the election legitimate but a disappointment (https://civil.ge/archives/114131)

POST-ELECTION

• Hours after polls closed, authorities seize Patarkatsishvili campaign money (https://civil.ge/archives/113976)
• 6 January: United Opposition announces plans to hold mass rallies in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/113983)
• 8 January: Following western pressure, Gachechiladze calls off rallies to wait for the election results. (https://civil.ge/archives/114012)
• 9 January: Saakashvili idnicats he would appoint opposition members to his cabinet (https://civil.ge/archives/113888)
  • Gachechiladze meets with Saakashvili but continues to call for a runoff (https://civil.ge/archives/114037)
  • Some believed that a deal was made with Gachechiladze in that meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/114051)
• 13 January: As election results are finally announced, thousands of protesters gather in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/114059)
• 17 January: Republican Party announces not recognizing the results of the presidential election (https://civil.ge/archives/114107)
• 18 January:
  • Saakashvili tours a military base in Gori and praises the switch from Soviet to Western weapons (https://civil.ge/archives/114116)
• 20 January: Saakashvili addresses the nation while the opposition protests. He pledges to set up a National Commission to Overcome Poverty with the participation of the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/185573)
• 21 January: Saakashvili is inaugurated. He takes a spiritual oath administered by Ilia II, at the Church of Bagrat III to commemorate the first king of united Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/114119)
  • MS announces a reshuffle in the cabinet and among governors (https://civil.ge/archives/114117)
• Bryza would say later that the Georgian elections were not an example to be followed (https://civil.ge/archives/114231)
• On the eve of the elections, it was revealed that hospitals, public schools and other public institutions were asked to have their employees fill up forms including their political affiliation. UNM stated this was a lower-party initiative. (https://civil.ge/archives/114250)
• The OSCE/ODIHR final report criticized the vote count and tabulation process (https://civil.ge/archives/114427)
• In April 2008, the Public Defender's Office made a full report of allegations of voter fraud, some of which were admitted by the government. These included UNM activists voting more than once, more votes in precincts than registered voters, votes being stolen from precincts, some precincts' security cameras not working (https://civil.ge/archives/114743)
• In October 2013, DSC Adjara head Teimuraz Pataridze was arrested for organizing the production and use of thousands of fake IDs during the 2008 and 2012 elections (https://civil.ge/archives/186826)

• Glucksmann
  • MS's version of BP's alleged attempted coup: On 24 December 2007, BP summoned Irakli Kodua - director of the military police whose family backed the opposition - in his British mansion. Kodua, who had warned MS beforehand, went with a microphone in his shoes. BP allegedly revealed a plan to poison Merabishvili during riots in Tbilisi. The Georgian Ambassador in London immediately returned the recordings to Tbilisi and on 26 December, they were diffused on media. (146-147)
    • According to MS, these recordings led to the mass resignations of Imedi staff in protest of BP (147)

Second mandat

Premiers mois

• Parliamentary elections held during Saakashvili's second term were condemned by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe election monitoring mission for being marred by ballot stuffing, violence against opposition campaigners, uncritical coverage of the president and his party from the state-controlled media, and public officials openly campaigning for the president's party.

• AD
  • On 21 May 2008, parliamentary elections were held and UNM won 59% and 119 seats out of 150 (476)
  • David Bakradze was elected the new parliamentary chair (476)
  • The next day, the OSCE said the parliamentary elections were an improvement over the presidential elections but were still marred with irregularities (476)
  • The opposition accused, just like with the presidentials, the government of rigging the votes and using administrative resources (476-477)
  • As a sign of protest, opposition parties boycotted Parliament. (477)
  • Nino Burjanadze, Zurab Noghaideli, Irakli Alasania were among the latest to join the opposition (477)

• Zourabichvili
  • The expenses incurred by the government during the parliamentary elections were greater than during the presidential election and the government was forced to indebt itself to Bank of Georgia (226)
  • The opposition was disorganized, divided between radicals who refused to recognize the results of the presidential election and centrists who wanted to cooperate with foreign partners to ensure they would this time pressure the gov against voter fraud (226)
  • The opposition, except for some satellite parties and defectors, would boycott the 20-some seats it gained in the parliamentary elections (226)

• 21 January: Saakashili reappoints Gurgenidze as PM and orders a cabinet reshuffle (https://civil.ge/archives/114133)
• 22 January: Prosecutors file charges of conspiration to overthrow the government against MP Valery Gelbakhiani, an ally of Patarkatsishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/114140)
• 24 January: New cabinet unveiled. Merabishvili remains powerful. (https://civil.ge/archives/114157)
  • General Prosecutor Zurab Adeishvili is named chief of the presidential administration (https://civil.ge/archives/114160)
  • Gvaramia became MOJ, Bakradze as FM, Eka Sharadze as Economy, Sandro Kvitashvili as Healthcare and Social Issues, Ghia Nodia as Education and Science, Zaza Gamtsemlidze as Environment Protection, Nika Vacheishvili as Culture and Sport, Temur Iakobashvili. (https://civil.ge/archives/114161)
    • Iakobashvili, Gamtsemlidze, Kvitashvili were political newcomers.
• 29 January: 12 political parties issue a joint memorandum with 17 demands: (https://civil.ge/archives/114176)
  • vote recount in disputed districts
  • investigation of violations
  • constitutional amendments requiring new government confirmation vote after new parliament
  • release of political prisoners
  • investigation into 7 November
  • resignation of Merabishvili and reorganization of MIA
  • parliamentary and local monitoring systems of law enforcement
  • more opposition power over GPB composition
  • equal principles of appontment of GNCC
  • Michnik Group principle for private TV companies
  • restoration of media access to court hearings
  • early parliamentary elections in April
  • proportional election system
  • equal participation of all level of electoral administrations and appointment of CEC chair based on global agreement
  • banning the president from campaigning for other offices
  • deploy video cameras in all precincts
  • regulations on exit polling
• Saakashvili claimed having offered cabinet posts such as healthcare, environment, and economic positions to the opposition which refused (https://civil.ge/archives/114187)
• 31 January:
  • Gela Bezhuashvili is appointed head of the Intelligence Service, which directly serves under the President (https://civil.ge/archives/114194)
  • Government announces United Georgia without Poverty program, with the following goals:
  • NATO membership within 5 years
  • territorial integrity
  • Free trade, visa liberalization and financial market access with EU
  • normalization of ties with Russia
  • continued laissez-faire economy for a goal of 8% annual growth for the next 5 years
  • decrease public spending from 20 to 22% of GDP
  • Strict monetary policy to limit inflation
  • Budget surplus of at least 0.5% of GDP
  • lower income tax from 25 to 15
  • liberalize the financial sector
  • Fund for Future Generations plan - 25% of surpluses and 75% of privatization income to be used in fund for restoration of territorial integrity.
  • Fund for Stable Development - 30% of surplus and 25% of privatization incolme for unexpected economic challenges
  • continue privatization
  • guarantee privat property
  • increase sovereign credit rating for the next 5 years
  • bost welfare to one-third of state spending
  • create 200,000 jobs
  • increase pensions to 100 USD monthly
  • universal health care
  • free economic zone in Poti
  • 30% of more road infrastructure rehabilitated
  • three international airports
  • increase share of HPP exports in electricity exports to 90%
  • 200 new agriculture processing factories
  • privatization of private sector
  • City of Knowledge as a large-scale complex of campuses and educational centers in Tbilisi
  • computers and Internet access to all schools
  • 50 news sport complexes
  • transformation into contract-based military service (https://civil.ge/archives/114203)

• 1 February: The opposition and the ruling party launch talks with Burjanadze leading the ruling party side. (https://civil.ge/archives/114208)
• 4 February: 3 Governors (Maghlaperidze of Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Mikheil Svimonishvili of Guria, Vladimer Gegelashvili of Shida Kartli) are fired (https://civil.ge/archives/114218)
• 5 February: The opposition coalition announces a new slogan, "Georgia without Saakashvili" (hint: Shevardnadze), announcing new rallies (https://civil.ge/archives/114217)
• 6 February: Media reports on a diplomatic purge (https://civil.ge/archives/114229)
• 8 February: The opposition suspends talks with the ruling party (https://civil.ge/archives/114235)
• 13 February: Patarkatsishvili announced dead (https://civil.ge/archives/114258)
  • Police in Surrey, where he died, called his dead "suspicious" (https://civil.ge/archives/114264)
  • His death was investigated by a major crimes unit (https://civil.ge/archives/114266)
  • His death was called a murder by many opposition leaders (https://civil.ge/archives/114268)
  • On 14 February, Surrey police released autopsy reports that claimed he died of "natural causes" but did not do a toxicology report (https://civil.ge/archives/114272)
• 14 February: UNM releases proposals to help the country get out of the political crisis: (https://civil.ge/archives/114278)
  • Release per request CCTV footage of vote count and proper investigation of proven fraud cases
  • Constitutional amendments on the resignation of government following parliamentary elections and appointment by new parliament.
  • Release of prisoners arrested on 7 November but no release for others the opposition calls "political prisoners"
  • Creation of a special parliamentary commission to investigate the 7 November, although with an accent on accusations of coup attempt
  • Joint government-opposition commission for MIA reforms
  • Reform of GPB Board setup
  • Return of access to courtrooms for media without video
  • Parliamentary elections for late May 2008
  • Replace majoritarian with regional proportional system
  • Some election reform
    • Opposition rejected these proposals and called for new protests (https://civil.ge/archives/114282)
• 15 February: Opposition announces "Town of Tent" across Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/114293)
• 18 February: Government releases 6 prisoners arrested on 7 November (https://civil.ge/archives/114307)
• 22 February: Oppposition calls off protests, hunger strikes and agrees to resume talks with the authorities (https://civil.ge/archives/114343)
• 25 February: Opposition, government resume talks (https://civil.ge/archives/114355)
• 26 February: Parliament approves unanimously several constitutional amendments, including one formalizing the position of Governor (State Representative) and one intrducing the position of Vice PMs (https://civil.ge/archives/114371)
  • But postponed are amendments: extending parliamentary terms to 5 years (opposed by opposition); increase in presidential powers in the event of a parliamentary dissolution; abolition of first-past-the-post majoritarian system; decrease of parliamentary threshold from 7 to 5%
• 4 March: Parliament passes in first hearing a constitutional amendment adopting the 75 majoritarian system that existed up to 2020 (https://civil.ge/archives/114428)
  • The opposition condemned this, as it increased majoritarian MPs and decreased proportional ones from 100 to 75 (https://civil.ge/archives/114426)
• 9 March: In response to the new constitutional amendment, 8 parties resume protests on Rustaveli Ave (https://civil.ge/archives/114471)
  • 48 opposition activisits are on hunger strike (https://civil.ge/archives/114496)
• 16 March: Protests intensify. Hunger strikers reach 60 people (https://civil.ge/archives/114517)
• 18 March: Saakashvili proposes an increase in MPs from 150 to 185 (https://civil.ge/archives/114550)
• 22 March: Hunger strikers are quarantined by the authorities, preventing them from accessing media (https://civil.ge/archives/114584)
• 24 March: Protesters on Rustaveli Ave reach 10,000 (https://civil.ge/archives/114596)
• 25 March:
  • Opposition blockades Rustaveli Avenue (https://civil.ge/archives/114597)
  • Opposition ends 17-day hunger strike (https://civil.ge/archives/114608)
• 28 March: Okruashvili is sentenced in absentia to 11 years in prison and banned from running in the parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/114627)
• 7 April: The nine-party opposition bloc running together in the parliamentary elections announce a people's rebellion if polls are rigged (https://civil.ge/archives/114703)
• 14 April: MS says post-electoral unrest would not be "tolerated" (https://civil.ge/archives/114732)
• During the parliamentary elections, GYLA called for the removal of seven majoritarian UNM candidates accused of vote-buying (https://civil.ge/archives/114772)
• 21 April:
  • Nino Burjanadze announces she will not run for reelection (https://civil.ge/archives/114796)
    • Saakashvili praised her service, called her a patriot, and announced Bakradze as head of the party list (https://civil.ge/archives/114800)
    • But it was believed that her decision was linked to a failure to come to an agreement with Saakashvili over the composition of the party list. She stated she had tried to bring on board new figures to "humanize reforms". She stated she would not go into the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/114801)
  • The United Opposition calls on the CEC to disqualify the UNM for failing to submit its party list on time (https://civil.ge/archives/114803)
    • Because Burjanadze pulled out that same day, UNM seemingly did a last-minute attempt to change its candidate composition (https://civil.ge/archives/114805)
• 23 April:
  • 5 activists of the Equality Institute, including Irakli Kakabadze and UO candidate in Ozurgeti Lasha Chkhartishvili are arrested for protesting in front of the presidential administration (https://civil.ge/archives/114822)
  • France grants political asylum to Irakli Okruashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/114823)
  • Saakashvili, in a televised address amidst the increasing Russia-Georgia tensions (see establishment of political ties with breakaway regions, allegations of troops being amassed near Abkhazia, drone shooting), calls on the opposition to cooperate with the authoroties and offers oppo leaders regular meetings on national security and to frame a common position with the government on territorial integrity and national security (https://civil.ge/archives/185587)
    • In response, most opposition refused to meet with Saakashvili and called the address a "televised stunt" (https://civil.ge/archives/114832)
• The OSCE/ODIHR interim pre-election for the parliamentary polls noted the lack of transparency by the CEC and a clear bias of the GPB in favor of the government (https://civil.ge/archives/114887)
• There were cases of intimidation for opposition candidates, leading some to drop out (https://civil.ge/archives/114912)
• There were threats of public employees to be fired if they didn't vote for the UNM (https://civil.ge/archives/114913)
• Imedi TV resumed airing only after the 2008 parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/114895)
• 20 May: Eve of election. Saakashvili announces series of opposition-friendly initiatives: one presidential hearing in Parliament every 3 months, regular and systematic meetings with ever faction of Parliament, consultations with parliamentary factions before budget drafting (https://civil.ge/archives/116335)
• 21 May: Election Day
  • Opposition calls for the cancellation of results in 12 precincts as early as the morning for grave violations (https://civil.ge/archives/116340)
  • GYLA observers are forced out of precincts (https://civil.ge/archives/116360)
  • Opposition starts protests as soon as polls close (https://civil.ge/archives/116364)
  • The Intl EOM stated that a number of problems made the implementation of the elections uneven and incomplete (https://civil.ge/archives/116376)
  • The Presidents of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland congratulated Georgia on "passing its democracy exam" (https://civil.ge/archives/116379)
  • The US noted improvements (https://civil.ge/archives/116384)
  • UNM won 59.48% of the vote and 71 out of 75 majoritarian seats (https://civil.ge/archives/116386)
  • Germany hailed the elections as "a significant improvement" (https://civil.ge/archives/116377)
  • The United Opposition announced a boycott of Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/116395)
  • Solana hailed the elections' "peaceful conduct" (https://civil.ge/archives/116396)
  • A massive opposition rally was held on May 26 (https://civil.ge/archives/116405)
• 2 June: New Rights offer to end their parliamentary boycott in the event that the CEC orders new elections in precincts with clear cases of fraud. The NR calculation estimated that the number of UNM MPs would go down from 120 (constitutional majority, official results) to below 100 (https://civil.ge/archives/116464)
• 4 June: PD Subari claims that more than a dozen activists have been attacked in the last few days (https://civil.ge/archives/116477)
• 5 June: CDM breaks off with the rest of the opposition, goes against the parliamentary boycott (https://civil.ge/archives/116491)
• 11 June: UNM launches talks with CDM (https://civil.ge/archives/116546)
• 12 June:
  • UNM and CDM reach an agreement in which CDM agrees to cooperation and to no boycott, in exchange of which it secured appointments to the High Council of Justice and several regulatory commissions (https://civil.ge/archives/116554)
  • 12 opposition elected MPs resign their posts (https://civil.ge/archives/116556)
• 17 June: The United Opposition announces a suspension of its activities until September (https://civil.ge/archives/116573)
• 30 June: The 15-year-old son of Eka Beselia (Movement for United Georgia) is arrested and criminal charges of hooliganism are filed over an altercation with a private security guard (https://civil.ge/archives/116664)
• 15 July: Parliament approves bill removing state funding for parties boycotting Parliament, thus cutting off funding to six parties (https://civil.ge/archives/116788)

• A WikiLeaks cable revealed that in the run up to the parliamentary elections, US diplomats asked Saakashvili to change election rules to equalize the playing field. The 2011 reform push was a result of that (https://civil.ge/archives/186052)

• http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/President/Inauguration
  • He pledged in his inaugural speech: "Over the next five years, I will dedicate myself to making Georgia whole again - and to eliminating poverty in our country."
  • He said on the opposition: "In a democracy, at one point or another, all of us must serve in the opposition. And during my term as President, I will take steps to ensure that the opposition has a more influential and formalized role in our major institutions."
  • On the new challenges: "Once, our great challenge was to build a Georgia without corruption, a Georgia with responsible leadership. Now our great challenge is to build a Georgia without poverty-to ensure that the benefits of our reforms reach every farm and village, home and person in our land."
  • He promised to establish targeted credit programs that will give people real tools so that can go back to work, to improve the programs that deliver social benefits to those who need most our help, to improve the life in rural communities by making sure that natural gas and tractors are delivered to all villagers, better roads are built, accessible credit is provided, pathways to new markets are opened.
  • He laid out an agenda for his first 50 days: create programs to provide accessible credit, launch the Georgia Without Poverty Commission, new program to deliver new and necessary medical equipment to village doctors. He pledged that his staff would take no time off, no holidays for the first 50 days.
  • He said on Russia: "Four years ago I stood before you and extended my hand in friendship and cooperation to our neighbors and colleagues in Russia. Today I do the same once again. The path of transformation is never an easy one. It means finding the power not only to change on the inside, but to change as well on the outside. It is my hope that together with our friends in Russia, we can walk down this path of change together-in a spirit of mutual respect, camaraderie and shared gains."
  • He also pledged to peacefully reunify the country by the next presidential inauguration

Sommet de Bucharest

• Bush
  • Georgia and Ukraine applied for the MAPs during the summit (430)
  • Bush was a strong supporter of the MAP (430)
  • Merkel and Sarkozy were skeptical (430)
  • They were worried about the tense relations with Moscow of these countries (430-431)
  • They were worried this would get NATO into a war with Russia (431)
  • They were also concerned about corruption (431)
  • Bush argued that the Russia threat was even more a case for the MAPs, discouraging Moscow from aggression (431)
  • He also argued that NATO membership would help them make reforms against corruption (431)
  • They agreed on a compromise: no MAPs in Bucharest but a statement announcing future membership in NATO (431)
  • Gordon Brown, PM, leaned over to Bush and said, "We didn't give them the MAPs, but we may have just made them members!" (431)
  • Bush would later wonder if Russia would have invaded Georgia had it received the MAP (435)

• Zourabichvili
  • Kunin worked actively in the first months of 2008 to discredit the opposition, notably BP, in the eyes of American leadership. Kunin worked for MS (242)
  • The FM ministerial of NATO of December 2007 already dashed NATO membership hopes (314)

• Roelofs
  • The Netherlands, France and Germany were against Georgia at the summit (287)

• Rayfield
  • Shortly before the NATO Summit was the Kosovo independence (399)
• Kavadze
  • During the Summit, the drive for a MAP for Georgia was supported by Washington, Canada and new Central and Eastern European members (289)
  • Germany headed the skeptical party, which also included France, Italy, Spain and the Benelux states (289)
  • Angela Merkel was highly critical of MS's inability to implement democratic and military reforms and to pledge a peaceful settlement of the conflicts (290)

• Stent
  • The Bucharest Summit was tense. Steinmeier was accused by Central European members of working for Russia's interests. A last minute compromise was etched out by Merkel and Bush with the statement on Georgia eventually joining NATO. (166-167)
  • This may have been an incentive either for MS to rapidly solve his territorial conflicts or for Russia to prove Georgia's instability (168)

• 16 January: Lavrov states that Russia will have to reappraise its security arrangements if Georgia joins NATO (https://civil.ge/archives/114089)
• 22 January: European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso calls on the Georgian government to address the shortcomings of the presidential election (https://civil.ge/archives/114138)
• 24 January: MOD announces a Strategic Defense Review as an outline of the Georgian armed forces priorities till 2015, presented to NATO experts visiting Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/114169)
• 31 January: Senator Dick Lugar submits a resolution urging the United States to urge its allies to give Georgia and Ukraine the MAP (https://civil.ge/archives/114205)
• 1 February: The presidents of Lithuania and Poland meet in Vilnius, pledge support for Georgia's NATO integration (https://civil.ge/archives/114212)
• 14 February: In a letter to SG, MS formally asks for NATO to grant Georgia the MAP (https://civil.ge/archives/114295)
• 1 March: Danish PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen pledges NATO would send a "strong signal of support" to Georgia and Ukraine at the Bucharest Summit (https://civil.ge/archives/114416)
• 3 March: Saakashvili visits Poland to secure a "broad coalition" of states supporting Georgia's NATO integration (https://civil.ge/archives/114422)
• 6 March: Foreign Ministerial discusses Georgia in Brussels (https://civil.ge/archives/114435)
  • No decision is made there (https://civil.ge/archives/114444)
• 10 March: Merkel states she is against NATO membership of states with conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/114485)
• 11 March: Dimitry Rogozin, Russian Ambassador to NATO, states that Georgia would see real secession in case of NATO accession (https://civil.ge/archives/114488)
• Extensive lobbying efforts across Europe for the MAP were boosted in March 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/114501)
• 13 March:
  • As part of the Cooperative Airspace Initiative, NATO and Georgia start sharing radar data, an exchange of airspace info (https://civil.ge/archives/114505)
  • MS visits Brussels, continues lobbying for the MAP (https://civil.ge/archives/114508)
• The main opponents to the MAP were Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Norway and Spain (https://civil.ge/archives/114521)
• 17 March: Karasin warns Tbilisi against NATO membership (https://civil.ge/archives/114537)
• 19 March: MS visits Washington, meets Bush, who pledges "unwavering support" to NATO MAP (https://civil.ge/archives/114560)
• 20 March: Baltic States, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Czech Republic and Canada sign a joint letter calling on NATO allies to accept MAP (https://civil.ge/archives/114569)
• 24 March: Washington Post reports that the US was trying to convince Georgia and Ukraine to accept a compromise, some kind of temprizing assurance by NATO but a membership plan, which is rejected by Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/114610)
• 27 March: RFE/RL reports that two resolutions had been prepared, one with the MAP and one without. The Financial Times reports that the MAP would be postponed (https://civil.ge/archives/114622)
• 28 March: Davit Bakradze tells NATO _ either MAP or nothing (https://civil.ge/archives/114630)
• 1 April:
  • Germany officially sides against the MAP for Georgia and Ukraine, because of conflicts and "repression of opposition movements" (https://civil.ge/archives/114650)
  • Saakashvili arrives in Bucharest (https://civil.ge/archives/114651)
  • Francois Fillon states that France would not support the MAP for Georgia and Ukraine because Paris wanted Europe "to have a dialogue on this subject with Russia" (https://civil.ge/archives/114653)
  • Saakashvili addresses the nation, downplays expectations and states that regardless of the outcome, the country would get closer to integration (https://civil.ge/archives/114656)
• 2 April:
  • Baghapsh addresses NATO SG, asking to consider Abkhaz views when giving the MAP (https://civil.ge/archives/114661)
  • Shaffer states during the Bucharest Conference that regardless of what decision is made, NATO's doors will remain open for Georgia and Ukraine (https://civil.ge/archives/114664)
  • Merkel states that the NATO Summit will not grant the MAP to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/114665)
• 3 April: NATO Summit fails to give Georgia and Ukraine the MAP (https://civil.ge/archives/114666)
  • The decision against the MAP was led by Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, Spain and other countries. UNM officials tied them to links with Gazprom (https://civil.ge/archives/114671)
  • Kaczinsky was the leader in the fight for the MAP. He was described as "very tired" by Saakashvili. He led an alliance of 20-or-so countries including Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Iceland, Denmark that supported Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/114674)
  • The Bucharest Summit April 3 communique reads: "…NATO welcomes Ukraine’s and Georgia’s Euro Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. We agreed today that these countries will become members of NATO. Both nations have made valuable contributions to Alliance operations. We welcome the democratic reforms in Ukraine and Georgia and look forward to free and fair parliamentary elections in Georgia in May. MAP is the next step for Ukraine and Georgia on their direct way to membership. Today we make clear that we support these countries’ applications for MAP. Therefore we will now begin a period of intensive engagement with both at a high political level to address the questions still outstanding pertaining to their MAP applications. We have asked Foreign Ministers to make a first assessment of progress at their December 2008 meeting. Foreign Ministers have the authority to decide on the MAP applications of Ukraine and Georgia…" (https://civil.ge/archives/114678)
  • MS also claimed that the November events had nothing to do with the refusal to give the MAP, but Russian lobbying was (https://civil.ge/archives/114679)
  • The total debate amounted to 36 hours uninterrupted (https://civil.ge/archives/114699)
• 6 April: Putin meets Bush in Sochi where he tells him that Russia would not be opposed to NATO enlargement one day if the Alliance improved its ties with Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/114689)
• 8 April: Lavrov says in an intervew that Russia would spare no effort in trying to block Georgia's accession to NATO (https://civil.ge/archives/114709)
• The New Group of Friends met in Warsaw on 25 June 2008, including officials from Lithiania, Estonia, Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden, Latvia, Bulgaria, NATO, and the EU and US (https://civil.ge/archives/116625)
• On 25 June, Merkel said that Georgia needed to solve the conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia before being given the green light to NATO (https://civil.ge/archives/116629)

• On 25 June 2008, Angela Merkel said following a meeting with MS that the MAP would not be granted in December either, but the process would not be extended further, while calling for more opposition activity in parliament (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=2171&i=8)

• The Force Awakens
  • In January 2008, MS went to Washington. Before meeting Bush at 10AM, while still at the Blair House, he received a call from Merkel where she allegedly clearly opposed Georgia's accession to NATO. Bush then told MS, "let me take care of that woman" (213-214)
  • During that Bush meeting, he allegedly asked what Patarkatsishvili was doing, to which MS answered he was dead a few days ago. Bush answered, "Some are so lucky. I'm still fighting with my oligarch here," meaning Soros (215)

Vers la crise

• On 22 February 2008, Saakashvili held an official meeting with the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, in his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo.
• The presidents discussed the issues of aviation regulations between the two countries.
• This was Putin's last meeting in his second term as the President of Russia, being succeeded by Dimitry Medvedev shortly thereafter.

• Asatiani-Janelidze
  • On 16 April 2008, Putin signed a decree establishing direct connection and cooperation with the separatist regimes (478)
  • Soon, Russia deployed railway military detachements to repair the railway line (478)
  • Moscow called it a humanitarian action. (478)
  • In parallel, the European Council and the OSCE supported a peace initiative. MFA Steinmeier visited Tbilisi and Sokhumi in July 2008 to propose a peace plan, but was rebuffed by Abkhazia (478)
  • Also, Sokhumi rebuffed various peace plans proposed by MS. (478)
  • Tskhinvali and Sokhumi hoped Kosovo would be a precedent for their recognition (478)
  • Also, Russian military airplanes violated Georgia's airspace several times (478)
  • In the second half of July 2008, Russia launched large-scale military trainings near the northern frontier called Kavkaz 2008 with 8000 soldiers and 700 pieces of heavy equipment (478)
  • The purpose of the exercises was the "restoration of peace by force" through rapid deployment in both Abkhazia and SO (478)
  • The trainings ended on August 2 but the army did not leave the region (478)
  • Russian media kept portraying Georgia as a monster (478)
  • Sociological inquiries showed Russians considered Georgia as Russia's first enemy (478)

• Zourabichvili
  • Tensions were increasing with Abkhazia in the months leading to the war (314)
  • Condolezza Rice visited in July to calm MS down (314)

• Rayfield
  • The Russians quickly repaired the Black Sea railway to Sokhumi and the Georgian border. (399)
  • The Russian navy practiced maneuvers (399)
  • The Russian army cancelled leave in the north Caucasus (399)

• Kavadze
  • The last meeting of MS and Putin was on 22 February 2008 in Moscow on the eve of an informal CIS summit (72)
  • Putin warned him that further NATO integration would have serious consequences (72)
  • Talking about Kosovo and him paying consequences, Putin warned him, "Your Western friends promise you nice things and they won't deliver. I won't promise you nice things, but I will definitely deliver." (72)
  • Putin in general concluded that MS could not be trusted because of his Russophobic stance (72)
  • Putin's doctine of expanding Russian influence into the former Soviet sphere was first explained at the 2007 Munich Security Conference (72)
  • In April 2008, Georgia suspended its bilateral talks with Russia, thus blcking its WTO accession process. (74)
  • In the spring, Russia amped up tensions by increasing military forces in Abkhazia and quickly restoring the Sochi-Sokhumi railway, using it to send military hardware deep into Abkhazia (76)
  • In July, Russia launched Caucasus-2008 military drills with its 58th Army deployed in North Ossetia. Among the drills was a peace enforcement operation in the conflict zones (76)
  • There were endless provocations in the summer around Tskhinvali (76)
  • The 21 May 2008 Khurcha incident involved rocket-propelled grenades that struck two buses, injuring two women. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee and Human Rights Centre of Georgia would find this to be staged by Georgia (437)

• Stent
  • While the Russians were holding their drills, the Americans were holding their own outside of Tbilisi, accompanied by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine

• USCCFP
  • MS recalled his ambassador to Russia while Rice was in Tbilisi in July (18)

• 13 January: Following the Saakashvili reelection, Baghapsh rules out talks with him. He states he wished someone else would have won (https://civil.ge/archives/114068)
• 20 January: Putin is invited at Saakashvili's inauguration (https://civil.ge/archives/114085)
  • Only Lavrov attends (https://civil.ge/archives/114091)
  • Putin congratulated Saakashvili in a letter (https://civil.ge/archives/114099)
  • Lavrov was Saakashvili's first official meeting as president (https://civil.ge/archives/114129)
• 23 January:
  • Kokoity wants to meet with Saakashvili to talk demilitarization, non-use of force, economic rehabilitation and political status. Kokoity proposes the creation of a Zone of Economic Preference that would include Alagiri in NO (https://civil.ge/archives/114141)
  • Lavrov calls on Georgia to sign a non-use of force agreements with Tskhinvali and Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/114142)
  • Armenian delegation at PACE invites, Russia backs proposal, Baghapsh and Kokoity to address the Strasbourg assembly. Tbilisi criticizes (https://civil.ge/archives/114145)
  • Temur Iakobashvili, VP of GFSIS, is tapped as State Minister for Conflict Resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/114147)
  • Lavrov states that Russia would not recognize Abkhazia and SO despite Kosovo, first time that such a statement is made by Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/114154)
• 24 January: Saakashvili sees signs of a positive trend in Russo-Georgian relations and announced negotiations on embargo waiver (https://civil.ge/archives/114165)
• 27 anuary: MP Batir Pukhaev of SO defects to Kurta (https://civil.ge/archives/114173)
• 28 January: State Ministry is renamed Ministry for Reintegration, angering Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/114172) and Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/114182)
• 29 January: Moscow states that Kosovo will serve as a precedent (https://civil.ge/archives/114155)
• 1 February: Saakashvili calls Kosovo independence a "major challenge for Georgian diplomacy" (https://civil.ge/archives/114206)
• 3 February: Iakobashvili, in an interview with Civil Georgia, takes a more conciliatory tone than the previous administration, stating that Russians shouldn't be kicked out and that Moscow can play a positive role (https://civil.ge/archives/114219)
• 7 February: Tbilisi reiterates its WTO position is unchanged (https://civil.ge/archives/114233)
• 14 February:
  • Putin confirms that Kosovo independence would set a precedent (https://civil.ge/archives/114276)
  • Saakashvili confirms there is a tentative agreement with Moscow to set up joint border-crossing points including in the conflict zones in exchange for Georgia's removal of its WTO veto (https://civil.ge/archives/114280)
  • Saakashvili sends a "warning" to Russia over the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, saying Georgia would not allow that to happen (https://civil.ge/archives/114281)
• 15 February: Saakashvili tells Russia "not to play with fire" (https://civil.ge/archives/114302)
• 17 February: Tbilisi warns of "dangerous impasse" in ties with Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/114304)
• 18 February: Tbilisi and Moscow resume talks over the resumption of air traffic (https://civil.ge/archives/114308)
• 19 February:
  • FM David Bakradze says Georgia would not recognize Kosovo (https://civil.ge/archives/114316)
  • Iakobashvili and Shamba meet in Geneva with the GoF. Iakobashvili praises Russia's "constructive role" during the meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/114328)
• 19 February: Tbilisi sees progress in talks to remove Russian embargo (https://civil.ge/archives/114321)
• 21 February:
  • Russia agrees to resume air traffic after Georgia pais back its debt (https://civil.ge/archives/114335)
  • Putin and Saakashvili meet behind closed doors in Moscow on the sidelines of the CIS summit. (https://civil.ge/archives/114337)
    • Putin notes positive trends in bilateral relations.
    • Saakashvili invites PM Putin to visit Georgia
    • Saakashvili calls for normalization of ties.
    • The meeting leads to an agreement on experts meeting to resume agricultural exports to Russia, resume postal communications, and remove visa restrictions, as well as reconstruction of the Zemo Larsi border crossing checlpoint to resume direct land traffic stopped in 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/114339)
    • During the meeting, Putin warned Saakashvili against NATO membership (https://civil.ge/archives/114339)
    • Putin may have pledged not to recognize Abkhazia and SO https://civil.ge/archives/114342
    • Russia demanded a binding commitment by Georgia not to host foreign bases (https://civil.ge/archives/114349)
• 26 February:
  • Tbilisi praises that Russia did not recognize Ab and SO after Kosovar independence (https://civil.ge/archives/114363)
  • Saakashvili announces deal with Russia on joint control of Psou and Roki (https://civil.ge/archives/114364)
  • A Mze TV journalist is arrested on the Enguri river (https://civil.ge/archives/114372)
    • This leads to a crisis with Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/114376)
• 27 February: Moscow denies refusing to recognize Abkhazia and SO and to have reched a deal on joint border control (https://civil.ge/archives/114381)
• 28 February: Georgia refuses to drop its ECHR case against Russia over the deportees (https://civil.ge/archives/114391)
• 28 february: Two SO militiamen are killed in a blast in Kokhati (SO) (https://civil.ge/archives/114392)
• 29 February:
  • 3 Abkhaz militiamen are injured in Gali following a mine blast (https://civil.ge/archives/114401)
  • Sokhumi announces a partial troop mobilization (https://civil.ge/archives/114407)
• 1 March: Tbilisi proposes scrapping the JCC format and replace it with a 2+2+2 format (Georgia-Kurta+Tskhinvali-Moscow+OSCE-EU) (https://civil.ge/archives/114413)
• 4 March: Tbilisi formally pulls out of JCC (https://civil.ge/archives/114424)
• 5 March: Saakashvili congratulates Medvedev on his presidential election in a phone conversation (https://civil.ge/archives/114436)
• 6 March:
  • Sokhumi releases the Mze TV journalist and cameraman (https://civil.ge/archives/114439)
  • Tskhinvali calls on the local population to prepare for terrorist acts by Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/114440)
  • Russia leaves the Abkhazia Sanctions CIS Treaty (https://civil.ge/archives/114442)
    • And calls on Georgia to do the same (https://civil.ge/archives/114451)
• 10 March: Georgian Airways pays 2 million USD debt to resume flights to Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/114483)
• 13 March: One Georgian civilian is injured in a shootout in Eredvi (https://civil.ge/archives/114515)
• 14 March: Sokhumi refuses to resume talks as long as Georgian troops remain in Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/114524)
• 15 March: Saakashvili rules out signing non-use of force agreements with Tskhinvali, Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/114525)
• 18 March: Sokhumi claims having shot down a Georgian drone (https://civil.ge/archives/114545)
• 23 March: 1 North Ossetian peacekeeper and one SO militiaman are injured in a car explosion (https://civil.ge/archives/114586)
• 24 March: In an interview with the Financial Times, Medvedev states that NATO membership to Georgia and Ukraine would threaten European security (https://civil.ge/archives/114594)
• 25 March: Russia and Georgia resume flights (https://civil.ge/archives/114600)
• 28 March: Saakashvili presents a new series of intiatives for Abkhazia: (https://civil.ge/archives/114633)
  • Georgian-Abkhaz free economic zone in Ochamchire and Gali with the de facto authorities
  • Abkhaz VP in Tbilisi with the right to veto all decisions concerning Abkhazia
  • Unprecedented autonomy
    • These are rejected by Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/114635)
• 31 March: SO militia post in Okona (Znauri) comes under intense fire (https://civil.ge/archives/114639)
• 1 April: Russia announces that it would soon reopen the Zemo Larsi border crossing point to resume direct land traffic between the two countries (https://civil.ge/archives/114652)
• 2 April: Lavrov states that Moscow remained cmmitteed to the principle of territorial integrity of states (https://civil.ge/archives/114657)
  • But later denies Saakashvili's statement that Putin promised a refusal to recognize Abkhazia and SO (https://civil.ge/archives/114662)
• 10 April: Alexander Stubb, new OSCE CiO, announces reenergizing efforts over frozen conflicts (https://civil.ge/archives/114714)
• 11 April: General Yuri Baluevsky, chief of staff of Russian armed forces, announcces that Russia would protect its intrests through military and other measures in case of Georgia's and Ukraine's integration into NATO (https://civil.ge/archives/114719)
• 12 April: Tbilisi proposes joint police force to patrol the conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/114724)
• 15 April:
  • Georgia withdraws its troops from Kosovo (https://civil.ge/archives/114737)
  • UNSC passes resolution supporting Georgia's territorial integrity, noting Russian peacekeepers' important stabilizing role and extending the UNOMIG mandate till October (https://civil.ge/archives/114744)
    • During the debates, US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad praised Tbilisi's peaceful initiatives toward Abkhazia, even though the proposals had not been officially submitted to Sokhumi yet (https://civil.ge/archives/114745)
• 16 April: Vladimir Putin signs a decree instructing the Russian government to officially establish ties with separatist authorities of Abkhazia and SO. The decree envisages: cooperation with Abkhaz and SO counterpart agencies, cooperation in economy, social affairs, science and culture, as well as inter-regional cooperation, recognize official documents issued by breakaway authorities, recognize entities registered in the territories, open consulates of Russia in Krasnodar (Abkhazia) and North Ossetia (SO) (https://civil.ge/archives/114748)
  • Tbilisi accuses Russia of attempting to annex the regions (https://civil.ge/archives/114753)
  • NATO expressed its concern (https://civil.ge/archives/185584)
  • EU expressed its concern (https://civil.ge/archives/114756)
  • UK expressed its concern (https://civil.ge/archives/114757)
  • US reitereted its unshakable support for Georgia's territorial integrity (https://civil.ge/archives/185585)
    • And accused Moscow of openly siding with separatists (https://civil.ge/archives/114760)
  • OSCE expressed its concern (https://civil.ge/archives/114759)
  • Also condemning were Lithuania, Sweden, Finland (https://civil.ge/archives/114770)
  • Saakashvili made a televised address in which he asked Putin to reverse his decision. He then instructed Giorgi Baramidze to visit Europe and Davit Bakradze to go to the US (https://civil.ge/archives/114758)
    • He also expressed readiness to hold consultations with Moscow and to continue working on a peace plan
  • Saakashvili order his government to demand the activatio of the OSCE's Berlin Mechanism (https://civil.ge/archives/114763)
  • President Ilves of Estonia linked this move with NATO's refusal to grant Georgia the MAP (https://civil.ge/archives/114780)
  • Poland announced sending a "consultative team" to Georgia to help the Georgian government (https://civil.ge/archives/114781)
  • COE expressed its concern (https://civil.ge/archives/114818)
  • The Lithuanian PM came to Tbilisi to show his support (https://civil.ge/archives/114821)
  • The US, UK, France and Germany issued a joint statement after the UNSC meeting expressing concern and calling on Russia to reverse its move (https://civil.ge/archives/114829)
  • The Estonian Parliament passes a resolution condemning the move (https://civil.ge/archives/114824)
  • Slovakia accuses Russia of increasing tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/114833)
• 17 April: Baghapsh accuses Tbilisi of amassing troops near the occupation line and in the Kodori Gorge (https://civil.ge/archives/114765)
  • Which is denied by Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/114771)
  • Tbilisi then accuses Sokhumi of deploying troops in Gali, which is denied by Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/114782)
  • UNOMIG denied both sides' claim of troop gatherings (https://civil.ge/archives/114808)
• 18 April: Putin instructs his government to lift visa restttrictions for Georgian citizens, to launch talks on the resumption of Georgian imports, to speed up the reconstruction of the Zemo Larsi crossing point and to normalize ties with Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/114773)
  • These moves were characterized by Tbilisi as an attempt to "mislead the international community" (https://civil.ge/archives/114776)
• 20 April: Sokhumi claims having shot down an Israeli-made Georgian drone over Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/185586)
  • Although this was denied by Tbilisi, which claimed that Abkhazia did not have the means to shoot down its drones (https://civil.ge/archives/114786)
  • Eventually, Georgia admitted its drone was downed by claimed that it was shot by a Russian jet (https://civil.ge/archives/114792)
    • Russia denied having a role in downing the drone (https://civil.ge/archives/114797) but a recording of the drone proved the use of a Russian jet.
    • A UN probe proved the Russian jet story (https://civil.ge/archives/116411)
  • Saakashvili and Putin held a phone conversation over the incident (https://civil.ge/archives/114798)
    • During the phone coversation, Putin claimed that the use of drones over the conflict zone was a violation of the 1994 Moscow Agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/114802)
• 24 April:
  • Saakashvili calls for the removal of Russian peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/114834)
  • Shamba slams the Group of Friends for pro-Tbilisi stance (https://civil.ge/archives/114841)
• 25 April: Russian diplomat Valery Kenyakin threatens direct military action in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/114843)
• 28 April: Sokhumi calls for a military alliance with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/114860)
• 29 April:
  • Georgia suspends WTO Russia talks (https://civil.ge/archives/114861)
  • Russia increases the number of its peacekeepers in Abkhazia and sets up 15 additional checkpoints on the Abkhaz administrative border (https://civil.ge/archives/114865), a move condemned by Georgia and Brussels (https://civil.ge/archives/114876)
    • Troop increase goes from 1997 t 2542 Russian servicemen (https://civil.ge/archives/114934)
  • Saakashvili calls on Abkhazians and Ossetians to jointly resist Russian forces and to build a unified state (https://civil.ge/archives/114874)
    • Sokhumi and Tskhinvali reject the call (https://civil.ge/archives/114877)
• 1 May: In an interview with Reuters, Saakashvili calls on Europe to "use all of its diplomatic arsenal to deter the aggressive instincts of some politicians in Moscow" (https://civil.ge/archives/114896)
• 4 May: Sokhumi and Moscow claim Abkhaz separatists shoot down two Georgian drones (https://civil.ge/archives/114909)
• 5 May:
  • Eka Tkeshelashvili becomes Foreign Minister (https://civil.ge/archives/114914)
  • Georgia pulls out from its air defense cooperation treaty with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/114921)
• 6 May: Iakobashvili claims Georgia is "very close to war" (https://civil.ge/archives/114924)
• 7 May: Russia sets up two new military bases in Akamara and Arasadzikh (Ochamchire) (https://civil.ge/archives/114930)
• 8 May:
  • UNOMIG denies military buildup in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/114940)
  • Sokhumi shoots down another drone. Tbilisi denies (https://civil.ge/archives/116253)
• 9 May: Slovenia, which holds the EU Presidency, states the EU would not take sides in Georgia-Russia tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/116261)
• 10 May: Bryza visits Sokhumi to try and resume talks (https://civil.ge/archives/116265)
• 12 May:
  • Group of EU FMs (Slovenia, Sweden, Poland and Lithuania) visit Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/116257)
    • During their meeting with Saakashvilii, he warned the "prelude to occupation" and called on the EU to help in the tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/116270)
  • Abkhazia claims having shot down two more drones (https://civil.ge/archives/116269)
  • Bush and Medvedev hold phone talks over Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/116273) Later, so does Merkel and Putin.
  • Irakli Alasania pays a surprise visit to Sokhumi where he meets with Baghapsh and Shamba. Details of the meeting are unknown (https://civil.ge/archives/116272)
• 14 May: Iakobashvili claims that Bernard Kouchener was instrumental in avoiding a war earlier in 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/116283)
• 16 May. In South Ossetia's Eredvi, a Georgian policeman is injured when his vehicle hits a mine (https://civil.ge/archives/116302)
• 21 May:
  • Two buses aimed at carrying Gali Georgians to the parliamentary polls of Georgia are exploded in Khurcha. Tbilisi accuses separatist authorites. 4 women are injured (https://civil.ge/archives/116348)
    • Sokhumi denies any involvement (https://civil.ge/archives/116350)
    • In June, a Reporter documentary alleged that the incident was staged, as was shown with the fact that several camera crews were brought on site to film the incident before the explosions (https://civil.ge/archives/116623)
    • UN report on the event (https://civil.ge/archives/116852)
  • Tbilisi formally demands the CIS for Russia's withdrawal of additional peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/116361)
• 27 May: Saakashvili calls for a meeting with Medvedev to try and calm tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/116427)
  • Tbilisi postpones calls to remove Russian peacekeepers to try and score high-level talks with Medvedev (https://civil.ge/archives/116435)
• 29 May: 5 South Ossetian militiamen are injured in a blast in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/116438)
• 30 May: EU Ambassadors from France, Netherlands, Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Sweden and diplomats from the German, Polish and Estonian embassies visit Abkhazia to try and negotiate a calm (https://civil.ge/archives/116441)
• 31 May:
  • The Russian military starts rehabilitating the Abkhaz railway (https://civil.ge/archives/116455)
  • Putin, in an interview with Le Monde, claims that Saakashvili's Abkhazia initatives are the right plan (https://civil.ge/archives/116458)
• 3 June: Saakashvili and Medvedev hold phone talks over the railway issue (https://civil.ge/archives/116472)
• 4 June: Shamba visits Turkey, rejects Turkish mediation of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/116481)
• 5 June:
  • European Parliament adopts a resolution calling on the replacement of the Russian peacekeeping force with an ESDP Border Mission (https://civil.ge/archives/116485)
  • Saakashvili imposes three conditions on normalization of ties with Russia: withdrawal of Russian military units, cease of construction of military infrastructure and rescindment of the April 16 decree (https://civil.ge/archives/116490)
• 6 June:
  • Solana visits Sokhumi, tries in vain to calm tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/116489)
    • He stated that the EU sought more engagement in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/116498)
  • Saakashvili visits St Petersburg, meets Medvedev. (https://civil.ge/archives/116497)
    • During the meeting, the Russian side pushed once again for the signing of a treaty on the non-use of force and for Georgia to abandon its push toward NATO (https://civil.ge/archives/116499)
    • Ambassador Kitsmarishvili confirmed that the talks yielded no result, except for readiness to continue high-level talks over Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/116516)
      • Although Lavrov would deny this and state that no further high-level talks were planned for the near future (https://civil.ge/archives/116521)
    • Saakashvili expressed that his top goal was the removal of additional troops in Abkhazia and ending reconstruction of the railway, which he characterized as the "prelude to military intervention". The railway project was unilateral while previous proposals involved internatinal involvement (https://civil.ge/archives/116527)
• 9 June: Moscow officially backs Baghapsh's demands aimed "deescalating tensions" and resuming talks, namely the withdrawal of troops from Kodori and the signing of a treaty on the non-use of force (https://civil.ge/archives/116529)
• 11 June: Bush discusses "Russian provocations" against Georgia wit Merkel (https://civil.ge/archives/116548)
• 13 June: Moscow claims having foiled a terrorist attack against its railway troops in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/116564)
  • This report is even denied by Apsnipress, which claims the discovered mine dated back to the 1992-1993 war (https://civil.ge/archives/185629)
• 15 June:
  • Overnight (14-15) shooting leads to one SO militiaman killed and 4 injured in Tskhinvali. Both sides blame each other for the shooting (https://civil.ge/archives/116565)
    • Tbilisi accuses Russian peacekeepers of being unable or unwilling to prevent armed incidents in the SO conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/116569)
  • Tbilisi accuses Russia of building a military base in Agubedia (Abkhazia), denied by Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/116559)
• 17 June: Four Russian peacekeepers are detained in Zugdidi for transporting military hardware to the village of Urta (Zugdidi) (https://civil.ge/archives/116575)
  • In response to the arrest, Medvedev phones Saakashvili and calls "provocations" inadmissible (https://civil.ge/archives/116581). After the phone conversation, Georgia returns the confiscated ammo (https://civil.ge/archives/116587)
  • General Lieutenant Alexander Burutin stated that attacks against Russian peacekeepers would lead to bloodshed (https://civil.ge/archives/116588)
• 18 June: Two blasts damage the tracks of the Abkhaz railway (https://civil.ge/archives/116584)
• 19 June:
  • German and US diplomats talk on Georgia with Russian counterparts (https://civil.ge/archives/116591)
  • Secret talks are held in Sweden between Georgian and Abkhaz officials while Solana meets Saakashvili in Brussels. (https://civil.ge/archives/116597)
    • The talks yielded no concrete results, although they were described as useful. The sides had agreed not to divulge information on the talks, but the information came out following a press release issued by Solana (https://civil.ge/archives/116599)
  • VP Khajimba states that force would be necessary to take over Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/116606)
• 23 June:
  • Tbilisi admits efforts ongoing to secure a Medvedev-Saakashvili meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/116613)
  • A group of EU diplomats visit the South Ossetia conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/116615)
  • Tbilisi withdraws efforts for the removal of Russian peacekeepers, expecting EU and US intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/116616)
• 24 June: MOD budget increases 1.1 billion GEL to 1.395 billion (295 million increase) (https://civil.ge/archives/116622)
• 25 June: Tbilisi sets out its own two preconditions for peace process in Abkhazia: rescinding the 16 April decision and withdrawal of extra peacekeeping troops (https://civil.ge/archives/116628)
• 26 June: Baghapsh meets Medvedev in Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/116633)
  • The meeting is condemned by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/116635)
  • But then Saakashvili softens the tone, welcome the meeting "if it genuinely aimed at resolving the conflict" (https://civil.ge/archives/116655)
• 27 June: Russian media alleges that Tbilisi proposed Moscow the division of Abkhazia into zones of influence, with Tbilisi returning Gali and Ochamchire districts (https://civil.ge/archives/116639)
  • This was denied by Baghapsh (https://civil.ge/archives/116644)
  • As well as Russian and Georgian diplomats (https://civil.ge/archives/116645)
  • As well as Lavrov (https://civil.ge/archives/116646)
    • After the war, Saakashvili would admit having made such a proposal (https://civil.ge/archives/185642)
• 29 June: 6 are injured in two explosions in Gagra (https://civil.ge/archives/116657)
• 30 June:
  • Group of Friends meets in Berlin over Abkhazia. Germany proposes a three stage plan, including: revocation of the 16 April deicision, economic rehabilitation and FEZ in Gali and Ochamchire and political settlement. (https://civil.ge/archives/116647)
  • 6 are injured in two explosions in Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/116660)
• 1 July:
  • Abkhazia closes down the ABL (https://civil.ge/archives/116665)
  • First passenger ferry from Sochi to Gagra (https://civil.ge/archives/116669)
  • Moscow calls for a JCC meeting with the goal of installing a radar station in the SO conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/116671)
• 2 July: Explosion near Russian peacekeeper post in Abkhazia. No injury (https://civil.ge/archives/116673)
• 3 July:
  • Blast in Dmenisi (SO) kills local police chief Nodar Bibilov (https://civil.ge/archives/116679)
  • Sanakoev convoy attacked near Kurta. 3 Georgian policemen injured (https://civil.ge/archives/116682)
    • Moscow claims the attack on the convoy was staged to justify new illegal police posts in the area of the incident (https://civil.ge/archives/116691)
• 4 July: Overnight shooting kills two SO militiamen in Ubiat and Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/116686)
  • Moscow accuses Tbilisi of open aggression following the shooting (https://civil.ge/archives/116693)
• 5 July: Saakashvili and Medvedev meet in Astana. Medvedev warns against formenting tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/116709)
• 6 July:
  • Blast in Rukhi (Zugdidi). No injury (https://civil.ge/archives/116706)
  • One injured in Tskhinvali shooting (https://civil.ge/archives/116707)
  • 4 die in Gali in a blast (https://civil.ge/archives/116710)
• 7 July:
  • Tbilisi calls for a joint police force in Gali and Ochamchire (https://civil.ge/archives/116723)
  • The US calls for an international police force in Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/116724)
• 8 July: 4 Russian aircrafts violate Georgian airspace and fly over the SO conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/116740)
• 9 July:
  • 3 Georgian policemen wounded and 4 Abkhaz dead in Kodori after skirmish (https://civil.ge/archives/116745)
  • Condolozza Rice lands in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/116741)
• 10 July: Georgia recalls its ambassador from Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/116754)
• 11 July: Russia ties peace process in Abkhazia with removal of forces from Kodori and signature of non-use of force treaty (https://civil.ge/archives/116758)
• 14 July: Baghapsh rejects the German Plan, officially secret but partially revealed already (https://civil.ge/archives/116776)
• 15 July:
  • Georgia increases its troops from 32,000 to 37,000 (https://civil.ge/archives/116784)
  • Russia's North Caucasian Military District (SKVO) launches Kavkaz-2008 military exercises, condemned by Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/116786)
• 17 July: FM Steinmeier vists Tbilisi, Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/116793)
  • Part of the plan is revealed: one year of public confidence measures, including the signature of a non-use of force agreement and the return of IDPs. Lavrov rejects IDP return (https://civil.ge/archives/116797)
  • Saakashvili states that the unconditional return of IDPs is essential for conflict resolution, thus sort of rejecting the German plan (https://civil.ge/archives/116802)
  • Steinmeier calls for direct Georgian-Abkhaz talks (https://civil.ge/archives/116805)
  • Sokhumi adds being willing to consider the German Plan only in the event that Georgia pulls its troops out of Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/116806)
  • The Jamestown Foundation would eventually reveal parts of the German Plan: no mention of Georgia's territorial integrity, maintaining of Russian peacekeepers, exchange by both sides of official declarations on the non-use of force, launch of high-level talks with the participation of UNOMIG and the GOF, agreement on international plice force, IDP return, open economic opportunities for Abkhaz businesses, followed 15 months later by a donors' conference of the EU, UN, OSCE, intl financial organizations, Russia and the US for Abkhazia. The third and final phase would draft the political status o Abkhazia with international facilitators (https://civil.ge/archives/116826)
• 18 July: After meeting in Gali with Steinmeier, Baghapsh rejects the German Plan (https://civil.ge/archives/116808)
• 19 July: Tskhinvali rejects Georgia's offer for talks in Brussels (https://civil.ge/archives/116813)
• 22 July: Iakobashvili appointed Special Envoy of the President, hinting for talks between him and counterparts from Tskhinvali and Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/116824)
• 23 July: Tbilisi states that reversing the Russian recent moves was the most pressing priority, thus rejecting the German Plan (https://civil.ge/archives/116830)
• 24 July: Bryza comes again to Tbilisi, Sokhumi, to try and score new negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/116832)
  • Sokhumi rejects the idea of talks in Berlin (https://civil.ge/archives/116839)
• 25 July: A Tskhinvali civilian is killed in an explosion (https://civil.ge/archives/116842)
• 29 July: Georgian posts in South Ossetia come under fire (https://civil.ge/archives/116849)
• 30 Julyy: Russian railway troops depart Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/116858)
• 31 July:
  • Baghapsh rules out direct talks with Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/116861)
  • Tskhinvali confirms setting up military fortifications in the conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/116862)
• 1 August: 5 Georgian policemen are injured when their car explodes between Tskhinvali and the Georgian enclave in the morning (https://civil.ge/archives/116864)
• 2 August: 6 are killed and 22 injured in the conflict zone. Worst casualties in years. South Ossetia and Russian peacekeepers claim that shootings started after a Georgian sniper in Prisi killed one in Tskhinvali, but Georgia alleged that fire was in response to Ossetian shelling of Georgian villages of Zemo Nikozi, Kvemo Nikozi, Nuli, Avnevi and Ergneti. The attacks take place overnight on Aug 1-2 (https://civil.ge/archives/116867)
  • Among the casualties are 7 Georgian wounded, with 6 of them civilians (https://civil.ge/archives/116870)
  • Georgia alleges the involvement of Russian peacekeepers in the shooting (https://civil.ge/archives/116871)
  • Iakobashvili denies the involvement of Russian peacekeepers after meeting with Marat Kulakhmetov (https://civil.ge/archives/116874)
  • Moscow hinted that Airborne Troops would be deployed if Russian peacekeepers are hurt (https://civil.ge/archives/116875)
• 3 August:
  • Sporadic shooting in Znaur district villages. Both sides blame each other. Overall tensions calmer than the day before. 534 people are evacuated by Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/116877)
  • Sokhumi refuses to take part in the Berlin Group of Friends talks (https://civil.ge/archives/116882)
• 4 August:
  • Tbilisi admits seeking direct talks with Tsskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/116885) But in vain (https://civil.ge/archives/116894)
  • Tbilisi claims it will release its Abkhaz peace plan in September (https://civil.ge/archives/116886)
  • Estonia calls for an EU peacekeeping mission in Abkhazia and South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/116888)
• 5 August:
  • A total of 819, including 548 children, are evacuated since the beginning of tensions from South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/116889)
  • The US calls for a joint Georgia-Russia monitoring of Roki Tunnel (https://civil.ge/archives/116890)
  • Two South Ossetian news websites are hacked (https://civil.ge/archives/116892)
• 6 August: Fire intensifies between both sides in the SO conflict zone. Tskhinvali claims Khetagurov (SO) is shelled by Georgian troops. Tbilisi claims SO opened fire on Avnevi, Nuli and Dvani (GE) first. Earlier during the day, Tskhinvali reported shelling of its posts from strategic heights close to Nuli. (https://civil.ge/archives/116905)
• 7 August:
  • Early morning shooting between both sides. Around 20 people injured, including Ossetian civilians. Georgian villages of Eredvi, Prisi, Dvani and Nuli come under fire, as do Ossetian villages of Khetagurov, Dmenisi, Sarabuki and Ubiat. (https://civil.ge/archives/116909)
  • Saakashvili visits the Gori Military Hospital and announces that Georgia is showing "maximum restraint" against provocations. He condemned Russian military rhetoric and propaganda on Russian television, calls on Moscow to withdraw PM Yuri Morozov from Tskhinvali and to stop provocations. (https://civil.ge/archives/116912)
  • Shortly after his speech, Tbilisi reports new shelling of Nuli and Avnevi around noon (https://civil.ge/archives/116914)
  • The Georgian Foreign Ministry formally accuses Russia of being responsible for South Ossetia tensions (https://civil.ge/archives/116915)
  • Near 17:00, Tskhinvali claims Georgia is advancing its troops toward Tskhinvali, preparing for large-scale military aggression, while Tskhinvali and Khetagurov are under constant shelling (https://civil.ge/archives/116918)
  • Near 17:00, Iakobashvili meets Kulakhmetov in Tskhinvali. Streets are empty (https://civil.ge/archives/116919)
  • In the late afternoon, reports come that Georgian women and children were being evacuated from Georgian villages in the conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/116920)

• Saakashvili would say in August 2013 that he had proposed several measures to Moscow in the months leading to the war to try and deescalate tensions, including significant concessions to Moscow, rejecting NATO aspirations, downscaling cooperation with the US and carving-up Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/123075)

• In October 2013, two former security officials were detained on terrorism charges related to the Khurcha incident after an investigatory documentary revealed and an UN probe confirmed that the Georgian side staged the incident (https://civil.ge/archives/123262)

• Glucksmann
  • In the months prior to the war, MS was already planning for a Russian invasion, although he expected it to come from Abkhazia (20)
  • At the Yalta Summit in July, Russians of all sorts, pro- and anti-Putin, talked to him as one talks to a death row convict (20)
  • In the end of July, while MS, his wife and his children were in a spa in Italy when MOD Kezerashvili notified him about the arrival of 200 Russian tanks in Abkhazia, to which MS ordered to not react but to notify Western partners (21)
  • MS saw in the series of terrorist attacks in Sochi, Sokhumi and Gali in the summer a possible Chechnya scenario that Russia would have used to justify an invasion (21)
  • Unknown Sokhumi officials warned Tbilisi that Russians were telling Abkhaz officers to multiply provocations against Georgians (21)
  • Also in the summer, Kokoity traveled to Moscow to officially formalize a cultural cooperation agreement between the Moscow region and SO. Upon his return, SO militias increased their attacks on Georgian positions and, despite prior experience, Georgian response did not calm down SO attacks (21-22)
  • MS returned from Italy abrputly on 1 August (22)
  • The first crisis cabinet meeting took place on 3 August to discuss the evacuation of the civilian population to Vladikavkaz (23)
  • Heavy bombardment of Georgian positions by SO militias started on 4-5 August (23-24)
  • On 6 August, Kokoity made a declaration about cleansing the Georgian villages in SO (24)
  • In the evening of 6 August, the MIA informed MS that Russian troops had for the first time since the First South Ossetian War taken control of the Roki Tunnel Georgian exit (24)
  • MS had started the procedure to repatriate Georgian troops from Iraq in May, but the process took time and MS decided not to pursue it further (24)
  • MS dispatched Georgian troops based in eastern Georgia near the SO conflict zone in morning of 7 August, but left Western forces concentrated near Abkhazia (24)
  • In the day of 7 August, MS contacted the NATO SG, the Swedish FM and the presidents of Poland and Lithuania, without giving them details of the intercepted phone conversations (allegedly because the line was not secured and was listened to by Moscow) (24-25)
  • In the afternoon of 7 August, General Kulakhmetov transmitted to Tbilisi that the Ossetians had become uncontrollable and that the Russian peacekeepers could not contain them (25)
  • MS dispatched Yakobashvili around 1500 on the 7th in Tskhinvali (25)
  • Kulakhmetov told Yakobashvili that he was not planning on doing anything to contain the Ossetians (26)
  • Yakobashvili could not meet Russian negotiator Yuri Popov because the latter had technical issues and could not reach Tskhinvali (26)
  • In June, MS proposed a new ceasefire line along the Kodori Valley, which would have formalized the Russian military stronghold over the rest of Abkhazia (45)
    • This decision was made without consulting some members of his cabinet that he thought would be hostile (45)
    • He sent personally the proposal to Medvedev, who instead called on the retreat of all Georgian forces from Kodori and SO (45)
  • Also in June, the Steinmeier proposal (MS says that Steinmeier cannot be accused of being hostile to Moscow) was met with hesitation and then agreement from Russia, although Abkhazia wanted to wait until the end of August (45-46)

• The Force Awakens
  • In January 2008, Lavrov offered Saakashvili to meet and negotiate over South Ossetia. The two met in Istanbul. Lavrov backed ending confrontation and told MS to either have free elections in SO or jointly appoint the next government, after which the region would peacefully move back to Georgia's control (166)
    • Lavrov offered as a new leader a North Caucasian wrestler (name unknown), with no ties to South Ossetia (166)
    • MS saw this as a lie, with Moscow preparing for war (166)
  • MS expected war, though he expected it from Abkhazia and not South Ossetia (167)
  • As the conflict neared (before the railway troops were sent by Russia), Medvedev offered to meet in Sochi and talk about the conflict (173)
    • MS described Medvedev as a spineless man (173)
    • After the Sochi meeting, Medvedev became unreachable (173)
      • During the episode of railway troops, Putin called MS and told him that he was responsible for the decision and not Medvedev. This was their last phone call (173)
  • Condolezza Rice told MS that the Russians were not planning to invade Georgia and that all Georgia had to do was not respond to provovations (173)
  • MS and Bush met in Israel in May 2008. He noted that Bush was not too hot about meeting with Saakashvili. Their meeting took place when Kaczinsky cornered Bush during an offical dinner and called Saakashvili over (173)
  • In June 2008, MS summoned Ambassador Teft and asked for permission to return the troops from Iraq (174)
    • Washington refused, formally advising MS to keep troops in Iraq not to make the situation worse (174)
  • In the summer, MS wrote to Moscow, offering an immediate meeting and talks to defuse the situation (174)
    • MS was ready to recognize Russia's interests in Abkhazia: the so-called Primakov solution, or the division of Abkhazia by spheres of influence and the handover to Russian market major infrastructure (airport and railway), the recognition of Russian properties in Abkhazia in exchange of return of IDPs, the establishment of checkpoints nearby Sokhumi, transforming the Gudauta base into a joint anti-terrorism center, Russian monopoly over oil exploration. (174-175)
      • Lavrov refused to even discuss IDPs (175)
  • In mid-July, Russian NSC Zubkov came to Tbilisi, but instead of proposing a counter-offer, he screamed at MS (175)
  • At the end of July, Ilham Alyiev was resting in a sanatorium in Merano. Saakashvili joined him. The sanatorium was also filled with Russian oligarchs. This was an attempt to show that he was not preparing for war (175)
    • From Merano, he was briefed by Merabishvili, who downplayed the risk of war (176)
    • He returned to Georgia on 1 August (176)
      • His return coincided with the launch of heavy tensions (176)
  • Tried to reach Medvedev via official channels on 6 August, but Medvedev refused (claiming he was on vacation and that it was "not time to talk") (177)
    • As shots continued to be fired, he brought several Western ambassadors to the conflict zone to show the situation (177)
    • Many officers were on vacation but he brought two infantry brigades to the conflict zone on 7 August (177)
  • Merabishvili was the main adviser to recommend launching a counter-offensive (178)
  • He ruled out traveling to Beijing to the Olympic Game openings on 7 August, fearing being out of contact during the travel (178)
    • Instead, he sent his family and official delegation to Beijing (178)
  • Kezerashvili was against the unilateral ceasefire on 7 August (179)
  • MS broke the unilateral ceasefire and ordered to respond to fire (but not attack peacekeepers) when Georgian counter-intelligence intercepted an Ossetian phone conversation planning the destruction of Nuli (179)
  • MS admitted an early mistake of his was to not launch a special operation to destroy the Roki Tunnel, although he claims he was pressured not to do so by the West (179)
  • On 6 August, the Russian cyberattack on Georgian sites, including on the servers of the presidential administration, became one of the first-ever uses of cyber warfare in the world (180-181)
  • On 6 August, he spoke with the NATO Sec-Gen on the increasing tensions, but he could not share all info because he was being listened to by Russia (183)
    • He also called Carl Bildt and tried Steinmeier (but the latter was on vacation) (183)
    • He then called Yushchenko and asked him to come to Georgia in emergency, seeking as many leaders to come in to avoid invasion (183-184)
      • Yushchenko immediately contacted Adamkus and Kaczinsky and also tried to stop the Russian fleet from leaving Sevastopol, although too late (184)
      • Tymoshenko was criticizing MS in private conversations (184)
• In the February 2008 CIS meeting, Saakashvili offered Putin to abandon NATO orientation in exchange for territorial integrity (215)
  • Bezhuashvili, as head of Intelligence Service, also attended the meeting (215)

• On 24 June 2008, MS visited Germany and met with the German government, which formally presented its three-point plan: annullment of Russia's 16 April decree, additional unforseen military formations must leave Abkhazia and a reevaluation of the peacekeeping format; economic rehab of conflict zones and FEZs in Gali and Ochamchire; and poolitical decision-making process. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=2172&i=8)
  • The next day, he met with Angela Merkel who publicly stated that the peacekeeping format should remain the same, Germany should become a mediator, the abkhaz issue should become a top priority for the next EU-Russia summit (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=2171&i=8)

• Stent
  • While Saakashvili was repeatedly warned by Bush and Condolezza Rice not to act recklessly, he received contradictory messages from the office of Dick Cheney, who encouraged him as standard-bearer of the fight against Russia (161-162)

Guerre russo-géorgienne

• Bryza admitted after the war that Washington had been urging Tbilisi to avoid armed conflict with Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/117195)
• Saakashvili stated after the war he would have wanted international "help on the ground" instead of just statements (https://civil.ge/archives/117200)

• However, after a series of clashes between Georgians and South Ossetians, Russian military forces intervened on the side of the South Ossetian separatists in response to the Georgian attack on Tskhinvali and invaded Gori in Shida Kartli.
• The two counterparts were led to a ceasefire agreement and a six-point peace plan, due to the French President's mediation.
• On 26 August 2008, the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, signed a decree recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.
• Also on 26 August, in response to Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Deputy Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze announced that Georgia had broken diplomatic relations with Russia.
• Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev held Saakashvili responsible for the Russo-Georgian War, and states that Saakashvili is responsible for the collapse of the Georgian state.
• Medvedev has stated "(a)s soon as Georgia gets a new leader we will have every opportunity to restore ties."

• On August 20th, a UFO mentioned above Abkhazia exploded in the Caucasus mountains, the first time in history that Russia lost a strategic bomber. Two Russian Commanders-in-chief of the 58th Army were killed. (Anchabadze, p. 193)

• AD
  • Tskhinvali was used as a puppet to force Georgia into a provocation (478)
  • In the first days of August, Ossetian separatists opened fire on Georgian villages and peacekeepers did not stop them (478)
  • The Ossetians used artillery. Civilians died (479)
  • In parallel, hundreds of North Caucasian paramilitary fighters were brought in SO from Russia, portrayed as heroes in Russian TV (479)
  • Tskhinvali was evacuated of women and children, a clear preparation for war (479)
  • On 6 August, Kokoity made a televised statement in military unifrm threatening Tbilisi to leave all of SO or face military retaliation. (479)
  • Shelling of Georgian villages started after the statement (479)
  • On 7 August, Georgian intelligence revealed that the Russian military had crossed the border. (479)
  • MS ordered the military to advance toward Tskhinvali (479)
  • In a few hours, the Georgian military made major advances around Tskhinvali (479)
  • MS offered SO a ceasefire and asked to lay arms down (479)
  • Few hours of ceasefire was broken by the shelling of Georgian villages again (479)
  • In response to the shelling, the Georgian army entered Tskhinvali (479)
  • Moscow then brought in the 58th Army for an invasion (479)
  • Georgia was also invaded by air and sea units (479)
  • In December 2008, Medvedev would admit an invasion had been planned much time ahead (479)
  • Russian tanks went beyond the conflict into Gori (479)
  • They occupied the highway leading to Tbilisi (479)
  • Poti and Senaki were occupied (479)
  • Civilian infrastructure was bombed (479)
  • Georgian refugees left by the thousands and their homes in SO were burnt (479)
  • Abkhaz separatists used this to invade Kodori and expel people from there (479)
  • Sarkozy as President of the EC, secured a ceasefire agreement with MS in Tbilisi and Medvedev in Moscow (480)
  • The war stopped under western pressure but Medvedev signed a recognition of Abkhazia and SO, confirmed by the Duma (480)
  • In support, the presidents of Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the German chancellor, the Secretary of State, high NATO, OSCE and EC officials and the MFAs of many countries came to Tbilisi in August 2008 (480)
  • Washington and European countries sent financial assistance in masse (480)
  • The war was a challenge to the west (480)
  • The EU sent 300 observers to observe the Russian military departure (480)
  • GIDs started (480)
  • Russian troops remain in Kodori and Akhalgori (480)
  • Russia then started military bases in Abkhazia adn SO (480)

• Bush
  • Bush and Putin were both at the Olympic Opening Ceremonies when the war started (434)
  • When Bush found out, he went back to his hotel room and called Medvedev. Both were hot. (434)
  • Bush told him the disproportionality of his actions would turn the world against Russia, including America. (434)
  • Medvedev accused Saakashvili of being like Saddam Hussein and of having killed 1,500 civilians. (434)
  • Bush said he hoped Medvedev would not kill 1,500 civilians in return (434)
  • Bush was concerned that the Russians would go down to Tbilisi and overthrow MS (434)
  • Bush then called MS, who was shaken. He described the assault and asked the US not to abandon Georgia. Bush agreed (435)
  • During the war, Bush spoke out in support of Georgia and its territorial integrity and worked with Sarkozy to rally nations against Russia and dispatched relief aboard US military planes (435)
  • In Beijing, Bush sat next to Putin at the ceremonies. Putin accused MS of being a war criminal (435)
  • Bush said, "I've been warning you, Saakashvili is hot-blooded." (435)

• Zourabichvili
  • On 7 August 2008, when the war began, MOD Kezerashvili was on vacation in Spain (272)
  • This means that Merabishvili and MS were alone in making their decisions (272)
  • Batu Kutelia said after the war in a Le Figaro interview that they had warned Russia they would take care of the illegal militias but did not expect such a Russian response (317)
  • During an interview at night on 7 August, he offered Russian commander Kulakhmetov and the Russians to be the guarantee of the proposed ceasefore (317)
  • A theory proposes that an agreement with Russia had envisaged Russian neutrality, paid for with 4 million USD to Kulakhmetov, during a rapid and effective attack on Tskhinvali, something that was obvious with the emptying of Tskhinvali days before (317-318)
  • But it's clear such an agreement was violated by Russia (318)
  • On 12 August, the Georgian people celebrated victory in Tbilisi (320)
  • Bush was silent for the first three days, maybe a reaction to MS's not listening (323)

• Roelofs
  • Sandra was in Beijing when the war began and flew to Kyiv, where she would be joined by Yushenko and 4 heads of state and flew to Azerbaijan because they did not receive permission to land in Tbilisi. It turns out their plane was almost fired at. (288)

• Rayfield
  • Ossetian militiamen wounded Georgian police and killed three soldiers (399)
  • Georgia then opened fire on Ossetian positions (399)
  • Condolozza Rice and diplomats, including 117 American military advisers, urged MS to step back, in vain (399)
  • The SO had evacuated women and children to Russia beforehand (399)
  • On 6 August, Georgia opened artillery fire (399)
  • On 7 August, 16,000 men and 150 tanks moved to deter the Abkhaz and to invade Tskhinvali (399)
  • Soviet-made rockets caused serous civilian casualties in Tskhinvali, indiscriminate (399)
  • The goal of blocking the Roki tunnel failed (399)
  • Russia brought in troops to protect its peacekeepers and its citizens. (399)
  • Chechen irregulars rushed to help the Ossetians and looted Georgian villages (399)
  • Russian forces were made of 360 tanks and 320 aircraft invaded Georgia (399)
  • A poor Russian communication and an effective Georgian anti-aircraft fire delayed doom (399)
  • But during the war, the Russian navy, air force and army destroyed Georgia's military resources built over the years, from ports to tanks. (399)
  • Russia captured the east-west railway and road, cutting he country in two (399)
  • 20,000 reugees from SO suffered rape, robbery and murder by militias (399)
  • Ossetian villagers were also brutally treated by Georgian combatants (399)
  • Gori was taken by a drunk Russian colonel who forced Georgian negotiators to drink toasts to Stalin (399)
  • Tbilisi was threatened by low-flying aircraft but not bombed (399)
  • On 10 August, Abkhazians crossed the Inguri and occupied Zugdidi and Senaki and Kodori (399)
  • MS had 2,000 men flown back from Irak (400)
  • It took Ban Ki-Moon, Javier Solana and Alexander Stubb to reach a ceasefire (400)
  • FM Eka Tkeshelashvili was seen to be out of her depth (400)
  • Europe was divided into those who blamed Russia (Poland, Baltic states) and those who sympathized with it (Italy, Germany). (400)
  • Sarkozy and Kouchner's 6 point plan and travel to Moscow and Tbilisi ended the war (400)

• Rayfield
  • The Tagliavin report would put the blame on both sides (400)
  • Saakashvili celebrated victory in that Tbilisi had not been bombed (401)

• Kavadze
  • The EU and US were against MS's intervention in Tskhinvali (76-77)
  • Condolezza Rise met with MS just before the war to warn him not to respond to provocations (77)
  • Tbilisi had hoped for Western support but Washington was in no position to defy the Kremlin (77)
  • MS took the decision to go to war in a small circle, without even the MOD (368)
  • A criticism was that while NSC Secretary Lomaia was involved in direct communication with local and international media and Russian command during the war, he had no involvement in the framing of the country's security strategy before the war (368)

• Stent
  • During the war, the Mullen-Makarov channel was the only channel of discussion between Moscow and Washington as Lavrov fielded Rice's calls. That channel secured the safe return of Georgian soldiers from Iraq (173)
  • With America on the sidelines, Sarkozy took the mantle of peacemaker (173)
  • The day before the ceasefire, Lavrov and Rice had a conversation in which Lavrov said that MS had to go, something refused by Rice (173)
  • Rice made that demand public at the UNSC (173)
  • The deployment of US troops was among the topics of discussion in the White House (173-174)
  • When Rice landed in Tbilisi following the war, she asked MS to thank Europe and US for their support and not to mention Russia. MS did not listen, called the Russians barbarians, and accused Europe of appeasing Russia, comparing the situation to Munich. Rice left angry (174)
  • Rice would eventually conclude that the war was a "bitter end" to a positive outlook for Russia-US relations that had started after the Slovenia meeting. (174)
  • John McCain accused Obama of being soft on Russia (174)

• USCFP
  • Matthew Bryza was dispatched to Georgia to assist Ambassador Teft during the war (19)

• 7 August:
  • 1840: Iakobashvili, fresh from his meeting with Kulakhmetov, announces a unilateral ceasefire to defuse tensions. (https://civil.ge/archives/116923)
  • 1910: Saakashvili addresses the nation, stating that a 'sniper war' was going on against Georgian villages, that the Russian peacekeeping forces had admitted they had lost control of the situation, calling the unilateral ceasefire a 'very painful decision', calling for the immediate resumption of talks in any format and proposing Russia to act as the guarantor of South Ossetian autonomy within Georgia. He also called on the international community to help guarantee peace. He appealed to the separatists with the words: Immediately cease fire, please. We do not want to return fire. We have been tolerating this for so many years. Please, do not test the Georgian state's patience. Let's stop this spiral of violence. Let's give peace and dialogue a chance". (https://civil.ge/archives/116922)
  • 2030: Avnevi (GE) is reported to have come under shelling. Dead are reported. (https://civil.ge/archives/116924) Maybe 10 dead (https://civil.ge/archives/116921)
  • Later, Khetagurov reportedly comes under shelling. Two SO civilians are killed (https://civil.ge/archives/116927)
  • Around 2200, Iakobashvili and Chochiev report having reached an agreement on negotiations for 8 August at 1300 (https://civil.ge/archives/116928)
  • 2215: Prisi (GE) comes under fire. Several are wounded. (https://civil.ge/archives/116929)
  • Prisi is followed by Tamarasheni and soon with every Georgian position around Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/116931)
  • After 2300, Mamuka Kurashvili of the MOD announces that 'Georgia has decided to restore constitutional order in the entire region' (https://civil.ge/archives/116932)
• 8 August
  • Georgian soldiers reach the outskirts of Tskhinvali, local fighting erupts (https://civil.ge/archives/116933)
  • Overnight, Georgia reports hundreds of fighters and military hardware entering the region from Russia via the Roki Tunnel (https://civil.ge/archives/116934)
    • North Ossetia confirmed that hundreds of volunteers were heading south (https://civil.ge/archives/116936)
  • Overnight, the US State Department calls on Moscow to press South Ossetia to stop firing (https://civil.ge/archives/116935)
  • At 0310, Tbilisi announced controlling Didmukha, Mugut, Okona, Atotsi and Dmenisi and besieging Tskhinvali. Iakobashvili stated the goal was ceasefire (https://civil.ge/archives/116937)
  • Around 0430, SO reported 15 people had been killed in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/116938)
  • At 0540: Tbilisi announces controlling Znauri (https://civil.ge/archives/116940)
  • 0600: Abkhazia deploys troops on the ABL (https://civil.ge/archives/116941)
  • 0800: Sarabuki, Khetagurovo are also added to Georgia's control. Georgian warplanes are deployed to bomb Ossetian positions (https://civil.ge/archives/116942)
  • 1000: Tbilisi claims Russian jet bombs Kareli. Several are injured (https://civil.ge/archives/116944)
  • 1130: Saakashvili addresses the nation, announces a general mobilization of troops, calls the fighting "large-scale military aggression by Russia", confirms Georgia's offensive and announces that Georgia controlled most of South Ossetia, including the new village of Tsinagari and a large part of Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/116946)
  • 1130: Georgia reports Russian jet bombing Gori and Variani (Kareli). No injury (https://civil.ge/archives/116947)
  • 1400: Tbilisi claims controlling 70% of Tskhinvali and surrounding villages, announces a moratorium on fire from 1500 to 1800 to let people reach Georgia proper through Ergneti. Sanakoev announces that separatists putting down their weapons would be granted amnesty (https://civil.ge/archives/116952)
    • On the ground information being unavailable, info from both sides on controlling Tskhinvali is conflicting (https://civil.ge/archives/116960)
  • 1530: Saakashvili announces that Georgian forces have downed two Russian jets. (https://civil.ge/archives/116955)
  • 1530: Tbilisi claims that a Russian jet bombed the Vaziani military base. No injury (https://civil.ge/archives/116956)
  • 1700: Medvedev invokes the Medvedev Doctrine to protect Russian citizens in SO and announces Russia will be a guarantor of security of the Caucasian people (https://civil.ge/archives/116959)
  • 1830: A Russian jet bombs a Marneuli military airfield, killing 3 (https://civil.ge/archives/116958)
  • 1830: In an interview with BBC World, Saakashvili rules out pulling Georgian troops out of South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/116961)
  • 1900: Tbilisi reports five bombs from Russian jets dropped on Gori. Info on casualties unknown (https://civil.ge/archives/116962)
  • 2000: Russian military official confirms the deployment of the Russian 58th Army in the outskirts of Tskhinvali to suppress Georgian fire. Saakashvili earlier claimed that 150 Russian tanks, APCs and other armored vehicles had entered Georgian territory (https://civil.ge/archives/116964)
    • Russian troops reach Tskhinvali despite Georgian attempts to stop their advances (https://civil.ge/archives/116276)
  • 2130: Saakashvili addresses the nation, claims controlling Tskhinvali, announces the death of 30 soldiers from Russian bombing. All of SO is allegedly under Georgian control except for the Java region. (https://civil.ge/archives/116966)
    • Kokoity claims 1400 civilians had been killed, while Russian peacekeepers allege that 10 Russians had been killed in the fighting. (https://civil.ge/archives/116966)
• 9 August:
  • 0100: Government orders cable networks to take Russian TV channels off the air in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/116969)
  • 0100: Tbilisi states that a number of strategic places are bombed leading to several dead, including the Senaki Military Base, the Port of Poti, the Vaziani Military Base (four times on 8 Aug). Personnel is evacuated from government buildings, including the Presidential Palace on Avlabari. (https://civil.ge/archives/116965)
    • Iakobashvili states that the conflict has devolved into a war with Russia.
  • 0830: Russia's MOD claims 15 peacekeepers have been killed in total (https://civil.ge/archives/116276)
  • Overnight bombing of Senaki and Poti, including of Georgian warships in Poti, kills dozens (https://civil.ge/archives/116970)
  • Russian jets bomb Gori civilian targets, including apartment complexes, killing scores of civilians. The Kopitnari Airport runway is bombed (https://civil.ge/archives/116971)
  • Georgia downs 10 Russian jets (https://civil.ge/archives/116973)
  • Russia claims having expelled Georgian troops out of Tskhinvali. Fighting goes on in Nikozi (https://civil.ge/archives/116975)
  • 1500: Saakashvili calls for immediate ceasefire, states that Russia has launched a full-scale military invasion of Georgia. He declares that Georgia is in a state of war with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/116976)
  • 1500: Upper Kodori bombed (https://civil.ge/archives/116977)
  • Saakashvili declares a 15-day martial law on the entire territory of Georgia. Parliament approves (https://civil.ge/archives/116974)
  • 1800: Saakashvili admits having lost parts of Tskhinvali, but the Georgian forces claim having destroyed 40 Russian tanks in the battle (https://civil.ge/archives/116980)
  • All 2000 troops are recalled from Iraq (https://civil.ge/archives/116981)
  • 1900: Saakashvili calls on Medvedev to start a comprehensive dialogue to stop confrontation. He calls on Moscow to "stop this madness, crime against our people." (https://civil.ge/archives/116982)
  • Bush and Medvedev talk on the phone. Bush calls for a return to the August 6 status quo, to which Medvedev responded that a ceasefire would happen if Tbilissi pulled its troops out of South Ossetia and agreed to signing a treaty on non-use of force. Bish talked to Saakashvili, who said he would demilitarize the region if Russia withdrew its troops from South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/116983)
  • 2300: Tbilisi claims having killed 60 Russian soldiers, having full control of Tskhinvali and starting a northbound advance toward Java and the Roki Tunnel (https://civil.ge/archives/116988)
• 10 August
  • 0530: Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin cites Russia's ceasefire terms: Georgia must return to pre-clash status quo and pull its troops from occupied areas, Russia must not be forced to return to the status quo. Saakashvili announces demanding the replacement of Russian troops with international forces to fill the vacuum if Georgian forces pull out (https://civil.ge/archives/116990).
  • 0545: TbilAviaMsheni factory in Tbilisi is bombed (https://civil.ge/archives/116991)
  • 0700: Georgian forces withdraw from Tskhinvali. Ossetian forces mobilize in Java.
  • 0740: Cell phone towers are bombed in Samegrelo. (https://civil.ge/archives/185634)
  • Putin accuses Georgia of genocide and killing 2000 Ossetian civilians (https://civil.ge/archives/116992)
  • 0845: Russian jets bomb Kodori
  • 1130: Russia's Black Sea Fleet blockades Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/116993)
    • Ukraine bars Russian ships from returning to its base in Sevastopol (https://civil.ge/archives/117001)
  • Tbilisi claims the deployment of 300 Russian tanks and 10,000 troops in SO (https://civil.ge/archives/116995)
  • Baghapsh announces Kodori invasion (https://civil.ge/archives/116997)
  • Bernard Kouchner and Alexander Stubb (Finland FM) arrive in Georgia to hold talks with Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/116999)
  • 1500: Georgia and Russia reach agreement on humanitarian corridor to let Tskhinvali civilian population out (https://civil.ge/archives/117000)
  • 1500: Russian planes bomb Knoveli (Kareli)
  • 1510: Russian and Abkhaz forces launch ground invasion of Kodori.
  • 1610: Russian forces bomb the East-West highway near Gori. Bombing in Gori continues (https://civil.ge/archives/117003)
  • Zugdidi is evacuated (https://civil.ge/archives/117005)
  • 1730: Tbilisi announces ceasefire and pullout of troops from the conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/117006)
  • 1910: TbilAviaMsheni is bombed again (https://civil.ge/archives/117007)
  • 1905: Tbilisi International Airport is bombed (https://civil.ge/archives/117009)
  • 1800: Anaklia is bombed (https://civil.ge/archives/117010)
  • 2200: Lavrov and Tkeshelashvili hold phone conversation. Lavrov denies that Georgia has ceased combat (https://civil.ge/archives/117011)
  • UN Assistant SG Edmond Mulet admits that Russian peacekeepers allowed Abkhaz troops to attack Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/117012)
  • Up to 25,000 IDPs from Tskhinvali and Gori are reported. (https://civil.ge/archives/117013)
  • 4000 Russian troops land in Ochamchire
  • Late night, Kouchner and Stubb, after meeting Saakashvili, call for an "objectively controlled ceasefire" followed access to humanitarian help, withdrawal of troops by both sides and a return to the political process. (https://civil.ge/archives/117014)
  • Two Georgian journalists are killed in SO (https://civil.ge/archives/117015)
  • At a meeting of the UN Security Council, the US Ambassador states that Lavrov told Rice that "Saakashvili must go". The US protests regime change (https://civil.ge/archives/117016)
• 11 August
  • 0030: Civilian radar in Shavshvebi (Gori) bombed
  • 0305: Sharabidzeebi, Kapandichi and Makho (Khelvachauri) are bombed, including civilian targets. (https://civil.ge/archives/117020)
  • 0437: Civilian radar station in Leninisi (near Tbilisi) is bombed.
  • 0440: Mount Makhata in Tbilisi is bombed (https://civil.ge/archives/117017)
  • In the early hours of the morning, bombing continues. Targets include: apartment complex in Gori, former military airfield in Dedoplistskaro, Senaki Base, Ganmukhuri camp, a military unit in Khelvachauri. Strikes targeted also radio and telecommunication sites (https://civil.ge/archives/117019)
  • In the afternoon, Saakashvili announces being ready to sign the EU-brokerd ceasefire. (https://civil.ge/archives/117024) Saakashvili calls it President Sarkozy's ceasefire plan.
  • UNWFP announces humanitarian aid to Georgian IDPs (https://civil.ge/archives/117055)
  • The UN launches cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Issues of Georgia to coordinate international donor assistance for humanitarian crisis. There is an estimated 56,000 refugees (https://civil.ge/archives/117058)
  • Lithuania sends humanitarian aid (https://civil.ge/archives/117067)
  • Germany donates 1 million EUR to UNHCR and the Red Cross to provide humanitarian help (https://civil.ge/archives/117104)
  • 1700: Russian troops take control of Zugdidi (https://civil.ge/archives/117025)
  • Saakashvili visits Gori with Kouchner and Stubb. There happens the bodyguard incident (https://civil.ge/archives/117026)
  • Russian forces take over Khobi, Senaki (https://civil.ge/archives/117027)
  • 2000: Saakashvili addresses the nation. He states that the end goal of Russia is to occupy all of Georgia, representing a fatal threat to Georgian statehood, states that Moscow's goal is regime change and changing Georgia's course. (https://civil.ge/archives/117030)
  • In a later televised address, Saakashvili tells the population of Tbilisi not to worry and that a 12-hour notice would be given before the capital is attacked. Russians pull out of Senaki after stating that the threat to Tskhinvali had been neutralized (https://civil.ge/archives/117031)
• 12 August
  • 0200: Bush warns Russia, telling Moscow to reverse its course or face actions that would jeapordize Russia's relatins with the US and EU (https://civil.ge/archives/117033)
  • Presidents Sarkozy of France, President of Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Poland, as well as PM of Latvia visit Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/117036)
  • 1130: Gori is bombed. 6 are killed (https://civil.ge/archives/117040)
  • 1230: At a press conference with Stubb in Moscow, Lavrov states once more that Saakashvili must resign (https://civil.ge/archives/117034)
  • Canada announces 1 million USD for humanitarian help (https://civil.ge/archives/117057)
  • Tens of thousands gather in downtown Tbilisi in a protest of unity. Saakashvili addresses the crowd, announces Georgia's departure from the CIS and "farewell to the Soviet Union" (https://civil.ge/archives/117041)
    • He also blames Putin directly for the conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/117042)
  • Spain grants 500,000 EUR in emergency aid (https://civil.ge/archives/117071)
  • 1730: Saakashvili at a press conference claims that the BP-run pipeline is hit by Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/117043)
  • Israel sends humanitarian aid (https://civil.ge/archives/117072)
  • Russian forces return to Poti, destroy military installations (https://civil.ge/archives/117044)
  • In the evening, Sarkozy is in Moscow and secures Medvedev's agreement to a 6-point ceasefire plan as a short-term solution. This is the ceasefire agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/117045)
  • 2330: Tbilisi confirms having lost Kodori. (https://civil.ge/archives/117049)
  • Georgia files lawsuit against Russia in ICJ (https://civil.ge/archives/117051)
• 13 August
  • 0330: Saakashvili endorses the Sarkozy ceasefire plan. According to Sarkozy, during his talks with Saakashvili, the Georgian side insisted on amendments, leading to Sarkozy calling Medvedev twice. Saakashvili insisted on the removal of the provision calling for launching "international discussions on the status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and ways of providing their stable security" (https://civil.ge/archives/117052)
  • Overnight, Russian forces withdraw from Poti after sinking vessels (https://civil.ge/archives/117050)
  • Italy sends 200,000 EUR for humanitarian aid (https://civil.ge/archives/117059)
  • Kazakhstan pledges humanitarian aid (https://civil.ge/archives/117060)
  • Saakashvili accuses South Ossetian militias of "Balkan-type ethnic cleansing and purification campaign" of Georgian villages in the conflict zone. (https://civil.ge/archives/117065)
  • Netherlands grant 500,000 EUR to Red Cross for Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/117074)
  • Belgium grants 500,000 EUR for humanitarian aid for Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/117066)
  • Bush states backing the democratically-elected government of Georgia and insists that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia be respected and dispatches the US Navy to deliver humanitarian aid to Georgia. Rice is sent to France before Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/117073)
  • Finland grants 1 million EUR to Red Cross and UN relief agencies (https://civil.ge/archives/117081)
  • Saakashvili claims that 400 Russian soldiers are killed and more jets are downed than in any conflict since WWII (https://civil.ge/archives/117080)
    • He added that he had warned the US State Dept on Russian invasion plans but the US had underestimated Russia. He stated "the reputation that America has gained since the Cold War is going to hell right now" (https://civil.ge/archives/117082)
  • HRW notes "terrifying scenes of destruction" in Georgian villages in SO (https://civil.ge/archives/117084)
  • Norway announces 30 million NOK to Georgian humanitarian assistance (https://civil.ge/archives/117089)
• 14 August
  • Greece pledges 100,000 EUR (https://civil.ge/archives/117090)
  • Australia announces 1,000,000 USD in aid (https://civil.ge/archives/117093)
  • Russian forces return to Poti, destroy the military installations (https://civil.ge/archives/117094)
  • Russian forces destroy ammo in Senaki Base, returning there (https://civil.ge/archives/117095)
  • Kokoity and Baghapsh sign the Sarkozy plan in Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/117098)
  • PM Erdogan vists Moscow and Tbilisi, meets Medvedev and Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/117107)
  • Poland announces humanitarian aid (https://civil.ge/archives/117108)
  • UK gives 500,000 LB to Georgia humanitarian aid (https://civil.ge/archives/117110)
  • Parliament endorses leaving the CIS (https://civil.ge/archives/117114)
  • HRW notes indiscriminate attacks on both sides during the conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/117116)
  • In a late-night press conference for foreign journalists, Saakashvili accuses Russia of ethnic cleansing (https://civil.ge/archives/117117)
    • He adds that Russia wants to impose a "Munich-type of deal" in reference to the 1938 treaty that allowed Nazi Germany to annex part of Czechoslovakia (https://civil.ge/archives/117118)
• 15 August
  • Russians seize Poti again (https://civil.ge/archives/117125)
  • Condolezza Rice arrives in Georgia. Saakashvili refuses to sign the EU ceasefire agreement until he sees what the Americans have to bring (https://civil.ge/archives/117126)
  • Estonia announces humanitarian assistance (https://civil.ge/archives/117129)
  • Japan announces humanitarian assistance (https://civil.ge/archives/117212)
  • After 5 hours of talks with Rice, Saakashvili reluctantly signs the EU ceasefire agreement and underlines that it is not a final settlement. (https://civil.ge/archives/117130)
    • He also lashed out at most of the European countries for their "muted and quiet response"
    • Saakashvili's main problem was the fifth point of the ceasefire agreement
• 16 August
  • Russian vehicles enter Khashuri (https://civil.ge/archives/117136)
  • UNHCR estimates a total of 88,000 IDPs, including 15,000 from the SO conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/117134)
  • Medvedev signs the EU ceasefire agreement but Moscow clarifies that no exact time of Russian pullout was known, instead announcing withdrawing only once "huge depots of ammunition left by the Georgian army is neutralized" (https://civil.ge/archives/117137)
  • Russian troops blow up the railway bridge near Kaspi linking east and west (https://civil.ge/archives/117138)
• 17 August
  • Merkel arrives in Tbilisi, meets Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/117148)
  • At a press conference with Merkel, MS denies allegations that he started the conflict by attacking Tskhinvali, laying the blame on Russia. He went on to blame international media for refusing to listening to his warnings about an impending Russian invasions in the months prior to the conflict. (https://civil.ge/archives/117150)
    • Merkel stated being ready to send observers to an EU mission, something that indicated a new feeling within the EU
  • Kokoity rules out the return of IDPs. His statement is downplayed by Moscow, who still states that the immediate return was not feasible (https://civil.ge/archives/117157)
• 18 August
  • Saakashvili says being ready for talks with Russia once its troops withdraw from Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/117153)
    • Bulgaria proposes and Tbilisi accepts Sofia as a possible venue for talks.
  • 15:00 - Russia announces troop pullout, states that some troops would remain in South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/117160)
  • Despite this announcement, Russian vehicles advance toward Akhalgori, destroying Georgian police vehicles in Igoeti, and Khashuri, Sachkhere and Borjomi (https://civil.ge/archives/117163)
  • Nino Burjanadze states that the time would come for Saakashvili to answer tough questions (https://civil.ge/archives/117164)
• 19 August
  • Russian veto prevents the OSCE from sending additional observers to South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/117165)
    • A compromise is found. The OSCE will deploy an additional 20 monitors, but in areas adjacent to SO (https://civil.ge/archives/117178)
  • Rice confirms that Russia is delaying its troop withdrawal despite having signed the ceasefire agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/117166)
• 20 August
  • Russian troops announce the creation of a buffer zone between the SO ABL and the "line of zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers" (https://civil.ge/archives/117191)
  • Senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham visit Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/117198)
• 21 August
  • President of Romania visits Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/117201)
  • So does Alexander Stubb, OSCE CiO and FM of Finland (https://civil.ge/archives/117202)
• 22 August:
  • Russia pulls out of Zugdidi (https://civil.ge/archives/117223)
  • Russia starts pulling back from the zones beyond the buffer zone it created. (https://civil.ge/archives/117224)
  • Russia removes its Igoeti checkpoint (https://civil.ge/archives/117227)
  • Moscow indicates that it has no intention on abandoning Senaki and Poti (https://civil.ge/archives/117232)
  • Georgian police enters Gori (https://civil.ge/archives/117241)
• 23 August
  • Martial law extended till 8 September (https://civil.ge/archives/117242)
  • Georgian police controls some towns near the so-called buffer zone around SO (https://civil.ge/archives/117246)
• 25 August
  • Iakobashvili reiterates the Saakashvili position that the West and Russia both pushed Georgia into war (https://civil.ge/archives/117255)
  • Ossetian criminal gangs take over Akhalgori. (https://civil.ge/archives/117260)
• 26 August
  • Russia recognizes Abkhazia and South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/117264)
    • Saakashvili states this was the first time since Nazi Germany and Soviet Stalin that a large state tried to redraw European borders (https://civil.ge/archives/117275)
    • In response, Tbilisi announces minimizing its diplomatic ties with Russia but pushes back from calls to cut ties (https://civil.ge/archives/117284)
  • Russia announces it would pull back from its security buffer zone if international mechanisms ensured avoiding a repeat of the conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/185638)
• 27 August: Gurgenidze signs a decree terminating Russian peacekeeping operations (https://civil.ge/archives/117309)
• 28 August: Parliament passes a non-binding resolution calling on the gov to cut diplomatic ties with Russia, annul treaties on Russian peacekeeping, and declaring Ab and SO as occupied territories (https://civil.ge/archives/117298)
• 29 August:
  • Georgia cuts diplomatic ties with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/117313)
  • Saakashvili starts consultations with European countries, Washington to impose sanctions on companies investing in Abkhazia and South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/117318)
  • Georgia stops issuing Georgian visas upon arrival to Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/117319)
    • Georgia reverses that decision on 4 September 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/117358)
• 30 August
  • Georgia releases list of illegal Russian checkpoints, including 14 checkpoints near SO and 20 near Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/117317)
• The 1 September 2008 EU Summit on Georgia led to a conclusion in which EU leaders stated they were "gravely concerned by the disproportionate reaction of Russia", a term that had already been used by the US (https://civil.ge/archives/117331)
  • Despite some expectations, Brussels fell short of imposing sanctions on Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/117339)
• 4 September:
  • Georgia cancels martial law (https://civil.ge/archives/117350)
  • The US pledges 1 billion USD in humanitarian aid (https://civil.ge/archives/117357)
  • Bryza states that Tbilisi attacked Tshinvali, but the war had started earlier (https://civil.ge/archives/117356)
  • NGOs, the Georgian Academy and opposition figures call for an investigation into Saakashvili's responsibility in starting a war despite American warnings. (https://civil.ge/archives/117365)
  • Russia submits a resolution at the OSCE calling for a civilian police operation under the OSCE to minitor a security zone around South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/117364)
• 5 September:
  • Germany calls on Russia to agree to an international probe on the origins of the conflict (https://civil.ge/archives/117374)
  • Burjanadze claims she warned Saakashvili about the risk of war (https://civil.ge/archives/117384)
• 6 September: EU FMs agree to send an EDSP mission to th South Ossetia conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/117385)
  • They also agree to call for an international inquiry (https://civil.ge/archives/117387)
• 7 September: Russia reinforces its positioning in Poti (https://civil.ge/archives/117396)
• 8 September:
  • Russia opposes the presence of an autonomous EU monitoring mission in the conflict zone (https://civil.ge/archives/117398)
  • Saakashvili sends a letter to Medvedev via Sarkozy where he pledges not to use force against Abkhazia and South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/117400)
  • Sarkozy and Medvedev reach a new agreement on the pullout of Russian troops from Georgia proper within a month, which would be followed by 200 EU monitors deployed in these areas, the return of OSCE monitors to Tskhinvali and UN observers in Abkhazia, the start of international discussions. (https://civil.ge/archives/117401)
    • Saakashvili, during his meeting with Sarkozy the same day, called for the Russian withdrawal from Akhalgori (https://civil.ge/archives/117405)
• 9 September:
  • Saakashvili states that Russian troops had crossed the Georgian border and had started its invasion before Georgia even fired (https://civil.ge/archives/117402)
  • Lavrov calls for the inclusion of Abkhazia and SO into GID (https://civil.ge/archives/117407)
  • Meanwhile, Moscow pledged to remain in Abkhazia and South Ossetia for a long time (https://civil.ge/archives/117411)
  • Georgia takes back Ganmukhuri after Russian withdrawal (https://civil.ge/archives/117415)
  • Eric Feldman, US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, states that the use of force by Tbilisi against South Ossetia was "unwise" (https://civil.ge/archives/117418)
  • Georgia removes block on several Russian websites. (https://civil.ge/archives/117423)
• 10 September:
  • A Georgian policeman is killed in gunfire against Russian troops in Karaleti (https://civil.ge/archives/117421)
  • Russia proposes at the UNSC a draft resolution calling for a ban on arms deliveries to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/117422)
  • Debate growing between Tbilisi and Moscow on the zone of activity of EU monitors (https://civil.ge/archives/117424)
• 12 September: Saakashvili calls for the setting up of a group of rapporteurs to study the matter of what led to the war (https://civil.ge/archives/117450)
• 13 September:
  • Russia withdraws from Poti (https://civil.ge/archives/117454)
  • Russia withdraws from the village if Pirveli Maisi and from two posts in Senaki (https://civil.ge/archives/117455)
  • Georgian policeman is killed by Abkhaz militants in Ganmukhuri (https://civil.ge/archives/117457)
    • In response, the MIA deploys special units there (https://civil.ge/archives/117461)
• 15 September:
  • In the inaugural session of the first-ever NAC session in Tbilisi, Saakashvili states that Russian troops had moved into Georgia early on August 7 (https://civil.ge/archives/117471)
    • The Georgian government publishes transcripts of phone intercepts dating back at 0351 on August 7 between SO militiamen awaiting the arrival of Russian troops (https://civil.ge/archives/185643)
  • EU FMs create the EUMM (https://civil.ge/archives/117474)
• 18 September:
  • Russia moves against extra OSCE observers in South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/117501)
  • Government, Parliament extend SoE in areas under Russian occupation (https://civil.ge/archives/117502)
• 19 September: Saakashvili declares that Russia's aggression had laid the foundation for a new epoch in international relations. "The world has changed completely. The rules of the game have significantly changed" (https://civil.ge/archives/117515)
• 22 September: Kazakhstan drops its grain terminal plan in Poti (https://civil.ge/archives/117528)
• 24 September: Kazakhstan drops its oil refinery plan in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/117546)
• 26 September: Parliament approves the Law on Occupied Territories (https://civil.ge/archives/117570)
• Among Burjanadze's questions:
  • Points about how the National Security Council, the National Security Concept, and the General Staff's unpreparedness facing Russian aggression, including the lack of an air defense system
  • The lack of attention to Western warnings about Russian provocations and the lack of plans on how to prevent escalation.
  • The use of the term "restoration of the constitutional order across the entire region" on August 7
  • Who gave the order to launch military operations and whether the NSC was involved in the discussions.
  • Why didn't the Georgian government attempt to evacuate Georgian women and children before the war if conflict was inevitable.
  • The unclearness of who was in charge of military operations, including the controversial role of Gigi Ugulava and Davit Bakradze, who seemed to work without the NSC.
  • The entire focus of the operation being on Tskhinvali and a lack of attention paid to strategic Ossetian strongholds like Java and Roki
  • The lack of secure communication systems in combat
  • The lack of defense preparedness on the Enguri River
  • The lack of defense for the Kodori Gorge
  • The reason behind why large armament stockpiles weren't destroyed upon withdrawal
  • Quesions surrounding the President's supposed 12-hour prior knowledge on a potential Russian attack on Tbilisi
  • The secrecy (as of September 2008) of: The August 12 Medvedev-Sarkozy [six-point] plan, Clarification of this agreement [sent by the French President to his Georgian counterpart], A letter of the Georgian President on non-resumption of hostilities, A letter of the Georgian President sent to President Medvedev about Abkhazia (the so called Abkhazia partition plan, or peace plan).
  • Reasons behind PR events and their million-dollar budgets when the government was asking for global financial aid
• The state of emergency in areas adjacent to the occupied territories was extended again on 2 October (https://civil.ge/archives/117611)
• The final Russian withdrawal in early October was preceded by new tensions in SO and Abkhazia, including the death of several Russian soldiers and explosions (https://civil.ge/archives/117642)
• Georgia found out Russians would remain in Akhalgori on 8 October (https://civil.ge/archives/117658)
• The EUMM noted that most of the withdrawal had happened by the evening of 8 October (https://civil.ge/archives/117657)
  • Solana would confirm the Russian withdrawal on 10 October (https://civil.ge/archives/117679)
  • The pullout was called "relatively satisfactory" by Kouchner (https://civil.ge/archives/117692)
• Sarkozy would call Tbilisi's attack against Tskhinvali a mistake but Russia's response was disproportionate (https://civil.ge/archives/117662)
• The SoE in Abkhazia, SO and Perevi was extended on 16 October (https://civil.ge/archives/117720)
• Saakashvili stated that 1600 houses were destroyed in areas adjacent to SO during the war and made their rebuilding a priority (https://civil.ge/archives/117728)
• All Russian websites were unblocked on 21 October (https://civil.ge/archives/117738)
• In a speech at the European Parliament on 21 October 2008, Sarkozy would call Georgia's actions "inappropriate" and Russia's response "disproportionate" (https://civil.ge/archives/117748)
• At the EU-sponsored Brussels Donors' Conference held on 22 October 2008, international donors pledged 4.55 billion USD (https://civil.ge/archives/117759)
  • These funds would be used in social assistance for IDPs (52 GEL for 110,000 over 6 months and for another 40,000 over 12 months), infrastrcture repair, budgetary shortfall, help to commercial banking sector, core investments into energy, transportation and municipal infrastructure (https://civil.ge/archives/117760)
• In November 2008, the NYT unveiled anonymous accounts from OSCE observers that were not denied by Vienna on the events of August 7, in which evidence revealed that the Georgian army was amassing troops and hardware in Gori in the late afternoon and that reports n Georgian villages being shelled were at best exaggerated. (https://civil.ge/archives/117849)
• The Estonian Minister of Defense stated that the trustworthiness of Tbilisi had been armed because "Georgia acted in an unpredictable way" (https://civil.ge/archives/117881)
• On 8 November 2008, Russian forces handed over Perevi to South Ossetian armed groups. (https://civil.ge/archives/117857)
  • Saakashvili stated that the Perevi incident was a violation of the ceasefire agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/117867)
  • Tskhinvali justified its presence in Perevi as a way to prevent illegal timber export (https://civil.ge/archives/117874)
  • On 16 November, the South Ossetians pulled out of Perevi and the EUMM confirmed the Russians had returned, although this was seen as progress (https://civil.ge/archives/117913)
• Jean-David Levitte, foreign policy adviser to Sarkozy, stated that during a wartime phone call between Putin and Sarkozy during which Putin admitted he wanted to reach Tbilisi and overthrow Saakashvili, the Russian PM stated "I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls" to which Sarkozy asked "hang him?" and Putin responded, "Why not, the Americans hanged Saddam Hussein." Sarkozy's response was "Yes but do you want to end like Bush?" to which Putin stated after a pause, "Ah, you have scored a point there." (https://civil.ge/archives/117900)
• Kitsmarishvili testified in front of the special war commission on 25 Nov 2008 and exchanged heated comments with some UNM MPs. Among some of his points: (https://civil.ge/archives/117970)
  • Russia had shown willingness to restart relations with Georgia following the Rose Revolution. After Adjara, Putin showed readiness to negotiate over SO but not Abkhazia.
  • In February 2008, after his last meeting with Putin, Saakashvili stated that he would declare Sokhumi the Georgian capital in August.
  • In April 2008, Saakashvili claimed having received the green light from the US over launching a military operation.
  • Kezerashvili was preparing for the launch of an operation on Abkhazia in May.
  • The Russians had a parallel planned operation to expel Georgians out of Kodori, although Sokhumi was against it.
  • On 19 June, Iakobashvili alleed that Georgians could take over Tskhinvali within three hours and that Russians "would not move a finger about it"
  • On 7 August at 1600, Saakashvili told him over the phone that war was starting. Kitsmarishvili was denied return to Moscow.
  • Kitsmarishvili stated that the Russians were aware of every mistake and plan of Tbilisi and Georgia was "dragged" (https://civil.ge/archives/117970)
    • The Presidential Administration denied everything (https://civil.ge/archives/117973)
    • Saakashvili himself went on to deny that the US gave Georgia a green light (https://civil.ge/archives/117986)
• In a December 2008 op-ed for the WSJ, Saakashvili defended his August 7/8 actions as the actions of "any responsible democratic leader [...] as the Georgian Constitution required me to do in defense of the country". (https://civil.ge/archives/117997)
  • Saakashvili accused Russia of engaging in a multimillion dollar PR campaign to lay the blame on Russia and stated being ready for an international investigation.
• 2 December: The EU launches its official investigation on the causes of the war, made of 10 European experts led by Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini. (https://civil.ge/archives/118002)
• 12 December:
  • Russian troops pull out of Perevi. EUMM confirmed they retreat back to Sinaguri. Pressure from the EU Presidency and the EUMM was seen as key (https://civil.ge/archives/118067)
  • Later that same day, Tbilisi announces that Russian troops were back in Perevi (https://civil.ge/archives/118071)
    • The Georgian police had to withdraw from the village (https://civil.ge/archives/118073)
    • Russian media alleged that the presence of an 120-strong Georgian special force unit in Perevi was the reason for Russian troops' return. Meanwhile, opposition forces blamed Saakashvili for his "irresponsible statement" in which he said, "We hope that Russia will some time – sooner than later – demonstrate common sense and understand that you can’t get what does not belong to you."(https://civil.ge/archives/118084)
• 18 December: The investigative parliamentary commission releases its war report, confirming the government's version of the events. The report details that Russian aggression started in the early 90s. The report's largest criticism of the government was that it failed to delegitimize the presence of Russian peacekeepers before the war. The report also criticized the National Security Council's unpreparedness despite known threats, the lack of active work by the diplomatic corps (for ex.: Amb. Lado Chipashvili to the Czech Republic stopped working during the war, Amb. Erosi Kitsmarishvili failed to warn the Georgian government on existing threats), the serious shortcomings in the defense system and communication system, the confusing and controversial remarks by Mamuka Kurashvili on restoring constitutional order, the lack of strategic planning by the MOD that led to the loss of armanent during the war (https://civil.ge/archives/118103)
  • A hot mic captured by Kavkasia TV showed MP Paata Davitaia, author of the commission report, admitting that the authorities' policies caused the war (https://civil.ge/archives/118111)
• 19 December: Ryan Grist, the former OSCE official in charge of monitoring the conflict zone while boss Terhi Hakala was on vacation whose controversial claims supported Russia's version of the events, admits to have crossed the warline and joined the Russian side during the war, but denies Tbilisi's allegations that he became a Russian spy. (https://civil.ge/archives/118106)
• In September 2008, Merabishvili was tasked by Saakashvili to oversee the housing program for IDPs. By 24 December, 16,528 IDPs had found housing i 3,963 houses which each cost 27,933 GEL. 9,342 houses on the buffer zone were also rehabilitated by that time for 2,000 GEL each on average. IDPs that moved into new homes received 200 GEL, while those who refused received 10,000 USD. A total of 242.7 million GEL was spent in that time by the MIA on the housing project and new local infrastructures (https://civil.ge/archives/118134)
• 24 December: Medvedev says during an interview that Russia had been preparing for responsive measures. Tbilisi stated this was an admission of starting the war. (https://civil.ge/archives/118139)
• 19 December: Daniel Fried, Asst US SoS, states that Georgia's decision to move into Tskhnvali on the night of 7-8 August was a mistake (https://civil.ge/archives/118105)
• 12 February 2009: The House of Lords' EU Committee releases a report on the war in which it states that Russia used disproportionate force "in response to provocative statements and military action by President Saakashvili." (https://civil.ge/archives/118361)
• The EU War reprt was released on 30 September and established several facts: (https://civil.ge/archives/119429)
  • Impossible ‘to assign overall responsibility’ to one side alone;
  • Open hostilities began with Georgia’s shelling of Tskhinvali;
  • ‘Some Russian forces’ other than PK were in S.Ossetia prior Georgia’s attack;
  • Georgia’s use of force unjustifiable;
  • Russia’s use of force beyond S.Ossetia unjustifiable;
  • Georgian intent for genocide ‘could not be proven’;
  • Ethnic cleansing carried out against Georgians;
• Tbilisi stated the war report proved Georgia had not started the war (https://civil.ge/archives/119431)
• Moscow claimed the war report laid the blame on Tbilisi for "unleashing aggression against peaceful SO" (https://civil.ge/archives/119428)
• Saakashvili called the report a diplomatic victory because it denied Russia's claims that Georgia had killed 2000 SO civilians and that Georgians killed Russian peacekeepers (https://civil.ge/archives/119437)
  • The opposition used the report to attack Saakashvili with Alasania condemning his attack on Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/119438)
  • Rustavi 2 and Expressnews published a report acusing Otto Luchterhandt, a member of the Tagvliani Commission, of having received funding from Gazprom, although without evidence (https://civil.ge/archives/119455)
• On 21 November 2011, Medvedev admitted that the August War prevented NATO expansion (https://civil.ge/archives/186124)

• Glucksmann
  • The objective in itself was not to take Tskhinvali but to neutralize the enemy positions that were bombarding for several days our lines and thhe villages were controlled and to block the advance of Russian troops that had entered Georgian territory through the Roki Tunnel 20 years ago (11)
  • It was not an attempt to take back by force the zones in South Ossetia that escaped our control (11)
  • Tbilisi had recordings of SO border guards via cellphone describing the entry in Georgia of tanks and Russian troops via the Roki Tunnel on 7 August at 0352 (12)
  • These recordings were transmitted to several western secret services, who did not immediately react (13)
  • Russian authorities did not deny the veracity of these recordings but affirmed the movement was a standard peacekeeping troop rotation (14)
  • MS denied this response, stating that the agreements envisioned a prior warning and a set schedule of troop rotation, while the next rotation was not scheduled for months from then (14)
  • In the months before the war, MS multiplied his help appeals, formal and informal, public and private to Western leaders, warning that the situation could degenerate any moment, that Russian troops were amassing their strengths in Abkhazia and SO, but Western leaders told him Putin would not launch an invasion (15)
  • On 7 August, MS called several close Western leaders and when he realized the Western response would be slow, he saw the need for an electroshock and decided to attack the invading Russian troops (15)
  • The decision to launch the attack was taken while he was in his office with Integration Minister Temur Yakobashvili (15)
  • He then ordered the attack on those troops responsible for the bombardments and the explosion of the Roki Tunnel, while ordering his commanders to avoid at all cost civilian victims (16)
  • Georgian forces only bombed the one neighborhood where missile launchers were placed from where attacks were launched (16)
  • He believed that the attack he ordered was not meant to defeat the Russian Army, but rather to cause enough damage to force the Russians to the negotiating table (19)
  • Shortly before 1800 on 7 August, MS ordered Yakobashvili back to Tbilisi to do a press conference announcing an unilateral ceasefire (27)
  • MS himself would announce a unilateral ceasefire on national television afterward (27)
  • But as bombardments continued, MS gave three orders: to neutralize the positions that were bombarding Georgian positions from the north of Tskhinvali, to stop the Russian advance from the Roki Tunnel and to avoid the bombardment of civilian neighborhoods (27)
  • At 2030, MS told allegedly the MOD not to respond to fire even if Georgian soldiers were killed (28)
  • The orders were given when Tbilisi saw there was no chance to contact Ossetian or Russian negotiators (29)
  • The Ossetian positions north of Tskhinvali were rapidly neutralized (29)
  • After that, Georgians entered easily in Tskhinvali with little fighting (29)
  • The objective remained the capture of the Roki Tunnel (29)
  • But Georgian planes heading toward Roki were shot down by Russians (29)
  • Georgian troops' advance were blocked a few kilometers from Roki (29)
  • By then, Georgians had witnessed 600 Russian tanks (29)
  • He described the ceasefire agreement as giving too much latitude to Russian troops and that it did not mention Georgia's territorial integrity (37-38)
  • Georgian forces freed from prison in Tskhinvali several former separatist leaders put in jail by Kokoity, including the former head of the Supreme Court, on 8-9 August (42)
  • On 8 September 2008, Sarkozy did a second visit to Moscow. Russia pressured to soften the six ceasefire points, but he did not budge (173)

• The Force Awakens
  • One of the mistakes he admits to was to not remove the status of peacekeeping force to the Russians before the war began, arguing this would have made the tensions worse (173)
  • On 9 August, he traveled to Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti as there were risks for an attack on Kodori (182)
    • As he came to Zugdidi, Russian tanks were at the Gali ABL (182)
  • According to him, a Russian official leaked to the governor of SZS that an attack was planned on his convoy out of Zugdidi (182)
  • According to him, his entire convoy was chased by bombs from Russian jets, directly targeting him (182)
  • When Sarkozy came to Tbilisi, MS asked him to address the people but Sarkozy refused, prefering to remain an arbiter (185)
  • When MS refused to sign the ceasefire agreement presented by Sarkozy because of the lack of respect for territorial integrity, Sarkozy screamed at him, telling him that Russian invaders would reach Tbilisi and hang him. (185-186)
    • MS eventually, at his advisers' urging, agreed to sign if a deadline was set up for the expiration of the so-called conflict zone (187)
  • He wanted to send his personal plane to Yushchenko but Poland decided to do it himself (187-188)
  • During the war, he contacted investors in person and asked them to continue construction (for example, the Batumi Sheraton) (190)
  • He granted Antsukhelidze the National Hero status (190)
  • HRW noted in its report that Georgian soldiers in Ossetian villages told people that "don't worry, Misha told us to not harm Ossetians" (191)
  • Turkey apparently dispatched 45,000 soldiers at its border with Georgia during the war. To this day, Saakashvili does not know what Turkey wanted (191)
    • Saakashvili believes that there could have been a plan to invade Adjara (191)
  • When the Russians asked the Americans to remove its military airplanes in Georgia for exercises out of the Tbilisi airport before it is bombed, Bryza came to Tbilisi and told MS that the planes would leave but Bryza would stay himself with a weapon. MS asked to keep the planes in place and to talk to Bush directly (191)
  • On the phone, Bush joked, saying "it looks like you're in a tough place" (191)
    • The phone conversation was tense, Saakashvili screamed, Bush told him to calm down (191)
    • On the day that the Russian advance stopped, when Bush made an announcement and Condolezza Rice spoke at the UNSC, the Americans launched 20 F-16s from its Constanta base in Romania (191-192)
      • The Incirlik base was also in full readiness and the 6th Fleet was in movement in the Mediterranean (192)
      • Dick Cheney proposed to bomb directly the Roki Tunnel and declare a no-fly zone over Georgia, but Defense Secretary Robert Gates was opposed to that and considered Georgia an "agitator country", along with Brent Scowcroft (192)

• Richard Holbrooke was in Tbilisi throughout the war. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6881&i=1)
  • He was one of the few to advise MS not to leave Georgia
  • MS (or rather the Tbilisi Sakrebulo) would eventually rename a street after him.

• Angela Stent (Putin's World)
  • The war was the closest that US and Russian troops directly fought each other since the cold war ended (131-132)
  • During the war, Bush convened a Principals' meeting to discuss whether the US should directly respond to the invasion, but the Principals decided that the US should not go to war against Russia over Georgia (132)

Changements au gouvernement

• Saakashvili publicly announced his plans of modernising the Cabinet of Georgia well before Georgian presidential elections.
• Shortly after being re-elected, the president formally re-appointed the Prime Minister of Georgia Lado Gurgenidze and asked him to present a renewed cabinet to the Parliament of Georgia for final approval.
• Gurgenidze changed most ministers, leaving Ivane Merabishvili, controversial Minister for Home Affairs, Defence Minister David Kezerashvili and Minister of Finance Nika Gilauri on their former positions.
• Gia Nodia was appointed as the Minister of Education and Science.
• Zaza Gamcemlidze, former director of Tbilisi Botanic Garden, took over the position of the Minister of Natural Resources and Nature Protection.
• Famous archaeologist, and already the eldest minister in the cabinet, Iulon Gagoshidze was appointed on a newly designated position of the Minister of State for Diasporas.
• On 28 October 2008, Saakashvili proposed Grigol Mgaloblishvili, Georgian Ambassador to Turkey for the premiership.
• According to the President, Gurgenidze had initially agreed to serve only for a year and that Georgia was facing new challenges which needed new approach.
• The Parliament of Georgia approved Mgaloblishvili as the premier on 1 November 2008.

• Zourabichvili
  • There were many weird happenings inside government, including:
    • Mgaloblishvili left the country after a fight with the President that may have resulted to fists, before coming back to pledge his allegiance on TV and resigning two weeks later (172-173)
    • David Bakradze is hospitalized for kidney problems, just like Mgaloblishvili. He also had at one point a contusioned fist (173)
    • Lado Gurgenidze was also hospitalized after an alleged fight with the President, went to London, and resigned after his return (173)
    • Giga Bokeria had an open lip (173)
    • MS himself had a broken left hand once due allegedly to a bicycle accident. (173)
  • During one cabinet meeting chaired by Mgaloblishvili and attended by Bendukidze, the latter told him after being asked to remain quiet, that "you really think of yourself as PM, don't you." This would precede the alleged fistfight against MS (249)

• Rayfield
  • Ministers were hired and fired quickly. Outsiders had only decorative roles (396)
  • Critics called his a "night government" (398)

• Kavadze
  • MS's governments were unstable. He went through 6 PMs, 10 Economy ministers, 7 MODs, and 6 FMs. (81)

• On 29 August 2008, MS proposed a 'Patriot Act' for Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/117314)
  • Burjanadze opposes the Patriot Act (https://civil.ge/archives/117449)
  • He also decided to restore funding to state parties whose parties had stopped receiving funding because of their boycott
• On 30 August, Saakashvili proposed launching an anti-crisis council to monitori foreign aid post-war with the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/117321)
  • On 5 September, The IRI negotiated the Charter of Politicians of Georgia between the UNM and various parliamentary opposition parties, although the great majority of the opposition refused to sign the document. The Charter meant to establish the anti-crisis council (https://civil.ge/archives/117375)
  • Salome Zourabichvili was a rare opposition leader to call for national unity after the war (https://civil.ge/archives/117325)
  • In the 3 November special parliamentary elections in Vake and Didube, UNM announced it would not field candidates (https://civil.ge/archives/117379)
• 3 September: Tsotne Gamsakhurdia is arrested for alleged espionnage in favor of Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/117361)
• 9 September: New Rights call for MS's resignation over the war (https://civil.ge/archives/117409)
• 15 September: Former PM Noghaideli comes out of the shadows and bashes the current government for failing to prevent war and leading the country into an economic crash. He accused Lado Gurgenidze of continuing to work for BoG (https://civil.ge/archives/117479)
• In his 2008 UNGA speech, Saakashvili announced a second rose revolution, a new wave of democratic reforms, pledging Georgia would soon become "stronger and more democratic than ever before" in response to Russian aggression (https://civil.ge/archives/117545)
• In September 2008, Erosi Kitsmarishvili, founder of Rustavi 2 and last ambassador of Georgia to Russia, joined the opposition, accusing Saakashvili of authoritarianism, of leading Georgia into the war and of killing Zhvania (https://civil.ge/archives/117583)
• Sozar Subari, still Public Defender, set up the Public Movement for Freedom and Justice on 30 Sep 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/117590)
• In an open letter to Saakashvili on 24 October 2008, Burjanadze called on Saakashvili to call for early elections or face a grave political crisis, although not mentioning parliamentary or presidential. (https://civil.ge/archives/117769)
• On 27 October, Burjanadze launched her opposition Democratic Movement-United Georgia party (https://civil.ge/archives/117786)
  • Badri Bitsadze resigned as head of the Border Police on 29 October (https://civil.ge/archives/117804)
• On 27 October 2008, Saakashvili replaced PM Gurgenidze and Grigol Mgaloblishvili, Georgian Amb to Turkey. Gurgenidze was put in charge of the commission envisioning the financial reconstruction and new investments after the war (https://civil.ge/archives/117780)
  • Mgaloblishvili sought to make democratic development the new focus of his admin (in comparison to Gurgenidze who was a financer) (https://civil.ge/archives/117798)
  • His new cabinet replaced Gvaramia with Adeishvili, Tkeshelashvili with Vashadze, Tamar Martiashvili of Refugees and Accomodation was replaced with MP Koba Subeliani, Irakli Gvaladze of Environment was replaced with Gov Goga Khachidze of SJ (https://civil.ge/archives/117805)
• Mgalblishvili was only 35. His cabinet's main message was Saakashvili's electoral slogan, ie "United Georgia without Poverty" (https://civil.ge/archives/117819)
• In November 2008, the MIA introduced a reform that granted any of its units to handle border protection, something that may have been a step to increase the MIA's powers after the Bitsadze departure (https://civil.ge/archives/117829)
• In January 2009, a new ministry for regional development and infrastructure was inaugurated (https://civil.ge/archives/117928)
• 5 December 2008: Grigol Vashadze replaces Eka Tkeshelashvili as FM and Nika Gvaramia replaces Ghia Nodia as Education Minister (https://civil.ge/archives/118027)
  • Irakli Alasania announces his resignation
  • Lomaia is dismissed as head of NSC (https://civil.ge/archives/118028)
  • Saakashvili justified this reshuffle (second one in two months) with the need for new blood (https://civil.ge/archives/118031)
  • FM Vashadze appoints former FM Irakli Menagarishvili as main adviser
• 6 December: Zurab Abashidze (former ambassador to Russia) refuses to take post as minister of Culture in the new Mgaloblishvili government (https://civil.ge/archives/118032)
• 9 December: US Ambassador David Sikharulidze becomes Minister of Defense, MP Nika Rurua becomes Minister of Culture and MP Lasha Zhvania becomes Economy Minister (https://civil.ge/archives/118042)
• 10 December: MS addresses the cabinet, sets priorities as going closer to Europe, securing peace and reforming the armed forces. By that time, 9 out of 17 ministers had been changed (https://civil.ge/archives/118054)
• 16 December: New shuffle announced: NSC Secretary Kakha Lomaia appointed UN Envoy, Deputy MOD Batu Kutelia appointed Ambassador to the US to replace new MOD Davit Sikharulidze, prison chief Bacho Akhalaia becomes deputy MOD (https://civil.ge/archives/118085), while Eka Tkeshelashvili becomes NSC Secretary (https://civil.ge/archives/118101)
• 24 December: Irakli Alasania releases a press statement in which he confirms disagreements over the war led to his resignation and he joins the opposition, calling for early elections (https://civil.ge/archives/118136)

2009 : La crise politique s'approfondit

• Demonstrations against Saakashvili spread across Georgia in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
• The pressure against Saakashvili intensified in 2009, when the opposition launched mass demonstrations against Saakashvili's rule.

• Rayfield
  • Georgian opposition politicians met with Russian leaders in the Kremlin (401)
  • In March 2010, he organized a TV programme that simulated a Russian invasion of Tbilisi (402)
  • On 26 May 2011, demonstrators were attacked, leading to maybe 10 beaten to death and four press photographers arrested as spies. (402)

• In December 2008, Alia claimed that Saakashvili punched and threw a cellphone at Mgaloblishvili. One week later, Mgaloblishvili was in Germany for medical care. (https://civil.ge/archives/118165)
  • According to Rezonansi, MP Giorgi Gabashvili traveled to Germany to convince Mgaloblishvili not to resign. (https://civil.ge/archives/118193)
  • Mgaloblishvili had to return to Germany on 21 January for medical treatment. (https://civil.ge/archives/118231)
• On 12 January 2009, Freedom House issued a report in which Georgia remained "partly free" but was downgraded to a non-electoral democracy, accusing Saakashvili's authoritarian practices. (https://civil.ge/archives/118203)
• On 16 January, New Rights and Republican Party issued a joint declaration pledging to focus all their efforts on the demand for Saakashvili to resign (https://civil.ge/archives/118219)
• Already in January 2009, Alasania, who claimed he was offer FM and MOD posts in exchange for his remaining in the Saakashvili orbit, hints at presidential elections (https://civil.ge/archives/118259) and so did Nino Burjanadze (https://civil.ge/archives/118260)
• 29 January: 12 parties sign a declaration calling for Saakashvili's resignation and early presidential and parliamentary elections: NRs, RP, CP, Party of People, Movement for United Georgia, Georgia's Way, Democratic Movement-United Georgia, Women's Party, Traditionalists, Greens Party, Industrialists and Freedom Party. (https://civil.ge/archives/118288)
• 30 January: Three months after taking the post, Mgaloblishvili resigns citing health conditions. (https://civil.ge/archives/118291)
  • Nika Gilauri is tapped as PM. Kakha Baindurashvili is tapped as new Finance Miniser (https://civil.ge/archives/118296)
  • Gilauri states his main priority would be to tackle unemployment (https://civil.ge/archives/118328)
• 2 February: Dimitri Shashkin is tapped as Minister for Penitentiary and Probation, the first to hold this post. He was previously director of IRI Georgia. Davit Tkeshelashvili is tapped as the first Minister for Regional Development and Infrastructure (https://civil.ge/archives/118303)
  • Shashkin was also tasked by Saakashvili to coordinate a second wave of democratic reforms and pledged to maintain close ties with the opposition. (https://civil.ge/archives/118305)
• 4 February: Victor Dolidze, Ambasssador to the OSCE, resigns to join Alasania (https://civil.ge/archives/118317)
• 23 February: Alasania sets up the Alliance for Georgia with the Republican Party and New Rights (https://civil.ge/archives/118406)
• 5 March: Alasania meets Solana in Brussels (https://civil.ge/archives/118456)
• 13 March: MIA accuses protesters in Old Tbilisi of blowing up a police car with a hand grenade. The incident took place close to the Burjanadze party office (https://civil.ge/archives/118498)
• 20 March: At a parliamentary hearing, intelligence chief Gela Bezhuashvili claims that Moscow is trying to sow discord within Georgia using political forces. The statement is blasted by Irakli Alasania, who accuses Saakashvili of trying to discredit the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/118525)
• 22 March: The police HQ of Mtskheta-Mtianeti comes under attack with hand grenades (https://civil.ge/archives/118530)
• 23 March: 9 activists of Burjanadze's DMUG are arrested in Tbilisi and Batumi. DMUG officials allege that weapons were planted on some activists. Some signs point out to Saakashvili directly ordering the arrests (https://civil.ge/archives/118532) They are charged with illegal arms possession (https://civil.ge/archives/118537) Police released video footage alleging some of these activists planning a civil war, although the veracity of this footage is under question (https://civil.ge/archives/118547) This was seen by Alasania as an attempt to scare opposition leaders (https://civil.ge/archives/118550) Saakashvili claims their activities are linked with Russian occupation (https://civil.ge/archives/118574)
• 26 March: Bryza returns to Tbilisi, less than two weeks after his last trip, and meets Burjanadze, Alasania and UNM leaders (https://civil.ge/archives/118551)
• 27 March: 13 parties announce they will coordinate efforts to organize rallies from 9 April to demand MS's resignation. This is the Manifest of Unity. (https://civil.ge/archives/118561)
• 31 March:
  • 4 protesters protesting in front of a restaurant where Saakashvili was eating are arrested. (https://civil.ge/archives/118582)
  • UNM offers the opposition negotiations on economy, security and democratic reforms, rules out talks on early elections. Opposition rejects the talks (https://civil.ge/archives/118586)
    • Shashkin does meet with reps of the CDM, On Our Own party and NDP (https://civil.ge/archives/118590)
• 7 April: The opposition sends an open letter to the international community accusing MS of authoritarianism, corruption and of starting the war and asking to put pressure of MS to resign (https://civil.ge/archives/118609)
• 8 April: Diplomats call for dialogue between both sides (https://civil.ge/archives/118597)
• 9 April:
  • In the morning, Saakashvili, Bakradze, Gachechiladze, Beselia and Burjanadze pay their respects together on 9 April 1989 memorial (https://civil.ge/archives/118622)
  • Thousands of protesters march together toward Parliament from various parts of Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/118623)
  • Opposition estimates up to 100,000 people gathered. They demand Saakashvili to resign within 24 hours (https://civil.ge/archives/118624)
  • Saakashvili claims that the protests have forced business groups to postpone their visits to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/118637)
• 10 April:
  • Protest continues. Saakashvili proposes direct elections for Tbilisi Mayor (https://civil.ge/archives/118638)
  • Oppoition expands protests frm Parliament to GPB and Avlabari Palace (https://civil.ge/archives/118639)
  • Alasania says ready for talks with Saakashvili if public and transparent (https://civil.ge/archives/118642)
  • In the evening, 50 men dressed as cleaning service staff enter an opposition protest office and destroy equipment (https://civil.ge/archives/118650)
• 12 April: In an interview with Newsweek, Saakashvili claims the Georgian opposition is mostly funded by Russian oligarchs (https://civil.ge/archives/118640)
• 14 April: Sixth day of protests. The opposition widens its tent city from just the Avlabari palace to the GPB building. The Tent City was the project of Giorgi Gachechiladze. Protests are divided this way: Alliance for Georgia and Gachechiladze in front of GPB and Conservative Party, Movement for United Georgia and Party of People in front of Avlabari. (https://civil.ge/archives/118666)
• 15 April:
  • Six activists are reportedly beaten by unknwon assailants (https://civil.ge/archives/118669)
  • Cell protest expand to Chancellery (https://civil.ge/archives/118671)
  • Saakashvili, in a speech from Akhaltsikhe, claims that a majority of people discontent are so because of extreme poverty and the rallies do not address social issues (https://civil.ge/archives/118672)
• 16 April: Protests continue but at smaller scale. Authorities and police keep away from protest sites strategically. While most of the opposition unconditionally calls for the resignation of Saakashvili, the Alliance for Georgia adopts a slightly softer stance (https://civil.ge/archives/118677)
• 21 April: Opposition launches Town of Cells from Freedom Square across Rustaveli (https://civil.ge/archives/118700)
• 22 April: Thousands of protesters join from the regions (https://civil.ge/archives/118705)
• 23 April: Saakashvili and Merabishvili both separately claim that the majority of protesters are individuals who were fired during the fight against corruption (https://civil.ge/archives/118709)
• 25 April: Ambassador Fournier of France criticizes protests for their impact on regular life (through blocking of streets). This criticism is in turn criticizes by the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/185652)
• 27 April: Protests continue. Gamkrelidze sheds light on the problems caused by division within the opposition and lack of a central figure (https://civil.ge/archives/118734)
• 28 April:
  • Head of RP - Kvareli is beaten. Two opposition activists are beaten in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/118737)
  • COE SG Terry Davis criticizes the protests and calls on the opposition to voice its criticism from Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/118741)
  • Ilia II proclaims a National Day of Reptentence. MS and Alasania both pray at Sameba. Saakashvili states being ready to meet the opposition to negotiate on economic difficulties, national security issues and democratic reforms. He shakes hands with Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/118744)
• 29 April: At a speech in Rustavi, Saakashvili claims that the protests are a process of cleaning-up Georgian politics from those seeking to return to the 1990s (https://civil.ge/archives/118750)
• 6 May: Dafter after Mukhrovani Mutiny. Protesters and police clash outside the Police HQ in Tbilisi. Six policemen are injured. The clash started when Gachechiladze crossed the fence of the HQ and was beaten by police officers, hospitalizing him. Riot police eventually intervened, chanting Misha, and injuring dozens, including Levan Gachechiladze, Gia Maisashvili, Zviad Dzidziguri, Shalva Obgaidze (https://civil.ge/archives/118793)
  • The Czech ambassador Ivan Jestrab condemned the opposition's attack on the police station. Prague held the EU presidency (https://civil.ge/archives/118802)
• 7 May: Most opposition parties issue a joint statement calling for talks with Saakashvili to get out of the crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/118803)
• 8 May: UNM negotiates over possible negotiations with Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/118822)
• 11 May: Saakashvili meets withh opposition leaders at the MIA HQ (https://civil.ge/archives/118828)
  • The opposition came out of the meeting stating that they had "completely different views" and saw no progress (https://civil.ge/archives/118830)
  • Saakashvili offered the opposition to take part in the composition of the Board of Trustees of GPB based on parity basis and to declare a moratorium on investigation sinto cases of criminal offences linked with the protests. (https://civil.ge/archives/118831)
  • The opposition leaders who met him were Zourabichvili, Alasania, Gachechiladze and Kakha Shartava. They would call on protests to strengthen after the meeting, accusing MS of living in a virtual reality. (https://civil.ge/archives/118832)
  • He also offered to appoint a Chairman to the Constitutional Commission he wanted to create per recommendation of the joint opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/118833)
  • There was a division within the opposition according to some sources. Alliance for Georgia and National Forum supported taking MS's concessions, while Burjanadze and Okruashvili saw it unacceptable (https://civil.ge/archives/118840)
• 13 May: Opposition lays out revised plan of action for protests, scraps down plans to block the east-west highway, and spreads protests across the city, while sending Giorgi Gachechiladze, in charge of the town of cells, to Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/118847)
• 15 May: Cells blocking Kostava Ave near the GPB HQ are removed, ater being closed since 14 April (https://civil.ge/archives/113441)
• 18 May: EU Special Rep Peter Semneby calls for talks to continue (https://civil.ge/archives/118863)
  • The opposition made a formal list of demands, including: resignation of MS and early presidential elections, parliamentary elections in autumn 2009 along with elections for Tbilisi Mayor, national referendum on constitutional arrangement, replacement of MIA and MOJ with the opposition's agreement, separation of Dept for Constitutional Security and security subdivisions from the MIA, replacement of the Chair of the Supreme Court with the opposition, replacement of the chair of the CEC with the opposition, create a working group on electoral code, replace the DG of the GPB and members of its Board of Trustees with opposition, transfer manegement of Channel 2 to agreed group of political analysts and experts, return of Imedi to legal owners, liberalizing the broadcasting license system (https://civil.ge/archives/118865)
• Saakashvili continuously underlined the difference between street opposition and CDM (https://civil.ge/archives/118864)
• 19 May: Shashkin proposes the establishment of a presidential fund to finance NGOs (https://civil.ge/archives/118873)
• Saakashvili accused opposition leaders of paying people 40-50 GEL a night to stay in the cells (https://civil.ge/archives/118875)
• 20 May: In response to cars blocking the airport highway, authorities seize the cars of opposition activists. In response, opposition blockades the two streets on the sides of the Mtkvari (https://civil.ge/archives/118890)
• 22 May: Taxi drivers protest against demonstrations (https://civil.ge/archives/118896)
• 25 May:
  • Overnight, a hand grenade is thrown at Maestro TV, shattering windows but not injuring anyone. (https://civil.ge/archives/118905)
    • Maestro refused to cooperate with the MIA over the investigation, claiming the police investigation would not be fair (https://civil.ge/archives/118908)
  • MS announces plans to set up a Public Council to help society to have its say in decision-making and legislation, with the right to initiate bills. (https://civil.ge/archives/118910)
  • EU and US make a public call for opposition and authorities to negotiate without preconditions (https://civil.ge/archives/118912)
• 26 May: Independence Day. 48th day of protests. 60,000 people pack the National Stadium of Tbilisi. Giorgi Gachechiladze entered the stadium, culminating he event. (https://civil.ge/archives/118918)
  • Activists then spread across the city. Some went to pray at Sameba, others marched to Rustaveli Avenue, while hundreds blocked the railway of Tbilisi Central Station for hours (https://civil.ge/archives/118924)
    • Ilia II issued a statement in which he hinted that the opposition should end its demand for MS's resignation.
• 27 May: Opposition parties split and state they would not have a single strategy on their ultimate goal of "holding early elections" (https://civil.ge/archives/118929)
• 28 May: A clash in front of Parliament leads to several protesters and 5 policemen injured (https://civil.ge/archives/118937)
  • The opposition accused authorities of deploying police officers in civilian clothes, which led to confusion. They issued a statement calling on the MIA to only deploy clothed police officers (https://civil.ge/archives/118946)
• 29 May: Koba Davitashvili announces the removal of cells from Rustaveli Ave (https://civil.ge/archives/118945)
• 30 May: The opposition removes cells from Freedom Square (established on 21 April) (https://civil.ge/archives/118952)
• 5 June: In a speech in Martvili, Saakashvili accuses Noghaideli and Okruashvili of corruption during their service. He also accused the protests of being financed by Ebralidze, Tariel Oniani and Bondo Shalikiani (https://civil.ge/archives/118977)
• 8 June: Opposition removes mock cells from Parliament section of Rustaveli (https://civil.ge/archives/118983)
• 9 June: Gachechiladze meets Saakashvili in Shavnabada (https://civil.ge/archives/118993)
  • The meeting was about the release of political activists, reform of the local elections, Imedi TV ownership (https://civil.ge/archives/118996)
  • Saakashvili offers the position of Deputy MIA to someone from the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/119001)
    • Zourabichvili would be considered. (https://civil.ge/archives/119030) but her bid failed when she stated she would not stop protesting because of her new post (https://civil.ge/archives/119037)
• 11 June: Saakashvili offers once again the opposition to join the NSC (https://civil.ge/archives/119010)
• 12 June: Incident in Parliament with youth activists attacking Bakradze's guards. Several are arrested. Ambassador Fournier calls it an insult to democracy (https://civil.ge/archives/119019) The US condemned the clash (https://civil.ge/archives/119018)
• 15 June: Clash outside the police headquarters in Tbilisi. Politician Zurab Abashidze is injured (https://civil.ge/archives/119026) 39 were arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/119027) Police confiscates material from journalists from Maestro TV, Kavkasia TV, epa, Reuters. Some equipment is damaged (https://civil.ge/archives/119028) Gamkrelidze criticizes the fact that Fournier and the US do not react (https://civil.ge/archives/119029) Several journalists are beaten. Here again, dozens are beaten by police officers in plain clothes (https://civil.ge/archives/119025)
  • Sozar Subari criticizes diplomats for their double standards (https://civil.ge/archives/119056)
• 18 June: Police (some in civilian clothes) raid a protest venue outside the Avlabari Palace (https://civil.ge/archives/119054)
• 19 June:
  • Intelligence chief Gela Bezhuashvili claims that Russia aims at holding early elections in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/119058)
    • Gamkrelidze responds by claiming that western powers were pressuring Saakashvili to hold early parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/119061)
  • In a speech, Gachechiladze claims having recently traveled to Europe to seek funding for protests. This remark causes controversy, as foreign contributions to political parties is banned in Georgia. This is also used by UNM to claim that Russian funding was used (https://civil.ge/archives/119068)
    • On 24 June, an anonymous user posted a video on YouTube showing Gachechiladze and Gamkrelidze meeting with Kakha Targamadze, former MIA, abroad. (https://civil.ge/archives/119075)
      • Saakashvili jumped on the occasion to show that the opposition was receiving Russian funding. This was strongly denied by Gachechiladze and Targamadze (https://civil.ge/archives/119078)
      • The meeting took place in Berlin. The rest of the opposition distanced itself (https://civil.ge/archives/119102)
• 24 June: Opposition removes cells from Avlabari (https://civil.ge/archives/119079)
• In the second half of June, dozens of political activists would be detained, mostly on illegal weapons charges (https://civil.ge/archives/119091)
• 29 June:
  • Zourabichvili claims her office bugged (https://civil.ge/archives/119092)
  • Burjanadze travels to Kyiv, meets with oligarch Viktor Pinchuk, which is again criticized (https://civil.ge/archives/119109)
• 17 July: Parliament approves at third reading a series of amendments to the Laws on Police, Rallies and Administrative Offences. (https://civil.ge/archives/119169)
  • The bill banned blocking of streets artificially, obstruction of public transportation, allows police to use less-lethal projectiles for riot control, increases to up to 90 days arrest for administrative offences and makes it a crime to block buildings of state agencies (https://old.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=21199)
• 24 July: Traffic resumes on Rustaveli Avenue as Tbilisi braces to welcome Joe Biden (https://civil.ge/archives/119203)
  • This is the end of protests that started 107 days before (https://civil.ge/archives/119210)
• 6 August: Alasania attends NSC meeting per invitation of Saakashvili
• 10 August: Alasania meets Vashadze where Alasania was introduced to the government's strategy on reactivating international security mechanisms in the conflict zones (https://civil.ge/archives/119270)
• 12 August: Merabishvili meets some opposition leaders, promises to give an answer within a week on the release of activists (https://civil.ge/archives/119275)
• 19 August: The MIA and Alliance for Georgia announce that at least some of the 48 activists AfG claimed was detained for political reasons would be released (https://civil.ge/archives/119291)
• 27 August: After a series of court decisions jailing some for several years, the opposition (including Alasania) accuses the authorities of continuing repressions and call on diplomats to react (note: Bryza seems to have been involved in negotiating the cooldown of early August) (https://civil.ge/archives/119314)
• 9 September: Conservative Party office in Telavi is raided and several activists are beaten by police before Saakashvili's local visit (https://civil.ge/archives/119356)
• 22 September: Sozar Subari, whose term ends, joins the Alliance for Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/119397)
• 25 September: Saakashvili at the UN pledges for direct mayoral elections across the country (https://civil.ge/archives/185668)
• 12 October: Saakashvili invites parliamentary and non-parliamentary opposition at a NSC meeting to discuss Tbilisi's strategy toward the occupied territories (https://civil.ge/archives/119466)
  • Alasania's Alliance for Geogia refused (https://civil.ge/archives/119467)
• 23 October: MP Konstantine Gamsakhurdia agrees to retake his boycotted seat in return for the establishment of a special parliamentary commission to investigate the death of his father (https://civil.ge/archives/119502)

Mutinerie de Moukhrovani

• On 5 May 2009, Georgian police said large-scale disorders were planned in Georgia of which the failed army mutiny was part.
• According to the police, Saakashvili's assassination had also been plotted.
• Opposition figures dispute the claim of an attempted mutiny and instead say that troops refused an illegal order to use force against opposition demonstrators.
• Kavadze
  • The mutiny allegedly took place on 5 May 2009 when the Mukhrovani tank batallion "disobeyed orders" after the government announced it had uncovered a Russian plot to overthrow MS. (431)
  • In 2014, footage appeared that revealed that Merabishvili had demanded "two dead bodies" while giving orders to his subordinates, for which they would be well rewarded (431-432)
  • Later in May 2009, Colonel Koba Otanadze and Major Levan Amiridze were gravely wounded and General Giorgi Krialashvili was killed by the police while trying to escape (432)
  • Otanadze and Amiridze would be freed in 2012 by the GD government who declared them political prisoners (432)
  • One view is that the rebellion was linked to the use of troops to end mass opposition protests paralysing Tbilisi on the eve of May 26 celebrations and planned military parade on Rustaveli Ave (432)
  • In connection with the mutiny and also in May, former diplomat Vakhtang Maisaia, a freelance expert since ending hs posting in Brussels in January 2008, was arrested for spying on behalf of Russia during the August war. His alleged connection to Mukhrovani would never be made public and it became clear that it was a fabricated case. Also to note, the information that was allegedly shared by Maisaia according to prosecutors was all public information found on MIA and MFA websites. His trial would be held behind closed doors and it would be found out that he was forced to admit his guilt through torture, intimidation. He would be released by the GD government as a political prisoner (433-434)

• In the morning of 5 May 2009, the Georgian MOD announced that a tank battalion in Mukhrovani had mutinied. (https://civil.ge/archives/118778)
  • Earlier, the MIA had warned that a full-scale mutiny was planned by former military officials in coordination with Russia.
  • The MIA linked the mutiny to the planned NATO exercises scheduled for 26 May.
  • Gia Gvaladze was arrested eatly on in connection with the plot. He was commander of the MOD's special task force in the 90s.
  • The MOD said that on top of thwarting the NATO exercises, the plot aimed at overthrowing the government.
  • The MIA released footage showing Gvaladze discussing cooperation with former MOD Davit Tevzadze, former Security Minister Jemal Gakhokidze, former National Guard Commander Koba Kobaladze, and Alasania ally Gia Karkarashvili. The footage allegedly had Gvaladze discuss the murder of MS, Bokeria, Merabishvili and Ugulava and a 5000-strong Russian battalion would move in to take key positions around Tbilisi
  • Once the mutiny was annonced, roads leading to the base were sealed off by law enforcement agencies and battle tanks were dispatched to the base.
• Saakashvili, in an address to the nation hours after the announcement of the mutiny, linked it to the NATO exercises and the planned launch of the EaP (May7-8). (https://civil.ge/archives/118784)
  • He linked the mutiny to Russian attempts at diverting Georgia.
  • He also tied it to the ongoing protests and political crisis.
  • He accused the leaders of the mutiny of being disgruntled former officials discontent with being dismissed.
  • Saakashvili also tied the mutiny to new movements of the Russian Black Sea Fleet
  • He warned Russia not to escalate tensions.
  • He appointed as main negotiators Shmagi Telia (commander of land forces), deputy MOD Bacho Akhalaia and Merabishvili, who was on the ground.
  • Saakashvili himself talked to one of the mutiny leaders, Colonel Mamuka Gorgiashvili.
• Kobaladze, Karkarashvili and Tevzadze publicly denied being involved. Kobaladze did TV appearances before being arrested in the afternoon (https://civil.ge/archives/118780)
• The opposition did not believe the official version. Dzidziguri and Gamkrelidze claimed the mutiny was staged to justify a state of emergency. Alasania denied he involvement of Karkarashvili. The opposition however paused its plan to block the highway (https://civil.ge/archives/118782)
  • He provided the mutineers a deadline.
• By the evening, Colonel Mamuka Gorgiashvili, commander of the mutineed unit and his associates were arrested. Othrs were at large. 500 servicemen frm the unit were transferred to the base of the fourth battalion to undergo questioning. Merabishvili was in charge of the operation. (https://civil.ge/archives/118781)
  • Saakashvili, Merabishvili, Adeishvili were on site.
  • Merabishvili claimed that Gorgiashvili did not have a full plan but was planning on inviting the Russians.
  • Former MOD official Koba Otanadze was also cited by Saakashvili as one of the mutiny organizers. Otanadze had been involved in the 2001 Mukhrovani mutiny and was pardoned by Shevardnadze.
  • MIA alleged that it had been investigations threat of a military plot for two months.
  • Irakli Batiashvili of the RP also expressed doubt about the official version of events.
• MIA claims that 13 civilians were arrested the first day, while independent media reported that 50 officers had been arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/118783)
• Russia denied on 5 May any involvement (https://civil.ge/archives/118787)
• Vakhtag Maisaia, counselor at the Georgian mission to NATO in 2004-2008, was arrested for espionage in favor of Russia on 6 May. (https://civil.ge/archives/118788)
  • The MIA claimed he had transferred sensitive information to Moscow during the war (https://civil.ge/archives/118788)
• Saakashvili said the mutiny damaged Georgia's reputation but the State had proven effective and that it would eradicate any attempt of destabilization.
  • The NATO military exercises started as scheduled on 6 May and the situation was quickly stabilizied (https://civil.ge/archives/118789)
• On 6 May, the MIA released footage of Gorgiashvili addressing five high-ranking officers of the battalion in which he was declaring disobedience to the authorities. But some in the opposition, like Berdzenishvili Davit, questioned the veracity of the footage. (https://civil.ge/archives/118792)
  • The same footage accused Major Levan Amiridze of planning to deploy troops to help protesters in Tbilisi. Amiridze would soon be at large (https://civil.ge/archives/118792)
• On 7 May, Kobaladze was charged with an attempt to stage uprising to overthrow the government (https://civil.ge/archives/118800)
• Irakli Batkuashvili, then serving as head of combat training directorate at the MOD and a former ally of Maisaia, was arrested on 6 May for disclosue of state secret to Russia during the war (https://civil.ge/archives/118818)
• The Military Police of the MOD arrested on 11 May Kakha Kobaidze (Commander of the 3rd Infantry Brigade of the GAF) and Davit Sulkhanishvili (Commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade of the GAF) were arrested for ties to the mutiny (https://civil.ge/archives/118829)
• 20 May: Family members of Koba Otanadze (brother Jimsher, Jimsher's wife Gulo Zaridze and their son Giorgi Otanadze) are arrested but no charges are registered and their whereabouts are classified. This came a week after the detention of Nugzar Otanadze, another brother, who was arrested for resisting arrest. (https://civil.ge/archives/118882)
  • Levan Amiridze and Gia Krialashvili are still at large.
  • The family members were released a day later when Koba Otanadze was found and arrested in Tbilisi suburbs. During that police operation, Gia Kralashvili was killed (https://civil.ge/archives/118888)
    • Levan Amiridze was wounded during the operation (https://civil.ge/archives/118884)
  • According to the MIA, Otanadze, Amiridze and Krialashvili were planning to escape to SO (https://civil.ge/archives/118891)
  • Burjanadze called on diplomats to react to this whole affair (https://civil.ge/archives/118895)
• Givi Targamadze states that 33 persons were arrested in total with the mutiny (https://civil.ge/archives/118900)
• Targamadze alleged that Mukhrovani was tied with Alexandre Ebralidze, a Russia-based oligarch close with Putin who had just announced presidential ambitions (https://civil.ge/archives/118901)
• 3 September: Trial resumes for 41 defendants (26 military, 15 civilians). Among them, 12 are charged with attempt to overthrow the government through the use of force (including Koba Otanadze, Levan Amiridze and Koba Kobaladze). 19 are charged with disobedience or providing assistance in disobedience. 8 are accused of not reporting the crime. 1 is charged with illegal possession and purchase of weapons. Otanadze's defense attorney asked Judge Jemal Kopaliani to give the defense more time to read all the 25 volumes of files given, five of which the day before, which the judge refused. Siradze stated during the trial that the "verdict is already written" (https://civil.ge/archives/119339)
• 9 September: Reports that some defendants are expected to strike plea bargain with prosecutors. (https://civil.ge/archives/119362)
  • According to prosecutors, Kobaladze met with some co-conspirators, including Gia Gvaladze, in a restaurant in Mtskheta in late March or late April to plan the mutiny. Gvaladze was arrested on May 4, the day before the mutiny. Kobaladze denied every going to that restaurant.
  • The prosecutors also claimed that the plot was to seize key strategic points, including the airport, the MIA, the Prosecutor's Office and the NBG.
  • Prosecutors alleged having been made aware of the plot on March 26 when two recruits of Gvaladze reported it to thhe authorities, starting an investigation.
• According to the testimony of Paata Khokhashvili (then-Commander of Mechanized Company at the Mukhrovani Battalion), Gorgiashvili met with a dozen commanding officers on 1 May to announce disobedience, move to Tbilisi and picket the MIA building and asked for the commanders support in exchange for 70,000-100,000 financial award (unknown currency) (https://civil.ge/archives/119384)
  • Khokhashvili also testified that Gorgiashvili stated on 5 May that he was opposed to participating at the Independence Day parade (which would eventually be cancelled)
• On 22 September, Gia Gvaladze, on whose testimony laid most of the case and th imprisonment of Koba Kobaladze, wrote a letter claiming his testimony was made under pressure and Kobaladze was innocent. (https://civil.ge/archives/119398)
  • This led to the recusal of Judge Kopaiani from the case.
• On 28 September, 13 defendants struck a plea deal with the authorities, including Gvaladze (https://civil.ge/archives/119420)

• https://civil.ge/archives/119436
• https://civil.ge/archives/119540
• https://civil.ge/archives/119605
• https://civil.ge/archives/119720
• https://civil.ge/archives/119724
• https://civil.ge/archives/119748
• https://civil.ge/archives/119761
• https://civil.ge/archives/110976
• https://civil.ge/archives/119829
• https://civil.ge/archives/120365

Géorgie, UE et OTAN après la guerre

• The day Ivanishvili announced his campaign, Sarkozy awarded MS the Legion d'Honneur in Tbilisi (Anchabadze, p. 193)

• AD
  • The NATO-Georgia Committee was formed in September 2008 (480)
  • The Charter of Strategic Partnership Georia-US was signed in 2009 (480)
  • Discussions of the Association Agreement started (480)

• Rayfield
  • Europe privately reproarched Georgia for its irresponsibility and tacitly closed NATO's doors (400)
  • WGeorgia received 2 billion USD from the US and EU to rebuild its bombed infrastructure (400)
  • Georgia became insignificant under Barack Obama's presidency (401)
  • Turkey was given a more free hand by the west to regulate Transcaucasia (401)
  • The conflict having frightened investors, all work on BTK stopped for two years. (401)
  • In search of new support, Israel stepped into the gap but was rapidly alienated by the Georgian government's new policy of extracting money from foreign firms and businessmen by fines for obscure breaches of regulations and retrospective taxation (401)
  • Iran proved a source of income with rich tourists who benefited from the visa-free regime

• Kavadze
  • Georgia's NATO membership was indefinitely postponed because of the war and European capitals' fear of direct military confrontation with Russia. (77)
  • Western support for post-war rehabilitation amounted to 4.5 billion USD. (78)
  • In Washington, there was talk of a "Misha fatigue", the phemomenon of being physically exhausted by MS's extensive lobbying, endless demands and eccentric behavior. (79)
  • The West had seen that the war had been avoidable (79)
  • Georia was left in the cold in Obama's reset with Russia (79)
  • Doors became closed for MS in many European capitals (79)
  • Obama told MS to be prepared for "peaceful transfer of power" (79)
  • The Eastern Partnership initiative was implemented (81)
  • Relations with Ukraine grew cold after the victory of Yanukovich in February 2010. MS had supported Yulia Tymoshenko (163)
  • MS tried to introduce an element of confusion in the elections and even to export a new color revolution to Ukraine (163-164)
  • Yanukovich would not forgive MS (164)
  • Sweden sped up the EaP implementation under its presidency which started in July 2009 (237)
  • Tbilisi had at that point already successfully implemented several ENP action plan programs, includng economic reforms (237)
  • The Saakashvili government had launched negotiations over an Association Agreement (237)
  • It had signed the Areement on Visa Facilitation (237)
  • It had elaborated and agreed upon the texts of the Readmission Agreement, the Mutual Protection of Geographical Indications of Agricultural Products and the Common Aviation Area (237)
  • It had started cooperation within the framework of te Mobility Partnership (237)
  • It had also started laying the groundwork for a future DCFTA, although negotiations were halted due concerns in Brussels over food safety, intellectual property protection and law enforcement (237-238)
  • While the EaP was never meant for Russia, Georgia adamently resisted any effort by Brussels to involve Moscow in programmes and projects of the EaP (239-240)
  • Mediterranean EU countries, seeing the rejection of EU integration by some EaP members, hinted at a division in sub-regions, including that of the South Caucasus, something that was strongly opposed by Tbilisi who saw a risk for smaller importance of the region as a whole. Georgia, supported by the Group of Friends, supported a division based on merit and not on geographical situation (240-241)
  • Eventually, the Georgian efforts prevailed and the EaP was not divided (241)
  • The Ahreement on obtaining EU visas by means of a simplified system came into effect on 1 March 2011 which facilitated travel of Georgian citizens to the EU. (241)
  • The Readmission Agreement was signed on 22 November 2010 and laid cooperation groundwork for the repatriation of undocumented Georgian immigrants from the EU (241)
  • Political dialogue over launching trade negotiations with the EU began soon after the war. It was a precursor to the DCFTA (258)
    • DG Trade was concerned about weak sanitary and phytosanitary policies, the impact of unsatisfactory food safety standards on agrcultural trade (which included the absence of reliable certification institutions in the country), the lack of trade facilitation and customs administration arrangements, Western market access experience. (258)
    • The Commission postponed the talks after all these concerns were voiced (258)
    • Sweden as EU president tried to catalyze the beginning of negotiations (258)
    • Despite this, the Commission postponed the launch of negotiations tll January 2012 and tied the DCFTA to the Association Agreement (259)
  • NATO member states reaffirmed the Bucharest resolution at the Strasbourg/Kehl Summit of 2009 and Lisbon Summit of 2010 (290)
  • On 15 April 2011, the NATO-Georgia Commission praised Georgian reforms and contribution to Afghanistan (290-291)
  • Georgia was referred to as an aspirant country by the 7 December 2011 NATO FMs final statment on NATO's relations with partner countries.
  • At the 2012 Chicago NATO Summit, Georgia participated as an ISAF, Core Partners and Aspirant Countries' meeting (291)

• On 19 August 2008, days after the war and while Russian troops were still in Georgia proper, the Presidents of Lithuania and Poland signed a joint declaration calling for NATO to grant Georgia and Ukraine the MAP as soon as possible. (https://civil.ge/archives/117169)
  • The same day, an emergency session of NATO FMs announced the creation of the NATO-Georgia Commission in the same format as what exists with Ukraine. (https://civil.ge/archives/117175)
  • At that emergency session, NATO FMs decided that the Alliance would help Georgia in reestablishing its air traffic system, cyber defense, assessing its state of the armed forces and assessing damage to civilian infrastructure (https://civil.ge/archives/117182)
  • Saakashvili responded to these decisions by stating he hoped these would lead to a "fast-track process for our membership application" (https://civil.ge/archives/117189)
• After meeting with General John Craddock, NATO'S Supree Allied Commander for Europe on 21 Aug 2008, Saakashvili stated the need for a new defense system of Georgia, more focused on defensive systems, and announced plans to acquire anti-aircraft and anti-tank systems (https://civil.ge/archives/117216)
  • Senators Lieberman and Graham lobbied the US Senate as early as late August 2008 to allow the sale of these systems to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/117263)
• Days after the war, NATO ships started arriving in the Black Sea, which was criticized by Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/117292)
• France called for an EU Summit on Georgia for 1 September 2008. Ahead, British PM Gordon Brown stated that Georgia stabilization must become a priority for the EU (https://civil.ge/archives/117324)
• The Nato-Georgia Commission was inaugurated in Tbilisi on 15 September. In his opening address, Saakashvili told NATO leaders not to show signs of weakness lest they wish to see conflicts continue and expand to Ukraine (https://civil.ge/archives/117437)
• Merkel stated that it was too soon for Georgia's MAP in October 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/117621)
• US SoD Robert Gates called on the Alliance to support the MAP for Georgia in response to Merkel (https://civil.ge/archives/117677)
• The NGC met for the first time at a ministerial level on 10 October 2008 to discuss the coordination of assistance in defense and security cooperation, security reform and airspace management (https://civil.ge/archives/117694)
• Saakashvili stated that the war would not have happened had Georgia received the MAP (https://civil.ge/archives/117806)
• By November 2008, France, Britain and Sweden supported the resumption of EU partnership talks with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/117864)
  • On 10 November, EU FMs stated that Brussels would resume its talks with Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/117873)
• Following the 2008 war, there seems to have been a geopolitical disagreement between Brussels and Washington over Georgia, with Kouchner accusing the US response of being late during the war while Europe intervened to put an end to the war. Paris seems to have favored a solution where Russia was included, even though it recognized Moscow as a challenge (https://civil.ge/archives/117894)
• After the EU decided to relaunch its partnership talks with Russia, Saakashvili said that integration into the EU was irreversible, while Sarkozy announced on Nov 13 at a meeting with him that Georgia and Ukraine would be granted the status of priviledged partner of the EU, opening the doors to easier travel, easier export, easier investments, beginning of sectoral integration (https://civil.ge/archives/117907)
• 20 November 2008: Saakashvili in Munich calls on NATO to grant Georgia an action plan to lead to membership. Tkeshelashvili admits NATO integration will take longer. (https://civil.ge/archives/117941)
• 22 November: The USS Barry, a guided missile destroyer, makes port calls in Batumi and Poti. This may be the first NATO ship port calling (https://civil.ge/archives/117947)
• 26 November: Rice states that Georgia and Ukraine would not be granted the MAP any time soon, a statement that was praised by Medvedev (https://civil.ge/archives/117985)
• 2-3 December: NATO FMs meet in Brussels. Georgia hopes for the development of a mechanism for deeper integration. (https://civil.ge/archives/117996)
  • The Annual National Program is approved for Ukraine and Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/118003)
• 3 December: Barroso announces the Eastern Partnership and a 600 million EUR funding for the project (https://civil.ge/archives/118015)
• 15 December: Saakashvili states during a speech to steelworkers in Rustavi that Tbilisi had started negotiations with Brussels and Washington over FTAs (https://civil.ge/archives/118082)
• 29 December: The USS Taylor makes a port call in Poti (https://civil.ge/archives/118156)
• 20 January 2009: The European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner visiting Tbilisi announces that distribution of the 500 million EUR package to Georgia would be under political conditions and opposing any expenditure into the military. (https://civil.ge/archives/185650)
• 26 January: NATO resumes contacts with Russia during a meeting on Afghanistan between Dmitry Rogozin and the NATO Ambassadors in Brussels (https://civil.ge/archives/118267)
• 20 February: Georgian and NATO MODs meet in the frames of the NATO-Georgia Commission, during which Scheffer said that future NATO assistance would "not be with weapons, but with support for planning, airspace management and others." (https://civil.ge/archives/118397)
• 5 March: NATO-Georgia Commission meeting in Brussels to discuss the development of Georgia's ANP. Meeting took place at the FM level and Cliton attended despite other expectations. She was the first Obama official to say NATO's open door policy should remain for Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/118458)
• 31 March: The US naval frigate Klarkring makes a port call in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/118581)
• 4 April: Following the Strasbourg-Kehl NATO Summit, NATO leders pledge to "maximize their advise, assistance and support" to Georgia's reform efforts based on the ANP (https://civil.ge/archives/118600)
• 7 April: Following a meeting with NATO PA President John Tanner in Tbilisi, Saakashvili states that NATO doors had "reopened" for Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/118612)
• From May 6 to June 1, NATO and partner states held multinational military exercises in Vaziani. Kazakhstan pulled out following Russian protests, but 19 states participated (https://civil.ge/archives/118701)q
• On 7 May 2009, the Czech Presidency hosted in Prague the EaP Summit, with the attendance of MS and the presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine and reps from Belarus and Moldova. Saakashvili announced this would lead to free trade and visa-free regime (https://civil.ge/archives/118804)
• On 26 June 2009, the French Navy F70 type anti-submarine frigate Montcalm made a port call in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/119084)
• On 27 June 2009, NATO annouced reestablishing its ties with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/119090)
• The USS Stout, a guided missile destroyer, made a port call in Batumi on 14 July 2009 and participated in combined training exercices with the Georgian coast guard (https://civil.ge/archives/119137)
• In an interview with the WSJ in July 2009, Saakashvili said that Georgia's hopes of joining NATO were almost dead because of the war (https://civil.ge/archives/119179)
• On 25 August 2009, Tbilisi and the European Commission agreed on a text of agreements on visa facilitation and readmission (https://civil.ge/archives/119305)
• On 2 September, PM Gilauri announced that Georgia was ready to start negotiations on an FTA. This came days after the sacking of Economy Minister Lasha Zhvania, who claimed one of his main divisions with the PM was the latter's unwillingness to start FTA negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/119331)
• The EU-Georgia Cooperation Council met in October 2009. The EU noted the need for a second wave of demcratic reforms in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/119511)
• The US guided missile destroyer John L Hall makes a port call in Poti and holds training exercises with coast guard in Batumi in February 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/119918)
• Poland took over the presidency of the EU in the second half of 2010. Tusk pledged to elaborate plans on the DCFTA and visa liberalization (https://civil.ge/archives/119969)
• In May 2010, EU Commissioner Fule stated that the "ultra-liberal economic environment" of Georgia was not in line with the pillars of the EU-Georgia future partnerships and indicated that changes were necessary for the DCFTA. (https://civil.ge/archives/120173)
• The Open Door Policy remained in position. However, at the NATO-Georgia Commission meeting of 11 June 2010, NATO stated that a lot of reforms needed to be done, including in democracy, civilian oversight of defense and security forces (https://civil.ge/archives/120281)
• On 17 June 2010, Tbilisi and Brussels signed an agreement on visa facilitation, cutting regulations and fees (https://civil.ge/archives/120299)
• Official negotiations for the Association Agreement were launched between Catherine Ashton and Saakashvili on 15 July 2010 in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/120379)
• A radical change in tone, Saakashvili said in September 2010 in an interview with Al Jazeera that non only did he not set a deadline for NATO integration before the end of his term, Georgia was not "fixated only on NATO" (https://civil.ge/archives/185716)
• European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso stated in November 2010 that Georgia needed to implement and enforce economic regulations before launching talks on DCFTA (https://civil.ge/archives/120073)
  • Barroso called on Georgia to apply for Energy Community membership (https://civil.ge/archives/120073)
• The 2010 Strategic Concept adopted at the Lisbon Summit of NATO reiterated the Bucharest Summit decision (https://civil.ge/archives/185735)
• The Lisbon Summit declaration was interpreted by Saakashvili and some experts as implying that Georgia could reach NATO integration without the MAP requirement (https://civil.ge/archives/185743)
• The US guided-missile desttroyr Gonzalez DDG 66 made a port call in Batumi on 2 December 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/118964)
• WikiLeaks revealed that Russia saw the EaP as an anti-Russian initiative (https://civil.ge/archives/185765)
• Many European leaders criticizes Saakashvili's plan to transform Georgia's economy into Singapore. Saakashvili criticized the Europeans for that but then changed his rhetoric to state he wanted to compare to Estonia (https://civil.ge/archives/185795)
• In February 2011, the Georgian government admitted that launching trade talks was difficult with the EU (https://civil.ge/archives/185809)
• The US guided missile cruiser Anzio made a port call in Batumi on 9 June 2011 and engaged in trainings with the Georgian Coast Guard (https://civil.ge/archives/121176)
• The US guided missile cruiser Monterey did a port call in Batumi on 20 June 2011, prompting Russia's protest (https://civil.ge/archives/121208)
• In July 2011, Vaziani hosted joint military drills between US Marines and Georgian soldiers. This is Agile Spirit 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/116609)
• In September 2011, Saakashvili started talking of joint European integration strategy with Moldova (https://civil.ge/archives/121381)
• On 13 Sep 2011, the Lithuanian FM said that Georgia deserved strong signal from NATO (https://civil.ge/archives/186045)
• On 17 October 2011, the US guided missile cruiser Philippine Sea made a port call in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/121476)
• NAC paid its second visit to Georgia on 9 November 2011, headed by SG Rasmussen (https://civil.ge/archives/121520)
  • During the NAC meeting, chaired by SG, Rasmussen stated that Georgia's ticket to membership was further reforms. (https://civil.ge/archives/186106)
  • Rasmussen though denied that Georgia's ISAF contributions would not be a direct link to membership (https://civil.ge/archives/186108)
• In November 2011, Saakashvili stated he hoped trade talks would be launched with the EU by the end of the year (https://civil.ge/archives/121542)
• The European Union launched free trade negotiations on DCFTA with Georgia and Moldova on 5 December 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/121602)
• In his state of the nation address of February 2012, he said Georgia would work as a window to Europe for the entire Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/186239)
• Agile Spirit 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/186257)
  • Moscow called them a provocation (https://civil.ge/archives/186266)
• In March 2012, Senator Richard Lugar introduced a NATO Enlargement Bill in the Senate calling on the Obama administration to provide a clear roadmap for the accession of BH, Georgia, Macedonia and Montenegro to NATO at the Chicago Summit (https://civil.ge/archives/186259)
• At his senate hearing in March 2012, Ambassador-designate Norland stated that the parliamentary elections would be a litmus test for membership to NATO (https://civil.ge/archives/121813)
• Ahead of the NATO Chicago Summit, Tbilisi lobbied for the final declaration to include the wording "Georgia is closer to NATO membership than ever before'(https://civil.ge/archives/186307)
  • In the final declaration, NATO leaders welcomed Georgia's progress in implementing reforms to meet its Euro-Atlantic aspirations and reiterated the Bucharest decision (https://civil.ge/archives/186346)
  • Speaking to journalists in Chicago, Saakashvili stated that Georgia would be in the best possible shape by the next summit and there would be no reason to reject its membership (https://civil.ge/archives/186349)
• Lavrov continued to use his international meetings to oppose Georgia's NATO membership (https://civil.ge/archives/186308)
• Lithuanian PM Kubilius visited Georgia in May 2012 and Saakashvili took him to his vineyard. During their conversation, Saakashvili pledged to close the DCFTA talks soon and finalize a deal during the Lithuanian presidency of the EU, which coincided with the end of his presidency, in late 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/121893)
• Vashadze in Brussels on 4 June 2012 launches visa liberalization talks with the European Commission (https://civil.ge/archives/121985)
• Saakashvili stated that Georgia had a real chance to become a member of NATO in 2014 (https://civil.ge/archives/186395)
• In June 2012, Vashadze stated that Georgia was consulting with the EU to sign a framework agreement on participation in CSDP missions, something already forseen in the 2011 Joint Declaration of the EaP (https://civil.ge/archives/122030)
• Saakashvili was close to the EPP, even hosting a EPP Summit in Batumi in July 2012. The EPP backed Georgia's membership aspirations (note unusual nature) (https://civil.ge/archives/122078)
  • Note here that Orban campaigned for him in Sep 2012 and that Carl Bildt indicated being worried about Ivanishvili, while Polish FM and others also visited in the weeks ahead of the elections.
• The US guided missile destroyer Bulkeley did a port call in Batumi in August 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/123078)
• Three NATO ships (German and Turkish) made a port call in Batumi in September 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/123141)

• Glucksmann
  • MS called on the West to impose targeted pressures on the governing economic or political class of Russia. He assumed that blocking Russian wealthy people from vacationing in the West or sending their kids to study in Europe would lead to changes. He also called for changes to the visa regime with Russia for Europe (180)

• The 2010 Lisbon Summit reaffirmed that Georgia would one day become a NATO member (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6880&i=1)
  • He became the second leader in the world after the Dalai Lama to address the European Parliament twice
• In their January 2012 meeting in the White House, President Obama confirmed that Tbilisi and DC were exploring the prospects of a free trade agreement, although without laying a timetable on this (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=7312&i=1)
• His June 2010 visit to France was mainly focused on negotiating a visa-simplification agreement (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=5227&i=6)
• The NATO Liaison Office in Tbilisi was opened during the September 2010 visit of the NATO SG (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=5227&i=6)
• On 26 july 2011, during the visit of president komorowski to georgia, ms said that georgia was a 'pro-polish' nation (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=6801&i=4)

• During his 24 June 2011 visit to Georgia, EU Commissioner Stefan Fule, Tbilisi and Brussels agreed to start free-trade nations by the end of the year (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=6616&i=6)
  • A month later, Fule visited Batumi and MS flew him personally in a plane (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=6688&i=5)
• He backed the Western operation in Libya, calling it an example of European leadership (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=7108&i=4)
• Erdogan reiterated Turkey's support for Georgia's NATO integration in June 2013 (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=8212&i=1)

Conflits gelés

• Zourabichvili
  • The refugee camps were built along the highway taken by every delegation (142)
  • But the houses, while their facades looked good, lacked proper foundations and wer without any lands. (142-143)
  • The camps had one bathroom for every four house (143)
  • This was criticized because each home cost 35,000 laris, more than what it would have cost to buy and remodel houses near the conflict zone (143)
  • Merabishvili was placed in charge of the IDP housing (272)
  • On 30 November 2008, MS and the Polish President traveled to Akhalgori, against the security concerns of Poland. The presidential convoy would be targeted by shots, and while Georgia accused SO or Russia, the Polish security forces hinted at a Georgian plot (272-273)
  • In December 2008, Ilia II, who met with Medvedev at the burial of Patriarch Alexis, obtained the removal of Russian forces from Perevi. This was in condition of European monitors. But MIA immediately dispatched massively armed forces and the Russians returned (273)

• Rayfield
  • MS withdrew belatedly from the CIS (400)
  • On 26 August 2008, Russia recognized Ab and SO (400)
  • It would be followed, partially through financial means, by Venezuela, Nauru, Nicaragua and Vanuatu (until 2011) (400)
  • Russian business openly took over the economies of both regions (400)
  • In 2010, Russia reopened the border crossing at Lars for the benefit of transit to Armenia (401)
  • Russia maintained infrastructures in Georgia (401)

• Kavadze
  • Followign the war, Russia recogmized Abkhazia and South Ossetia, opened embassies, built up two military bases and started the borderization process. (77)
  • Georgia engaged in a policy of non-recognition by opening new embassies in South-East Asia, Africa and Latin America (78)
  • It opened new missions in nearly all EU/NATO/CIS countries and offered an active and aggrressive diplomacy affordable for such a small country (78)
  • In November 2011, under Western pressure and Swiss mediation, Georgia and Russia struck a deal to remove Georgia's veto to Russia's accesstion to the WTO with a monitoring deal of trade at the Abkhaz and SO borders with Russia (80)
  • Russia entered the WTO but the deal never materialized (80)
  • The NS concept of 2012, which is the last of its name, outlines local, regional and global threats and underlines the need to mobilize the international community

• The 1 September 2008 EU Summit on Georgia decision to not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia launched Georgia's non-recognition policy. It was welcomed and reiterated by the US on 2 Sep (https://civil.ge/archives/117338)
• 3 September 2008: Armenia rules out recognizing (https://civil.ge/archives/117368)
• 5 September 2008: Nicaragua recognizes (https://civil.ge/archives/117382)
• In September 2008, Kokoity stated that IDPs wishing to return would need to abandon their Georgian citizenship and adopt the SO citizenship (https://civil.ge/archives/117520)
• Abkhazia started working on reinforcing its ABL in Sep 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/117536)
  • While Moscow and Baghapsh announced Russian bases in Gudauta, Ochamchire and Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/117537)
• In late Sep 2008, Putin talked of abolishing border restrictions with SO (https://civil.ge/archives/117559)
• After the closure of the Russian embassy in Tbilisi, Switzerland started representing Russia's interests in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/117632)
• On 8 October (GID to start on 15th), Sarkozy called for the GID to be "all-inclusive", hinting a support for the inclusion of Abkhaz and SO reps (https://civil.ge/archives/117661)
• On 9 October 2008, the UNSC extended UNOMIG's mandate to 15 February 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/118994)
• The GID started on 15 October 2008, were co-hosted by the EU, UN and the OSCE. The first meeting started with a meeting between US, Georgian and Russian delegations, while Abkhaz and SO delegations were involved in the working groups (https://civil.ge/archives/117693)
  • Tbilisi called for the involvement of Sanakoev and the AB GiE (https://civil.ge/archives/117709)
    • The first talks were held in a shroud of secrecy with no pictures and no media on place allowed.
  • Russia walked out of the negotiating process (https://civil.ge/archives/117714)
  • Giga Bokeria was the Georgian negotiator. Pierre Morel was the EU special rep. Russia walking out meant the talks were suspended and rescheduled (https://civil.ge/archives/117715)
• On 13 October 2008, EU FMs disagreed on continuing talks with Russia over a partnership agreement, with some states demanding from Moscow a full following of the August 12 ceasefire. This failure to agree meant the EU delayed its partnership talks with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/117722)
• On 20 October, MP Givi Targamadze warned of a new conflict over Akhalgori (https://civil.ge/archives/117741)
• On 20 October, Shamba stated Abkhazia would not allow the return of all IDPs (https://civil.ge/archives/117742)
• Another 2000 (total of 7000) Russian troops were brought to SO in October 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/117761)
• In October 2008, tensions increased in the Abkhaz conflict line, which included the killing of the Tsalenjikha Mayor and of an ethnic Georgian official from Gali (https://civil.ge/archives/117784)
• South Ossetia blew up a bridge on the ABL on 31 October linking Kveshi (GE) AND aRTSEVI (SO) (https://civil.ge/archives/117812)
• Saakashvili signed the Law on Occupied Territories on 31 October 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/117815)
• Tbilisi wanted the separatists to only be present at informal working group sessions within the GID (https://civil.ge/archives/117826)
• The EUMM demanded access to SO and Abkhazia but were blocked by separatist authoritie (https://civil.ge/archives/117837)
• 13 November 2008: Irakli Alasania, UN Envoy to Georgia, stated that the non-recognition policy had become the number one priority of Georgia's foreign policy (https://civil.ge/archives/117897)
• 15 November: An EUMM mission on the Abkhaz ABL investigating the murder of a Georgian police officer comes under fire from the Abkhaz side (https://civil.ge/archives/117915)
  • Sokhumi claims the incident took place as the EUMM and armed Georgian units crossed into Abkhaz territory, something that the EUMM denied (https://civil.ge/archives/117917)
• 17 November:
  • The Georgian delegation heads to Geneva for the GID, including Sanakoev and Malkhaz Akishbaia of the Abkhaz GiE (https://civil.ge/archives/117916)
  • A crashed drone in Plavi (SO ABL) explodes, killing two Georgian de-miners and injuring nine, including a child (https://civil.ge/archives/117919)
• 18 November: Sokhumi downgrades its delegation to Geneva from FM Shamba to DFM Maksim Gvinjia as Georgia sends Bokeria (then DFM) as delegation head (https://civil.ge/archives/117904)
• 23 November: Kaczinski, on official visit to Georgia, visits the ABL, coming close to a checkpoint with Saakashvili near Akhalgori, where the presidential convoys meet fire. There are immediate suspicions of staging by Polish media. (https://civil.ge/archives/117958)
  • Lavrov claimed this was a staged provocation (https://civil.ge/archives/117959)
  • According to Tskhinvali, the convoy turned around when it was refused entrance into Akhalgori (https://civil.ge/archives/117962)
  • The international community, including the EU and NATO, did not immediately blame Russia and stated there were conflicting reports. (https://civil.ge/archives/117966)
    • Kaczinski alleged Russian soldiers were behind this and PM Tusk called for an investigation.
  • A Polish gov report blamed Kaczinski's office for poor planning and Georgian security service for falure to ensure proper security (https://civil.ge/archives/117983)
• 25 November: HRW states that SO militias are running wild in Akhalgori, attacking ethnic Georgians, murdering some (https://civil.ge/archives/117974)
• 28 November: Tbilisi cuts diplomatic ties with Nicaragua (https://civil.ge/archives/117989)
• 1 December: Intensive fire on the SO ABL. EUMM announcing relocating its Poti field office to Khashuri to focus attention to SO (https://civil.ge/archives/117991)
• 4 December: London calls on the OSCE to reestablish its military monitors but accuses Georgian authorities to force IDPs to move back into regions adjacent to SO before security guarantees could be assured (https://civil.ge/archives/118018)
• 5 December:
  • More shooting reported at the SO ABL (https://civil.ge/archives/118021)
  • Lavrov accuses at the OSCE Foreign Ministerial Tbilisi of cutting gas distribution to SO ahead of the winter, denied by Georgia which claims the distribution network could not be repaired following the war (https://civil.ge/archives/118025)
• 10 December: An OSCE monitoring vehicle is shot at from SO (https://civil.ge/archives/118059)
• 18 December: Third round of GIDs. Progress is reported on agreeing to working-level mechanisms to tackle security-related incidents on the ground. (https://civil.ge/archives/118102)
  • The main point of contention was Georgia's insistence that international observers be allowed access to incident sites, including on the other side of the OL (https://civil.ge/archives/118104)
• 22 December: Russia vetoes the extension of the 16-year-old OSCE Mission to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/118117)
• 23 December: Saakashvili states being ready to hold talks with Russia 'anytime at any level' but conditions any agreement to the recognition of Georgia's territorial integrity.
  • Kommersant reports that Saakashvili tapped Mikheil Khubutia, head of the Union of Georgians in Russia, as a possible intermediary with Russian authorities. The two allegedly met in Munich (https://civil.ge/archives/118127)
• 24 December: Tbilisi deploys its new Cobra armored vehicles to areas close to the OLs. This was the first deployment of this Turkish-made vehicle. The deployment was criticized by the EUMM, although it wasn't in violation of the ceasefire agreement. (https://civil.ge/archives/118145)
• Greece, which took the chairmanship of the OSCE in January 2009, pledged to continue diplomatic efforts to restore the OSCE mission (https://civil.ge/archives/118168)
  • But by May, all of Greece's efforts had failed to convince Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/118848)
• 28 December: Russia's Inter RAO and the Georgian Ministry of Energy sign an agreement over management of Enguri HPP (https://civil.ge/archives/118194)
  • The deal was very controversial. (https://civil.ge/archives/118200)
  • The Republican Party called for an investigation into the background of the deal (https://civil.ge/archives/118204)
  • The Conservative Party called it a military capitulation
  • The Labor Party decried the loss of energy independence
  • Georgia's Way called it a huge crime and accused Saakashvili of being a traitor
  • The CDP said it was in violation of the Law on OTs.
• 4 January: MIA post in Ganmukhuri comes under fire. No injury. Sokhumi denies any involvement, accuses Tbilisi of staging the provocation to justify sending additional forces (https://civil.ge/archives/118171)
• 5 January: Gazprom chief Alexei Miller announces that Georgia was prepared to resume gas supplies to Tskhinvali through the Agara-Tskhinvali pipeline, damaged during the war. (https://civil.ge/archives/118175)
• 8 January: Orsantia (Samegrelo) comes under fire from automatic grenade launchers from the village of Otobaia (Gali). Sokhumi denies any involvement. (https://civil.ge/archives/118182)
• 12 January: Switzerland and Georgia sign an agreement on the protection of Georgia's interests in Russia by Switzerland (https://civil.ge/archives/118196)
• 14 January: The MIA post on the Enguri Bridge comes under fire. No injury reported (https://civil.ge/archives/118209)
• 16 January: A Georgian police officer is shot dead in Knoveli by sniper fire near SO (https://civil.ge/archives/118214)
• 18 January: A Georgian policeman is injured in a shooting in Koki near Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/118224)
• 19 January: Two Georgian policemen are injured in a shooting in Dvani, near SO (https://civil.ge/archives/118228)
• 21 January: Georgia claims having repaired the damaged section of its part of the Agara-Tskhinvali pipeline. (https://civil.ge/archives/118239)
• 22 January: Upon request by the EU and the OSCE, Tbilisi grants a special permit to Itera-Georgia to distribute gas to Tskhinvali through the Agara-Tskhinvali pipeline. (https://civil.ge/archives/118244)
• 25 January: Gas supply is restored to Tskhinvali for the first time since the war (https://civil.ge/archives/118258)
• 26 January:
  • Tbilisi opposes Greece's plan to restore OSCE presence by establishing an independent Tskhinvali office, per Russia's request (https://civil.ge/archives/118263)
  • MOD and EUMM sign a memorandum imposing "certain restrictions" on the movement of Georgian armed forces near the OLs and requires the MOD to give advance information to the EUMM before troop movement. (https://civil.ge/archives/118270)
    • The Memorandum also creates a restricted-armament zone within 15 km of Abkhazia and SO in which no more than one battalion of troops is allowed and wherein the MOD will not deploy its artillery. (https://civil.ge/archives/118281)
• In January 2009, Russia started building a naval base in Ochamchire (https://civil.ge/archives/118269) and an air base in Gudauta (https://civil.ge/archives/118284)
• On 2 February 2009, Tbilisi stated that Minsk was being pressured by Moscow to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/118304)
  • Javier Solana warned personally Lukashenko against this move (https://civil.ge/archives/118392)
• Tbilisi rejected the signing of a non-use of force treaty with Sokhumi and Tskhinvali as demanded by Russia because of the recognition principle (https://civil.ge/archives/118309)
• On 13 February 2009, the UN Security Council, through French lobbying, voted to extend its UNOMIG mission until 15 June despite fears of a Russian veto (https://civil.ge/archives/118367)
• On 18 February, during the fourth GID round, the sides agreed to weekly meetings on the ground as incident prevention mechanisms. A 24-hour hotline was also established (https://civil.ge/archives/118386)
• 27 February: 2 Georgians are detained by SO separatists, talks of being kidnapped (https://civil.ge/archives/118429)
• 3 March: Moscow limitedly resumes visa service for Georgia, to the same levels as before diplomatic ties were cut (https://civil.ge/archives/118440)
• 20 March: The Kremlin signs an agreement with de facto authorities to protect their borders (https://civil.ge/archives/118526)
• 29 March: A Georgian policeman is killed in a mine blast in Dvani (near SO). Total number of Georgian policemen killed since the war is 12 (https://civil.ge/archives/118568)
• On 23 April 2009, the first ever Ergneti IPRM takes place between Tbilisi and Tshinvali. EU and OSCE reps also present (https://civil.ge/archives/118704)
• The fifth round of GID takes place on 18 May. Abkhazia boycotts, waiting for a report by the UN SG on Abkhazia. Russia walked out as a result (https://civil.ge/archives/118868)
  • On 19 May, Russia and Abkhazia took part as the UN presented its report and removed the wording "Abkhazia, Georgia" from the title, instead calling the report "Report of the Secretary-General, pursuant to Security Council Resolutions 1808, 1839 and 1866." (https://civil.ge/archives/118870)
    • The change in title was criticized by Lomaia as Russia blackmailing the Secretariat (https://civil.ge/archives/118930)
      • This accusation was denied directly b Ban Ki-moon (https://civil.ge/archives/118938)
  • During the fifth round, the sides discussed establishing concept papers on five issues: socio-eeconomic rehabilitation, property and housing rights, facilitating returns, legal status of refugees and IDPs, and the rehabilitation of water supplies (https://civil.ge/archives/118874)
• In May 2009, it became known that Benetoon's Turkey branch was planning on opening a store in Sokhumi. Tbilisi protested this as a violation of the Law on Occupied Territories. Georgian pressure with the Turkish government made Benetton change its mind (https://civil.ge/archives/118941)
• On 29 May 2009, shots were fired in Koshka (Gori) and a police car patrolling Lamiskana. No injury reported. (https://civil.ge/archives/118940)
• In Jun 2009, Saakashvili accused Russia of having transformed South Ossetia into a military camp (https://civil.ge/archives/118961)
• On 15 June 2009, Russia vetoed the UN resolution prolonging UNOMIG, putting an end to the 15-year old mission (https://civil.ge/archives/119034)
• 22 June 2009: Shooting reported in Muzhava (Tsalenjikha). No injury reported (https://civil.ge/archives/119064)
• On 21 June, meanwhile, a mine blast near the Abkhaz ABL targeted a EUMM convoy, killing a medical driver (https://civil.ge/archives/119066)
• On 30 June 2009, the OSCE mission ended, 17 years after its establishment (https://civil.ge/archives/119098)
• RACHA CONTROVERSY: On 11 June 2009, the Chanchakhi River Bridge is blown up and residents in Glola blame Georgian law enforcement agencies. At the same time, Georgian border guards pull back 20 km into Georgian territory from the Russian border. This bridge was closed to Gurshevi (deserted village in SO) but was also used by border guards to access the border Mamisoni Pass. While the MIA claimed originally that the bridge had collapsed naturally, evidence pointed at a controlled demolition. It was believed that this happened as SO authorities and Russia were attempting to gain control of the region and Georgian forces pulled back to prevent a clash. (https://civil.ge/archives/119062)
• Sixth round of GID took place on 1 July 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/119101)
  • Abkhazia and Georgia reached agreement on launching routine security talks (https://civil.ge/archives/119105)
  • The first Gali IPRM took place on 14 July (https://civil.ge/archives/119151)
• On 8 July 2009, Abkhazia alleged Georgia had resumed drone flights over Abkhazia, which was denied by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/119129)
• In July 2009, the Ergneti IPRM came under threat because of a disagreement between Tskhinvali over who should chair the meetings (https://civil.ge/archives/119131)
• In July 2009, Tbilisi called for adding US to the EUMM (https://civil.ge/archives/119182)
• On 29 July 2009, Nikozi came under intense fire. Two explosions were reported in the outskirts of Tskhinvali. No casualty (https://civil.ge/archives/119222)
• 3 August: Grenades from Tskhinvali are launched at the Georgian police post of Plavismani. No injury is reported. Tskhinvali claims that mortar fire was fired from Plavismani to Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/119241)
• 6 August: Moscow marks one year since the war and calls on Georgia to sign non-use of force treaties with Abkhazia and South Ossetia as a confidence measure (https://civil.ge/archives/119252)
• 11 August: Gali IPRM. Tbilisi pushes for free movement across the ABL. Sokhumi meanwhile restricts movement only through Enguri and requires a special permission paper to cross. Sokhumi also raises the issue of David Sigua, who remains missing, despite Tbilisi's assurances denying any involvement (https://civil.ge/archives/119273)
• 12 August: During Putin's visit to Sokhumi, two blasts in Gagra kill two and injure three. Sokhumi accuses Georgian special services of being behind the attack, which is described by the COE as an act of terror (https://civil.ge/archives/119280)
• 14 August: SO IPMR in Dvani. First meeting in two months as the sides could not agree on which would chair the meetings. Recent shootings are discussed and Tskhinvali pledged to investigate shootings coming from its side. Tskhinvali raised the issue of five SO detained by Georgia (2 during the war and three in October 2008) (https://civil.ge/archives/119281)
• In August 2009, Georgian coast guard detained the Azerbaijani captain of the Turkish ship Buket and the Syrian captain of the ship Afro Star who had made a series of trips to Sokhumi in violation of Georgian law (https://civil.ge/archives/119303)
  • In response, on 28 August, the FSB announced it would escort ships coming to and leaving from the Port of Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/119319)
• Saakashvili tried to attract the economic opportunities of Georgia to the Abkhaz by pledging to build Ganmukhuri into one of the best resorts of the Black Sea by 2012 and even comparing the plans to Ibiza and Monaco (https://civil.ge/archives/119321)
• 2 September 2009: Baghapsh orders the Abkhaz Navy to destroy Georgian coast guard vessels if they enter Abkhaz territorial waters (https://civil.ge/archives/119328)
  • Baghapsh claims Russian forces would not be involved.
  • A total of 4 ships going to or from Abkhazia were detained in 2009 by then
  • The EUMM expressed concern over the maritime tensions and criticized statements by Tbilisi, Moscow and Sokhumi (https://civil.ge/archives/119332)
  • Russia accuses Tbilisi of imposing a sea blockade on Abkhazia and violating international maritime navigation rules and warns that full responsibility for "possible unpredictable consequences" completely lies with Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/119337)
• 3 September: Ergneti IPRM. Tbilisi demands release of Georgians arrested on 31 August on smuggling timber charges (https://civil.ge/archives/119334)
• 8 September: Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu visits Tbilisi to meet with MS and negotiate the release of the Turkish captain condemned for 24 years imprisonment. Reportedly, prior to the visit, Tbilisi agreed to release him in return for a 18,000 USD fine. (https://civil.ge/archives/119348)
  • The day of his visit, Georgian court releases him for a 30,000 GEL fine (https://civil.ge/archives/119353)
  • Gali IPRM addresses the issue (https://civil.ge/archives/119355)
• 9 September: UNGA passes IDP resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/119359)
  • Saakashvili calls it a Georgian diplomatic victory and a Russian diplomatic defeat and shame (https://civil.ge/archives/119360)
• 10 September: Venezuela recognizes Abkhazia and South Ossetia. (https://civil.ge/archives/119361)
  • Tbilisi accuses Caracas of accepting millions in credit and armament from Russia in exchange (https://civil.ge/archives/119363)
• 16 September: Lukashenko announces the Belarusian Parliament would start considering recognition (https://civil.ge/archives/119379)
• 21 September: Russia deploys the coast guard vessel Novorossiysk off Abkhazia to protect its territoial waters (https://civil.ge/archives/119390)
• 24 September: Georgian police pickup explodes with a mine in Dvani. No injury (https://civil.ge/archives/119408)
• 25 September: At the UN, Saakashvili calls the OL the "New Berlin Wall" (https://civil.ge/archives/119413)
• 14 October: Four towers of high-voltage power line Kartli 2 were damaged by remote-control explosive devices close to SO. Tbilisi called it an act of sabotage (https://civil.ge/archives/119477)
• 16 October: Georgia claims Moscow is seeking to launch negotiations with Tbilisi, although Tbilisi refuses because of occupation (https://civil.ge/archives/119486)
  • Moscow responds that Tbilisi is the one sending signals (https://civil.ge/archives/119493)
• 25 October: 16 Georgian civilians east of Akhalgori are detained by the Russian border guards for violation of the SO border (https://civil.ge/archives/119507)
• 26 October: 5 more Georgian civilians are detained close to Balta (SO) (https://civil.ge/archives/119518)
• 30 October: The 5 (https://civil.ge/archives/119524) and 16 (https://civil.ge/archives/119525) are released
• 5 November: 4 Georgian teenagers residents of Tirdznisi are detained in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/119545)
• 9 November: Saakashvili criticizes the EU for lack of a strong reaction on the recent strike of detentions, summoning the French Ambassador (as Paris is believed to be the guarantor of the ceasefire agreement) (https://civil.ge/archives/119559)
  • The EU would issue a statement expressing deep concern on 12 Nov (https://civil.ge/archives/119571)
    • Saakashvili welcomed the statement (https://civil.ge/archives/119575)
• 10 November: 5 Georgian fishermen from Anaklia are detained by Russian forces in Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/119561)
• 11 November: 8th round of GID (a little after the one-year anniversary of the GIDs). No progress noted. Non-use of force treaty still point of dissension (https://civil.ge/archives/119567)
• 30 November: A bus driver is arrested in Perevi by Russian troops after entering the village. Tbilisi accuses Moscow of trying to provoke Russia and escalate the situation with the string of detentions (https://civil.ge/archives/119634)
• When Baghapsh was reelected in December 2009, it was believed he was the most comfortable candidate for both Tbilisi and Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/119680)
• 15 December:
  • Nauru recognizes Abkhazia/SO (https://civil.ge/archives/119684)
  • As the hostage-holding standoff between Tbilisi and Tskhinvali, Saakashvili states that there would be no trade-off over the release of detained individuals with the occupation regime (https://civil.ge/archives/119687)
  • 14 Georgians remain in captivity in Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/119688)
• 19 December: Tskhinvali releases three Georgian teenagers. This came following active involvement of both Commissioner Hammarberg and former PM Zoghaideli (who met with Kokoity and Putin) (https://civil.ge/archives/119705)
• 25 December: Tbilisi unveils its straegy paper on the occupied territories in which it replaces the term puppet regime with proxy regime and proposes to launch special economic zones on both sides of the ABL to foster trade and agricultural enterprises, and aunch dialogue with the Abkhaz community in Turkey. (https://civil.ge/archives/119730)
  • Government endorsed on 27 January 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/119820)
  • Both Paris and Washington welcomed this strategy (https://civil.ge/archives/119826)
  • And the EU (https://civil.ge/archives/119965)
• 9 January 2010: Tskhinvali rejects an IPRM meeting on detained persons (https://civil.ge/archives/119765)
• 28 January: 9th round of GID. No progress (https://civil.ge/archives/119825)
• 31 January: Another Georgian is arrested crossing the border into Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/119844)
• 2 February: Sokhumi calls the new Tbilisi strategy a "soft bribery" and rejects cooperation (https://civil.ge/archives/119840)
• 11 February: Visiting Bakradze in Ankara calls for Turkey to get involved in Tbilisi's new strategy (https://civil.ge/archives/119866)
• 18 February: Moscow, Sokhumi sign a military treaty, condemned by the international community (https://civil.ge/archives/119893)
• 2 March: Sokhumi and Tbilisi accuse each other of politicizing humanitarian agencies after Georgia asks agencies not to sign documents setting up a legal framework in the region (https://civil.ge/archives/119936)
• March: Georgia establishes diplomatic relations with 13 counties: Fiji, Comoros, Brunei, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Botswana, Cape Verde and Liberia (adding up to 135 out of 191) (https://civil.ge/archives/120018)
• 30 March:
  • Tbilisi releases six Ossetians arrested on various charges in previous years (https://civil.ge/archives/120020)
  • 10th round of GID (https://civil.ge/archives/120021)
• Following the March 2010 visit by Abkhaz FM Maxim Gvinjia to Bolivia and Ecuador, Tbilisi sent Deputy FM Alexander Nalbandov there (https://civil.ge/archives/120095)
• On 22 April 2010, SO authorities arrested Teymuraz Jerapov (former Minister of Economy of Sanakoev's Administration) for crossing the border close to Sinaguri (https://civil.ge/archives/120103)
• 2 May: Tskhinvali releases three Georgians (https://civil.ge/archives/120127)
• 4 May: Tskhinvali and Sokhumi reject Tbilisi's proposal to set up international missions in the regions to monitor the human rights situation (https://civil.ge/archives/185687)
• 8 May: Saakashvili visits Costa Rica to attend the inauguration of President-elect Laura Chinchilla (https://civil.ge/archives/120154)
• 13 May: 3 more Georgians are released by Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/120128)
• Saakashvili called Ortega and Chavez "psychologically abnormal leaders" (https://civil.ge/archives/120210)
• 1 June: Lithuanian Parliament passes a resolution condemning Russian aggression and occupation of parts of Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/120251)
• 8 June: 11th round of GID. Georgia underlines need of international security mechanisms, including international police and peacekeeping missions (https://civil.ge/archives/120268)
  • Tense talks lead to a walkout by the Abkhaz/SO delegations (https://civil.ge/archives/120274)
  • Sokhumi announces pulling out temporarily from the GIDs on 24 June (https://civil.ge/archives/185692)
    • Tbilisi accuses Moscow of trying to undermining the GIDs as an attempt to destabilize Georgia and the South Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/120319)
• On 3 July 2010, the Government approved its Action Plan for Engagement, a document laying out the steps of its earlier-approved Strategy on OTs. The document laid out the following: (https://civil.ge/archives/120359)
  • International humanitarian organizations as liaison with OTs
  • Issuance of neutral ID and travel documents to the residents of the OTs
  • Trust Fund to serve as an advisory body for global donors for projects in the OTs
  • A Joint Investment Fund to provide seed money for ventures on both sides of the OLs
  • Cration of the Cooperation Agency within the State Ministry for Reintegration to assist carrying out state-funded programs
  • Financial Institution in Sokhumi and Tskhinvali to facilitate cash transfers, to be operated by a Georgian bank.
  • Integrated Social-Economic Zone on both sides of the OLs
    • The plan was welcomed by the EU (https://civil.ge/archives/120363)
• On 15 July 2010, Georgia said it should not just count on France to pressure Russia to follow the ceasefire agreement and instead called on Georgian leadership to talk to Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/120381)
• 27 July: 12th round of GIDs, with participation of Abkhazia (https://civil.ge/archives/120411)
• The EUMM was extended for a year on 26 July 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/120415)
• Saakashvili himself visited Colombia on 7 August for the inauguration of President Santos (https://civil.ge/archives/120427)
  • He met Santos and President Leonel Fernandez of Domincan Republic (https://civil.ge/archives/120437)
• On 7 October 2010, PM Gilauri stated that Georgia would remove its WTO veto on Russia if Russia allowed transparency at its customs checkpoints in Abkhazia and South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/185718)
• 14 October: 13th round of GIDs. Russia announces withdrawal from Perevi (https://civil.ge/archives/119040)
• 23 November: At a speech in front of the European Parliament, Saakashvili makes a unilateral pledge of non-use of force, announces being ready for comprehensive talks with Medvedev, calls on the European Parliament to qualify Russian presence as occupation. (https://civil.ge/archives/185741)
  • Sokhumi stated being suspicious and cautious (https://civil.ge/archives/185750)
  • The EU welcomed the pledge (https://civil.ge/archives/185751)
  • Moscow said the pledge @creates a new situation in the region@ (https://civil.ge/archives/185762)
• 25 November: Borderization process begis near Ditsi (https://civil.ge/archives/185752)
• 9 December: US Senator Jeanne Shaheen introduces a resolution recognizing Abkhazia and SO as occupied by the Russian Federation (https://civil.ge/archives/185763)
• WikiLeaks revealed that in 2009, Helga Schmid had called on Tbilisi to talk with Sokhumi directly, something that the Abkhazians wanted (https://civil.ge/archives/185764)
• 16 December: 14th round of GIDs. Tbilisi is disappointed. No breakthrough (https://civil.ge/archives/185767)
• 18 February: Moscow claims that Saakashvili's ouvertures toward Russia are just a PR move (https://civil.ge/archives/185811)
• On 27 May 2011, Vanuatu recognized Abkhazia, which launched the controversial recognition process (https://civil.ge/archives/185937)
• 3 June: Vashadze visits Cuba (https://civil.ge/archives/121164)
• 7 June: 16th round of GIDs. Tbilisi warns it will withdraw from the process if Russia continues its terrorist attacks. This came as in the week prior the meeting, two residents of Gali were arrested after being instructed of placing an explosive in a market and a man was arrested for planning to blow up the NATO Liaison Office in Tbilisi, each case ordered by Russian officers (https://civil.ge/archives/121173)
• 20 June: 10 Georgian civilians are detained near the Racha-SO ABL as they tried to attend a religious festival in Koz. (https://civil.ge/archives/121213)
  • They're released on 22 June, while Tbilisi condemns the kidnapping of civilians by Russian occupational forces (https://civil.ge/archives/121223)
• 29 June: UNGA passes again the UN IDP resolution (https://civil.ge/archives/121245)
• 1 July: Parliament approves bill on issuing neutral travel documents (https://civil.ge/archives/121249)
• 28 July: Saakashvili visits Peru to attend the inauguration of President Humala. He meets President Ricardo Martinelli of Panama (https://civil.ge/archives/121316)
• 29 July: US Senate passes resolution on occupation (https://civil.ge/archives/186007)
• 23 September: Tuvalu recognizes Abkhazia, SO (https://civil.ge/archives/121412)
• 28 September: Vashadze visits New Zealand, Austrlia and Fiji, first ever visit to the Australasia region (https://civil.ge/archives/121422)
• 4 October: 17th round of GID. No progress (https://civil.ge/archives/121442)
• 7 October: Sarkozy comes to Tbilisi, addresses the public in open air, calls for Russia and Georgia to follow path of reconciliation, for dialogue to replace confrontation rhetoric, calls Russian military buildup in OTs to be contrary to ceasefire, calls on Moscow to reciprocate Tbilisi's non-use of force declaration (https://civil.ge/archives/121454)
• 13 October: First Ambassador of Georgia to South Korea appointed (https://civil.ge/archives/186072)
• 6 December: Parliament approves first-ever ambassadors to Argentina and Australia (https://civil.ge/archives/121604)
• 14 December: 18th round of GIDs. Still no progress (https://civil.ge/archives/121628)
  • Russia demands removing international security arrangements from the agenda (https://civil.ge/archives/186152)
• 30 December: IPRM meeting in Dvani reaches prisoner exchange for 13 prisoners on each side (https://civil.ge/archives/121669)
• 25 January 2012: At a PACE speech, FM Vashadze calls the GID as stalled (https://civil.ge/archives/121700)
• 26 January: Avlabari states Georgia would restore diplomatic ties with Russia if Moscow closes its embassies in Sokhumi and Tskhinvali (https://civil.ge/archives/186188)
• 1 February: MFA donates 200 Georgia-made laptops to Fiji (https://civil.ge/archives/121720)
• 8 February: Moscow slams neutral travel documents as a trick designed to deceive SO and Abkhazia residents (https://civil.ge/archives/186203)
• 17 February: Executive order breaking diplomatic ties with Tuvalu (https://civil.ge/archives/121745)
• 29 March: 19th round of GID. Georgia notes positive development, although Russia continues to refuse to make a non-use of force pledge (https://civil.ge/archives/121835)
• 10 May: Washington confirms assisting Georgia in its non-recognition policy (https://civil.ge/archives/186335)
• 5 June: Washington recognizes Tbilisi's issued neutral travel documents (https://civil.ge/archives/121992)
• 8 June: 20th GID. Shortly before, IPRM with Abkhazia are stopped. No agreement reached (https://civil.ge/archives/121998)
• 19 June: Tbilisi announces university funding in Georgia and abroad for neutral travel document holders (https://civil.ge/archives/186384)
• 3 July: UN IDP resolution passed (https://civil.ge/archives/122060)
• 15 August: Russian reports that SO President Tibilov orders the destruction of Georgian village ruins (https://civil.ge/archives/122161)
• 23 August: Israel becomes ninth country to recognize neutral travel documents after Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and the US (https://civil.ge/archives/186469)
• 17 September: Sokhumi calls for change in the GID format (https://civil.ge/archives/122230)
• 21 September: Tbilisi complains about military buildup in the OTs (https://civil.ge/archives/122245)
• In January 2013, President Saakashvili opposed the Ivanishvili's backing of reopening the railway via Abkhazia, calling it a criminal, anti-state, anti-Georgian act (https://civil.ge/archives/122538)
  • He argued it would lead to Russian expansion in the Caucasus (https://civil.ge/archives/186647)
• The January 2008 renaming of the State Ministry for Conflict Resolution Issues into the State Ministry for Reintegration angered Sokhumi and Tskhinvali. The GD government tried to change the name back in March 2013, but the President was opposed and dragged out the process (https://civil.ge/archives/122669)
• Romania recognized the neutral travel documents in May 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/186696)
• As part of his non-recognition policy, he visited the Water Security Summit in Thailand in May 2013 that gathered many countries susceptible of recognition. He met with the Thai PM and the Lao PM (https://civil.ge/archives/122868)
  • On the sidelines, he met on 20 May the Vanuatu PM, convinced him of withdrawing recognition (https://civil.ge/archives/186710)
• he atended the 24 May 2013 inauguration of President Correa of Ecuador. He also met the Speaker of Algeriás upper house of parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/122886)

• The Force Awakens
  • In 2010, Operation Enver led to the arrest of Russian intelligence officers (http://www.humanrights.ge/index.php?a=text&pid=12605&lang=eng) (126)
  • Yolanda Kakabadse convinced the Ecuadorian government to not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia, she was in touch with the Georgian government (155)

• In November 2010, the MIA arrested a Russian spy network of 15 individuals (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=5769&i=5)
• On 4 May 2011, Avlabari stated that all traces of the Kutaisi planned terrorist attack led to Abkhazia, that is occupied by Russia (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=6294&i=5)
• On 29 February 2012, at the initiatve of the president, the visa-free regime was established on Russian citizens (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=7381&i=3)
• In July 2011, he visited Peru for the inauguration of the new president, the only head of state from outside the region (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=6729&i=5)

Reconstruction militaire

• The Georgian military's capabilities were severely damaged by the war, and Saakashvili's government moved to rebuild them, massively increasing military spending.
• By late 2010, the Georgian military reached a strength greater than that of pre-war levels, after which military spending declined again.
• Although the Georgian government bought large amounts of arms and military equipment from abroad, it also began to seriously invest in an indigenous military industry.
• Starting in 2010, Georgia began to manufacture its own line of armored vehicles, artillery systems, small arms, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

• Zourabichvili
  • Akhalaia, a close Merabishvili ally, was placed at the head of the military to better control it after signs of dissatisfaction following the war (276)

• In the aftermath of the war, several key military figures were dismissed, including: Deputy CoS of the Armed Forces Alexandre Osepaishvili (replaced by Devi Chankotadze), Commander of Land Forces Mamuka Balakhadze (replaced by Zurab Agladze) and National Guard Commander Davit Aptsiauri. They were linked with clear cases of chaos in reservist systems of the country's defense in face of Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/117367)
  • On 12 September, Davit Nairashvili was appointed Deputy CoS of the Armed Forces replacing Giga Tatishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/117452)
• On 4 November 2008, Saakashvili appointed Vice-Colonel Vladimer Chachibaia as CoS of the Armed Forces to replace Zaza Gogava, who was appointed as head of the Border Police. The appointment was made to eradicate "serious flaws" that the Georgian army saw during the war. (https://civil.ge/archives/117832)
• In February 2009, the Georgian Navy was moved away from the armed forces and transfered to the MIA (https://civil.ge/archives/118012)
• On 17 February 2009, Zurab Agladze was replaced as Commander of Land Forces after just six months by Colonel Koba Lachkepiani (https://civil.ge/archives/118379)
• On 5 March 2009, Colonel Vladimer Chachibaia, Chief of Joint Staff of the Armed Forces, was replaced after four months in the job by Devi Chankotadze. Chachibaia became First Deputy MOD in charge of planning and analytical department and military education systems. (https://civil.ge/archives/118448)
  • It would become known that Chachibaia resigned because of his discontent over alleged meddling by Akhalaia in the affairs of the joint staff (https://civil.ge/archives/119312)
• On 11 March, Saakashvili announced a new military doctrine that would be focused on defense instead of "expeditionary capabilities" which had been the focus of the US training programs in the context of Iraq. (https://civil.ge/archives/118480)
  • Following this announcement, General James Cartwright, Vice-Chair of the Joint Chiefs of STaff, visited Georgia and pledged that the US would help train the Georgian army for defense capabilities (https://civil.ge/archives/118576)
• On 2 June 2009, Zurab Arsoshvili (31) was appointed head of the National Guard (https://civil.ge/archives/118957)
• In July 2009, ahead of Biden's visit to Tbilisi, Saakashvili asked the US to provide Georgia with defensive weapons. Days after the Biden visit (consider the Obama reset), the US DOD said that Georgia was not ready for weapons acquisitions. (https://civil.ge/archives/119223)
• In 2009, the US allocated 11 million USD for assistance on simulations center, training and education, training center modernization and defense advisors. (https://civil.ge/archives/119246)
  • After the war, Georgia followed the advice of the EUCOM Armed Forces Assessment
• On 27 August 2009, Saakashvili named Bacho Akhalaia as MOD, citing the need for a "stricter hand" at the helm of the MOD. (https://civil.ge/archives/119312)
  • As Deputy MOD, Akhalaia had built a fortification line around Tbilisi to defend the capital in the summer of 2009
  • Akhalaia's appointment was criticized by the opposition as evidence of Merabishvili's full takeover of the country's security apparatus. (https://civil.ge/archives/119317)
• In November 2009, Saakashvili stated that "miltary-patriotic education" for kids as early as 14 was a cornerstone of what modern Georgia should be based on (https://civil.ge/archives/119553)
  • On 12 January 2010, Saakashvili proposed to introduce military-patriotic education in public schools (https://civil.ge/archives/119772)
  • On 13 January, the Presidential Administration presented more details of the plan, including courses in civil defense and Georgian military history to stimulate soldierly spirit among pupils (https://civil.ge/archives/119775)
  • On 20 January, the Government launched an inter-agency working group to develop a curriculum for Civil Defense and Safety Classes in schools (https://civil.ge/archives/119802)
  • Saakashvili cited the example of Israel (https://civil.ge/archives/119845)
• On 9 November 2009, Russian media claimed that the US was rearming Georgia at the tune of 100 million USD through air defense and anti-tank missile systems indirectly through the Barrington Alliance. Georgia did not deny (https://civil.ge/archives/119563)
• In December 2009, Saakashvili stated that "Each Georgian family, each of our street, region, village, city, each settlement and neighborhood, each house and family should become a bastion, a fortress of resistance." He also said that 100,000 to 500,000 people should stand with arms in their hands to defend the country (https://civil.ge/archives/185670)
• In March 2010, the Air Forces was integrated into the Land Forces to improve interaction between the command of these two forces. (https://civil.ge/archives/119960)
  • On 20 May 2010, Gigi Kalandadze was appointed as Commander of the Land Forces (https://civil.ge/archives/120193)
  • The 2010 budget of the MOD was 750 million GEL, which, while lower than the previous years, still amounted to 4% of GDP (https://civil.ge/archives/119960)
• The Independence Day military parade of 2010 featured 4300 soldiers on Rustaveli and featured several new weapnry systems, including Turkish Ejder armorded vehicles, U.S.-made light armored vehicles Humvee and Turkish Cobra; Russian-made BTR-80 armoured personnel carriers, as well as RM-70 and GRADLAR multiple rocket launchers, DANA self-propelled howitzer, Msta-B towed 152 mm howitzers. The parade was wrapped up by over flight of UH-1 Iroquois, Mi-24, Mi-8 helicopters and Su-25 (Frogfoot) ground attack aircraft. (https://civil.ge/archives/120212)
• Private TAM was taken over by the MOD on 1 July 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/120342)
• On 21 July 2010, Parliament approved a proposal to increase the term of compulsory service in the reserve forces, changing from an annual 18-day training course for people between 27 and 40 to a (maximum of-)45 day-training for anyone aged under 40 (https://civil.ge/archives/120403)
• On 28 Jult 2010, Saakashvili talked about the need for 'total defense', announcing that each village should be able to defend itself. (https://civil.ge/archives/120419)
  • He also talked about the need for Georgia to develop its own military industry
• Russia pressured after the war several countries to stop delivering weapons to Georgia, including Israel (https://civil.ge/archives/185697)
• A WikiLeaks cable revealed that Tina Kaidanow raised concerns about the appointment of Bacho Akhalaia as MOD in Auguss]t 2009 in a meeting with Saakashvili because of his poor human rights record as prison chief. (https://civil.ge/archives/121387)
  • One of the reforms the US was pressuring Tbilisi on in December 2009 was changes to the procurement system, which was described as weak
• In February 2012, Parliament increased term of compulsory military service from 12 to 15 months (https://civil.ge/archives/121744)
• In 2011, Georgia started producing its own weapons, including the armored vehicles Didgori 1 and Didgori 2 and automatic rifles. In February 2012, Saakashvili announced that the MOD was developping a new combat vehicle called Lazika (https://civil.ge/archives/186222) (https://civil.ge/archives/186232)d
• In 2012, Alasania accused Saakashvili of secretly arming paramilitary groups in western Georgia to prepare political repressions (https://civil.ge/archives/186270)
  • Following backlash from his claim, Alasania alleged possessing evidence that he would submit to the NSC. According to him, weapons had been distributed to 500 men divided up into cells of 50-75 men, some former criminals and some veterans. The cells were largely existing in Samegrelo, although he believed a similar group was being set up in Tbilisi. Alasania alleged that Saakashvili had ordered the Akhalaia clan to set up the formations (Samegrelo Chief Prosecutor Roland, MOD Bacho and former head of the Dept of Constitutional Security Data) (https://civil.ge/archives/186271)
    • Bacho Akhalaia called these allegations delirium (https://civil.ge/archives/186272)
  • A bomb found and defused in Zugdidi was alleged to be related to these groups according to Alasania in May (https://civil.ge/archives/186329)
  • In November 2012, during cohabitation, the new MIA stated that a cache of unregistered weapons and ammunation were found in the HQ of the Zugdidi branch of the DCS (https://civil.ge/archives/186560)
    • In December, another weapons cache was found in an apartment in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/186570)
• On 3 March 2012, MOD unveiled the first Georgian-made multiple rocket launcher system (https://civil.ge/archives/121772)
  • Saakashvili said, After 2008 [war with Russia] procurement of arms became problematic [for Georgia] and although it lasted for several months, those several months have taught us a lesson and we realized that you can’t rely on anyone except of yourself"
  • According to a WikiLeaks cable from February 2009, a source allegedly told a Stratfor senior analyst, that surveillance drones that Georgia bought from Israel were compromised after Israel and Russia “made a swap – Israel gave Russia the ‘data link’ code for those specific UAVs; in return, Russia gave Israel the codes for Iran’s Tor-M1” missile systems.
• On 10 April 2012, MOD unveiled its first domestically produced surveillance drone capable of flying up to 3000 meters for up to 8 hours at a speed of 16- km/h. (https://civil.ge/archives/121858)
• On 11 April, Saakashvili made a speech at the Delta factory of Tbilisi in which he underlined the importance of a military industry in Georgia, announcing an armed drone for 2013, plans for a locally made air defense system and anti-tank weapon, and potential exports of armored vehicles and IFV (https://civil.ge/archives/121862)
  • He also announced that Georgia would have a volunteer reserve army with troops in every village strong 70,000 by the summer of 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/121864)
• On 10 July 2012, new MOD Dimitri Shashkin announced a new program for his administration based on the Three Ts: Total Care (of military personnel and their families), Total Training (to speed up NATO integration) and Total Defense (https://civil.ge/archives/122072)
• In December 2012, the new MOD uncovered corrupt schemes in weapons procurement from the time of Bacho Akjhalaia through over-inflated prices (https://civil.ge/archives/122450)
• Another large cache of weapons was uncovered in Samegrelo that operated under the direct supervision of former MIA officials in June 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/122946)
• In 2009, authorities started building classified defensive fortifications around Tbilisi, including concrete bunkers on the heights surrounding Tbilisi. Saakashvili himself unveiled the information during the 2013 presidential election when he slammed the government for allegedly suspending construction (https://civil.ge/archives/186819)
  • The MOD slammed Saakashvili for divulging publicly the information (https://civil.ge/archives/186822)

• The Force Awakens
  • After the war, there was a global embargo imposed on weapons sales to Georgia (194)
  • Ukraine even set up a special parliamentary commission investigating potential sales of weapons to Georgia (194)

Politique vers le Nord-Caucase

• Kavadze
  • The 28 August 2012 Lopota Incident involved the engagement of Georgian Special Forces against an unknown paramilitary group of around 20 who had allegedly taken teenagers hostage near the Daghestano border. MS accused Russia of staging a provocation. (437)
  • But according to Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili, his investigation revealed contradictory circumstances and that this was used by MS before the parliamentary elections to stage a provocation using a paramilitary group that was then liquidated by Georgian military units (437)

• The Georgian border guards were put on high alert in June 2004 at the Ingush, Chechen and Daghestani sections following the Nazran attack. Georgia worked actively to prevent the infiltration of NC terrorists in Georgia in 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106155)
• On 29 June 2004, the OSCE Border Monitoring Mission, which patrolled the Chechen and Daghestani sections, was extebded for another 6 months (https://civil.ge/archives/106210)
• Following the Beslan tragedy, Georgia imposed very strict control on the Russo-Georgian border (https://civil.ge/archives/115978)
  • In collaboration with Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/115984)
• As of September 2004, there were 2,650 official Chechen refugees in Akhmeta Municipality, down from 3,700 the previous year (https://civil.ge/archives/115990)
• Following the Beslan tragedy, MS showed willingness to heavily cooperate agaist NC terrorism with Russia, reiterating his offer for an anti-terrorism center. This was not responded to by Moscow, still in tense relations since the Tskhinvali crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/116012)
• In September 2004, US Ambassador Miles claimed there were still a few terrorists left in the Pankisi Gorge. He said it at the signing ceremony of an agreement between Tbilisi and Washington to help Georgia with border protection (https://civil.ge/archives/116039)
  • This forced the US State DDepartment to state that Panisi was no longer a terrorist safe haven (https://civil.ge/archives/116044)
  • This statement caused a lot of controversy. Russia had hinted that one of the Beslan terrorists was hiding in Kodori (https://civil.ge/archives/116048)
• Russia stated shortly after the US Ambassador's comments that there were terrorists in Pankisi (https://civil.ge/archives/116082)
  • Russia started patrolling the Pankisi border with helicopters on 18 September (https://civil.ge/archives/116087)
    • The day after, Russian aircrafts violated Georgian airspace above Shatili (https://civil.ge/archives/116091)
    • Putin and MS held a phone conversation over terrorism cooperation on 18 Sep (https://civil.ge/archives/116092)
  • Georgia did a police check at the same time which revealed no terrorist in Pankisi on Sep 21 (https://civil.ge/archives/116103)
    • While the Security Ministry tightened control in Pankisi (https://civil.ge/archives/116105)
• In September 2004, Russia closed the Larsi checkpoint, arguing that it was necesssary in the fight against terrorism from Pankisi following the Beslan tragedy (https://civil.ge/archives/116169)
  • Georgia offered to provide a list of residents of Pankisi to Russia.
  • Moscow claimed that Achimez Gachiyaev, wanted for the Moscow 1999 attacks, was in Pankisi.
• Security forces of Georgia conducted a special operation in search of terrorists at the Russo-Georgian border on 3 October, with confidential results, but followed by a visit by reps from OSCE and US Embassy *https://civil.ge/archives/116181)
• The OSCE announced the end of its border monitoring mission, started in 1999, for 2005. It had a 150-unarmed force monitoring the 280 km section of the Georgian border east of SO. This was met with concern by Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/116208)
• Two helicopters violated Georgian airspace in October 2004 over Pankisi (https://civil.ge/archives/106451)
• Ramzan Kadirov offered to pacify Pankisi in November 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106500)
• Russia violated twice Georgian airspace near Daghestan in November 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106594)
• Russia warned of increased Wahhabism activism in Pankisi in Nov 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106598)
• Russian media alleged that a Rustavi Georgian resident wsa linked with the Beslan tragedy, although Moscow never asked for an investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/106619)
• In late Nov 2004, Moscow claimed tha a group of 200 militants of Ruslan Gelaev were based in Duisi and Khalatsani (https://civil.ge/archives/106672)
• Georgia and US lobbied for the extension of the OSCE border minitoring operation (BMO) at the Georgia-Russia border along the Chechen and Daghestani sections for another year to cover 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106750)
  • Russia seems to have opposed the extension (https://civil.ge/archives/106758)
• As Russian media started speculating about a Russian military operation in Pankisi in December 2004, Tbilisi affirmed there were no terrorist militants there (https://civil.ge/archives/106782)
• Tbilisi was in talks with the EU to replace the OSCE BMO in December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106788)
  • The EU expressed interest (https://civil.ge/archives/106929)
• Russia vetoed the OSCE BMO extension on 30 December 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/106927)
• Russia called Pankisi a terrorism threat in January 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107071)
• Special Internal Troops were pulled out of Pankisi and replaced with regular police units on 21 January 2005, putting an end to a 2-year long campaign (https://civil.ge/archives/107107)
• Georgia proposed international observers to monitori Pankisi (https://civil.ge/archives/107172)
• In February 2005, Russia reported killing a terrorist in Chechnya with a Georgian tourist visa on his passport and warned that it was willing to strike anywhere against terrorists (https://civil.ge/archives/107297)
  • This allegation was denied by Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/107303)
• A EU team came to Georgia to assess the results of the BMO suspension in Feb 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107398)
• Meeting in Daghestan, the heads of Georgia and Russia border guards agreed to share information on 26 Feb 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107423)
• The OSCE approved a program to train Georgian border guards after the BMO was cancelled, but Russia tried to block this as well (https://civil.ge/archives/107544)
• In March 2005, the EU sent two experts to Georgia to staff the Special Representative, an attempt at a pilot project for border monitoring (https://civil.ge/archives/107591)
• Russia blocked the OSCE's border training program (https://civil.ge/archives/107614)
  • The OSCE adopted it nonetheless on 14 April 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/107805)
  • Moscow eventually praised this (context: the sides agreed on base withdrawal and there was a seemingly warmer relatonship) (https://civil.ge/archives/107897)
  • Russia blocked the extension of the training program on 23 March 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/110202)
• France was the main opponent of EU border monitoring (https://civil.ge/archives/107843)
• Ukraine also offered to send monitors for the border (https://civil.ge/archives/107849)
• Lithuania also considered sending border observers (https://civil.ge/archives/107967)
• The Georgia Report on Terrorism for 2004 by the US State Department underlined the Georgian government's counterterrorism operation in late 2004 following the Beslan tragedy which "further eroded the ability of transnational terrorist groups to use the Pankisi Gorge as a transit area" (https://civil.ge/archives/107919)
• Despite human rights concerns, the repatriation of Chechen refugees from Pankisi to Russia started on 28 May 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/108176)
• South Ossetian MIA Mikhaeil Mindzaev claimed that Shamil Basayev and Aslan Maskhadov met in Tbilisi with Georgian officials shortly before the Beslan tragedy (https://civil.ge/archives/108641)
• After months of easing, new tensions in Moscow-Tbilisi relations surrounding the SO conflict and Tbilisi's steps toward peacekeeping removal led to Moscow accusing Georgia of harboring terrorists in Pankisi in October 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/109039)
• In December 2005, 140 Chechen refugees were repatriated to Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/109331)
• On 23 Jan 2006, Russian Ambassador to Georgia stated some terrorists wre stll present in Pankisi (context: Energy crisis) (https://civil.ge/archives/109648)
• Ramzan Kadirov warned of tensions with Georgia in case of peacekeeper withdrawal in July 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/111107)
• An alleged Georgian spy (ethnic Ossetian) was arrested in North Ossetia in February 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/114403)
• After Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Justice Minister Nika Gvaramia predicted Russia would face new separatism (https://civil.ge/archives/117270)
• In October 2009, the chief of the FSB Alxander Bortnikov accused Georgia secret services of assisting Al Qaeda militants in arranging sending of fighters and weapons to Chechnya and Daghestan. (https://civil.ge/archives/119469)
• In January 2010, the GPB launched the First Caucasian, a Russian-language satellite channel aimed at targeting North Caucasian audiences. Levan Gakheladze, chairman of the GPB Board of Trustees, confirmed that it was a counter-propaganda move to Russian TV channels. (https://civil.ge/archives/119726)
  • Official launch on 3 January (https://civil.ge/archives/119752)
  • Moved from Internet to satellite on 17 January (https://civil.ge/archives/119789)
    • Eutelsat took Piki off satellite less than two weeks later and Le Figaro claimed this was done following Russian pressure, while Tbilisi was trying to convince Eutelsat to formalize a contract. Moscow condemned Piki as an attempt to plant ideology of extremism. (https://civil.ge/archives/185671)
  • On 2 Feb, Saakashvili accused Eutelsat of political censorship and GPB stated that Eutelsat had received funding from Gazprom (https://civil.ge/archives/119836)
  • GPB lost its case against Eutelsat at the Paris Court of Commerce in July 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/120373)
• On 31 December 2009, the FSB claimed Georgia was providing funds for militants operating in Daghestan (https://civil.ge/archives/119751)
  • On 15 January, the Russian MIA claimed that militants were also being trained in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/119783)
    • To which Tbilisi responded by alleging Moscow was trying to find a pretext for a military intervention (https://civil.ge/archives/119787)
• On 26 April 2010, a group of Georgian MPs announced they would launch a discussion on the massacres and deportations of Circassians by Tsarist Russia in the 19th century. (https://civil.ge/archives/185684)
  • Tbilisi hosted in March 2010 a conference on the past and future of North Caucasus in partnership with the Jamestown Foundation, which called on Parliament to recognize the events as a genocide.
  • There was a parliamentary friendship group with the peoples of the North Caucasus.
  • Audio leaks of phone calls posted on YouTube allege that in December 2009, Tbilisi officials discussed establshing links with North Caucasian communities living outside of Russia.
    • One audio leak between Kutelia and Merabishvili confirm that authorities are routinely meetings representatives of each community. The main meeting group consisted of Givi Targamadze, Gia Tortladze and Merabishvili.
    • One audio leak shows MP Targamadze ordering the Ambassador Gocha Japaridze to find as many contacts as possible in Syria and Egypt with Circassians, Ingushs and Chechens (https://civil.ge/archives/185684)
• Merabishvili claimed in April 2010 that the Russian war against Georgia had rendered Chechens sympathetic toward Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/120060)
  • Merbishvili also stated that the "war is not over yet" when asked a question about whether or not Tbilisi's policy toward the North Caucasus was in response to th recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/120044)
• At his 2010 Independence Day speech, Saakashvili stated, "Only the independence of state is adequate to our Georgian and Caucasian dream of future." (https://civil.ge/archives/120214)
• On 21 June 2010, Saakashvili paid a secret visit to Dubai to meet with Etisalat (https://civil.ge/archives/120309)
• When the US State Department report on terrorism and Georgia in 2010 stated that Georgia was an exemplary fighter, Russia complained and stated it had provided evidence to Washington about Tbilisi backing underground North Caucasus terrorist cells (https://civil.ge/archives/120452)
• On 11 October 2010, Saakashvili signed an executive order allowing Russian citizens registed in the North Caucasus (Chechnya; Ingushetia; North Ossetia; Dagestan; Kabardino-Balkaria; Karachay-Cherkessia and Republic of Adygea) to travel to Georgia visa-free for 90 days. (https://civil.ge/archives/185719)
• During an interview in January 2011, Saakashvili stated that the North Caucasus had become a ghetto with its people repressed and Georgia wanted to reach out to them. He said Moscow was facing terrorism because of its policies (https://civil.ge/archives/120793)
• On 16 February 2011, US Intelligence chief Clapper stated that Georgia's "public efforts to engage with various ethnic groups in the Russian North Caucasus have also contributed to these tensions" [between both countries]
  • A report by the Center for American Progress claimed that the problem was the unilateral nature opf Tboilisi's actions and that in the light of the coming Sochi Olympics, it increased security threats in the region
  • Vashadze stated he "did not care" about the American reports (https://civil.ge/archives/185816)
• On 25 February 2011, Russian Duma Deputy Speaker Alexander Torshin stated that Georgia ordered the attack on Domodedovo Airport in Moscow and stated that Islamist rebel Doku Umarov was innocent in the attacks (https://civil.ge/archives/185817)
  • Tbilisi responded that the allegations were a provocation (https://civil.ge/archives/185818)
• Parliament oficially recognized the Circassian Genocide on 19 May 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/185899)
• In July 2011, Tbilisi announced plans for a Circassian Genocide Memorial in Anaklia (https://civil.ge/archives/185802)
• On 12 August 2011, Russia's National Counter-Terrorism Committee accuses Georgia of providing assistance to Islamist insurgent groups in the NC, in particular Abdulaa Mogamedaliyev, who maintains relations with Georgian special services.
  • ICG stated it could not find evidence for the series of allegations (https://civil.ge/archives/121331)
• In May 2012, the government submitted to Parliament for consideration its State Strategy on Relations with the Peoples of the North Caucasus, which outlined potential cooperation in trade, people-to-people contacts, education, healthcare and human rights, the promotion of historical truth (as stated, launching research into the Circassian genocide) (https://civil.ge/archives/121894)
  • The State Strategy was adopted on 29 June 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/122043)
• On 10 May 2012, Russia revealed a huge weapons cache allegedly belonging to Doku Umarov in Abkhazia. Moscow accused Tbilisi of facilitating the cache (https://civil.ge/archives/186333)
• The memorial to Circassian genocide was inaugurated on 21 May 2012 in Anaklia (https://civil.ge/archives/186347)

LOPOTA INCIDENT

• 29 August: MIA announces sending troops to a border area in Kakheti with Russia to pursue an armed group. Media reports showed that troops were sent to the Daghestan section. PM Merabishvili, MIA Akhalaia, MOD Shashkin and MOJ Adeishvili arrive in Telavi to oversee the operations. (https://civil.ge/archives/186472)
  • MIA then confirms the death of 3 Georgian troops and 11 saboteurs during a clash close to the border. (https://civil.ge/archives/186474)
    • Among the saboteurs are two Georgian citizens (https://civil.ge/archives/122196)
  • Russian reports are controversial. At first, RIA Novosti quotes Daghestani officials that confirm the infiltration into Georgia of individuals from the Tsuntinsky District, before the FSB states that its border guards could not confirm any trespassing (https://civil.ge/archives/122185)
  • Saakashvili addresses the nation, vows not to let North Caucasus instability spill over into Georgia. He accuses Russia of masterminding the Pankisi crisis of the early 2000s (https://civil.ge/archives/186475)
• 30 August: Bokeria states that the clashes do not impact Georgia's security (https://civil.ge/archives/122186)
  • Troops remain in the border area (https://civil.ge/archives/122187) but main phase of the operation is over (https://civil.ge/archives/186476)
• 31 August: Saakashvili states that the infiltration was done to 'test Georgia's combat readiness and to attempt to stage a provocation' (https://civil.ge/archives/122191)
• 4 September: GD blasts the government's handling of the crisis, including with allegations of moral pressure against residents of Pankisi to prevent them from identifying the dead combatants to Georgian media. (https://civil.ge/archives/122200)
  • Other reports show that at least six men from the group were present in Pankisi days before the clash, thus contradicting the official version that these individuals came from Russia.
• 8 September: MIA forces detain Akhmet Chataev, one of the group members (https://civil.ge/archives/122211)
• In April 2013, a probe by the Public Defender's Office revealed evidence that suggested the armed group was formed, trained by the leadership of the MIA, which had recruited the group from Chechen exiles by promising them to give free passage to Russia. (https://civil.ge/archives/122804)

• Glucksmann
  • In the book, he explains Chechens' love for illegality with the fact that 'Russian legality' had been used as a tool for their oppression for centuries (132)
  • He envisioned a future with a North Caucasus free and independent from Russia (182)

• He announced the Joint Caucasus initiative during the 2010 UNGA (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=5582&i=6)

Réformes sociales

• The use of a handheld mobile phone while driving became illegal on 15 October 2005 with a fine of 20 GEL.
  • Driving without a seat belt also was banned in the same law (https://civil.ge/archives/109055)
• Saakashvili stated that moving the parliament to Kutaisi was meant to 'change social psychology' (https://civil.ge/archives/186031)

Éléctions locales de 2010

• During his parliamentary address of July 2009, Saakashvili proposed first to hold early local elections on 30 May 2010 instead of autumn 2010. (https://civil.ge/archives/119178)
  • He also proposed to hold direct elections for the Mayor of Tbilisi.
• Across the 2009 political crisis, the opposition did agree to form an inter-party working group on electoral reform for the 2010 local elections.
  • The working group was facilitated by the US IDI and was based on consensus
• During the negotiations, the UNM, which originally supported a first-past-the-post system, then moved to a 30% threshold, while the opposition wanted to see a runoff in the event of less than 50% victory. (https://civil.ge/archives/119604)
  • UNM also opposed to the proportional system but agreed to a 25-25 formation of the Tbilisi City Council
• The working group failed because of the 30% issue. Saakashvili called on Parliament to adopt the agreed reforms and the 30% issue on 26 November 2009 despite the failure of the working group (https://civil.ge/archives/119626)
• On 5 December 2009, Parliament approved the electoral amendemnts: 30% threshold for Mayor, 25-25 Tbilisi City Council composition (increasing number of total Councilmen from 37 to 50) with a 4% threshold; the CEC is reformed to allow the opposition-appointed CEC members of electing the CEC chair from three candidates selected by the President. (https://civil.ge/archives/119655)
• Saakashvili believed that runoffs encouraged so-called "hate votes" (https://civil.ge/archives/119656)
  • Parliament approved the final amendments on 28 December (https://civil.ge/archives/119741)
• On 15 December 2009, EU Neighborhood Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner stated at the European Parliament that Georgia needed to deliver more and that the local elections would be a "test for Georgia's commitments" (https://civil.ge/archives/119690)
• On 25 December, Saakashvili pledged in a Rustavi 2 interview that he would act like a non-partisan President during the election, as opposed to the previous local and parliamentary elections. (https://civil.ge/archives/119736)
• 30 December: 21 opposition parties called on the local elections to be held under UN aegis (https://civil.ge/archives/119749)
• 12 February: Parliament passes constitutional amendment allowing Saakashvili to schedule local elections on 30 May (https://civil.ge/archives/119874)
• 23 February: Deep cracks in the opposition over whether there should be a single candidate or not (https://civil.ge/archives/119907)
• The direct elections of the Tbilisi mayor was named as a major human rights achievement of the Georgian government by the US State Dept (https://civil.ge/archives/119966)
• TI reported that there a severe hike in spending and new jobs in local governments in the months preceding the local elections and so despite the President's pledge to tighten belts (https://civil.ge/archives/120016)
• Despite Saakashvili's pledge to be nonpartisan, his MIA Merabishvili publicly stood behind Ugulava (https://civil.ge/archives/120044)
• Alasania did not receive the support of the rest of the opposition. Zourabichvili was the only one to endorse him (https://civil.ge/archives/120026)
• Imedi TV tried during the elections to link the opposition, except for Alasania, as pro-Russian (https://civil.ge/archives/120071)
• In April, during a speech in Washington, Saakashvili recognized the criicism over the abuse of administrative resources and states he will continue to get local governments to improve their constituents' lives. (https://civil.ge/archives/120085)
• During the elections, Rustavi 2 and Imedi TV jacked up their political advertisement prices (https://civil.ge/archives/120097)
• Despite Saakashvili's pledge to not intervene, he did make a few major moves during the pre-election period: Education Revolution plan, announcement to have visa-free travel by 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/120048)
  • Also announced an FEZ in Khelvachauri and Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/120209)
• Because of widespread allegations that the authorities were massively registering their regional activists in Tbilisi addresses ahead of the elections, UNM agreed to amend the election code and impose a January 15 deadline to voter registration (https://civil.ge/archives/120134)
• On 6 May, during a police parade to mark Police Day, several policemen and protesters were injured in a clash as the opposition was attempting to make its wa to the MIA building (https://civil.ge/archives/120144)
• Media monitoring showed that in Tbilisi, Ugulava received most coverage overwhelmingly (https://civil.ge/archives/120156)
• Despite his pledge, on 14 May 2010, Saakashvili warned voters against opposition in local government, arguing that the UNM needed to do its work unimpeded (https://civil.ge/archives/120176)
• On 28 May, Saakashvili called on the people to vote for UNM as a difference between peace and West and corruption, crime and Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/120224)
  • He also tied on ED Ugulava's election with a chance for more investors (https://civil.ge/archives/120234)
• In the evening of the elections, before results were announced, Saakashvili announced the victory of Ugulava (https://civil.ge/archives/120242)
• ISFED stated that the elections were most peaceful and hinted they were a progress over 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/120244)
• Alasania conceded on the evening of 31 May and pledged to focus on 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/120246)
• In the final results, UNM retained majority in every city council (https://civil.ge/archives/120243)
• After the election Saakashvili stated Georgia entered a "period of calmness, stablity and development" and pledged to focus on reforms in the months ahead and on attracting new investors (https://civil.ge/archives/120252)
• The US State Dept noted that there was progress in the elections, although it agred with the OSCE findings that significant shortcomings needed to be addressed (https://civil.ge/archives/120257)
  • SG Rasmussen stated that the local elections would have a "positive impact" on the NATO-Georgia relations (https://civil.ge/archives/120260)
• On 15 June, Saakashvili laid out the new vision of the UNM, pledging: fast-track reforms, Singapore as a model for Georgia, continuation of Eu integration, constitutional reform, continuing to fight off Russia's threat and diversify economic ties (https://civil.ge/archives/120293)
  • The next day, the Alliance for Georgia formally fell apart after months of division (https://civil.ge/archives/120294)
• On 25 June, Saakashvili announced a cabinet reshuffle: Davit Tkeshelashvili (former Minister for Regional Development and Infrastructure) as Head of the Presidential Administration, Davit Janashia (former head of administration) as chief of the State Guard Service (secret service security), Irma Nadirashvili (Rustavi 2 journalist) as Deputy Head of Admin for Communication with Media, Ramaz Nikolaishvili (former head of the road infrastructure agency) as Minister of Regional Infrastructure and Development, Vera Kobalia (IDP raised in Canada in charge of NGO Coalition for Justice focused on IDPs) as new Economy Minister, young Paris-based scholar Tornike Gordadze as Deputy FM in charge of European Affairs, creation of a new Ministry for Youth and Sports Affairs led by Governor Lado Vardzelashvili of Shida Kartli (https://civil.ge/archives/120323)
• On 29 June, Saakashvili invites the opposition to discuss an action plan on the state strategy on the occupied territories at the NSC (https://civil.ge/archives/120333)
• On 20 November 2011, Saakashvili tapped Bokeria as NSC Secretary, replacing Tkeshelashvili who became State Minister for Reintegration, while Yakobashvili became Ambassador to the US (https://civil.ge/archives/116492)
• On 25 November, thousands of people led by Nino Burjanadze, gathere outside of Parliamnt for a "People's Gathering" or "People's Assembly". This was set to be the beginning of a new process to get the resignation of Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/118452)
  • The protest however was not successful, poorly organized and poorly attended, and dispersed in the same day (https://civil.ge/archives/185749)
• On 28 November 2010, two explosions happened in Tbilisi, including one across from the Labor Party, killing one woman. Bakradze linked the explosions to "external forces" seeking to cause destabilization (https://civil.ge/archives/185753)
• On 1 March 2011, Alasania stated that he saw signs of readiness from the authorities to carry real changes after meeting with Bokeria over potential electoral reform (https://civil.ge/archives/185820)
• A WikiLeaks leaked cable revealed that US diplomatic staff was aware that the UNM had encouraged Giorgi Chanturia of CDM to run for Tbilisi Mayor (https://civil.ge/archives/186034)

La « désovietisation », la révolution mentale et la haine Poutine-Saakachvili

• Kavadze
  • In 2010, the Gori statute of Stalin was removed (435)
  • In 2011, the UNM adopted the Freedom Charter (435)
  • There was effectively no trace of "post-communist revival" (435)
  • He labelled the intelligentisa as "sewage" (436)
  • He called the population above 50 as "waste material" (436)
  • He constantly played the Georgia-Russia relations as a battle between good and evil. (438)
  • He called Putin "Lili-Putin" in reference to his size. (441)
  • Kmara staged protests calling him Gas-Putin in reference to gas manipulations and Rasputin (441)
  • MS proposed the "We Don't Wanna Put In" song for Eurovision in Moscow (441)
  • Instead of changing the song, MS decided th withdraw fron the competition (441)
  • Putin once said he wanted to hang him from his private parts (442)
  • The mutual hatred defined the nature of bilateral relations (442)

• Stent
  • Russia spread rumors about MS's mental stability (169)
  • In the fall of 2008, Russian media portrayed MS as Hitler (175)

• Graney
  • According to Graney, the mental revolution played against MS and led to the popular revolt against his authoritarianism in 2012 (281)

• The Museum of Soviet Repression of Tbilisi was inaugurated on 26 May 2006 - Indpeendence Day (https://civil.ge/archives/110685)

• Following the 2008 war and the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Russia, rhetoric became increasingly tense. As early as 27 August, Lavrov stated that he hoped Georgia would have 'worthy leaders' sooner or later and that "Russia is willing to contribute to this in any way" (https://civil.ge/archives/117278)
• Rustavi 2 aired the Russia 2008 music video on 26 Aug, which was severely controversial, even by the Public Defender, for being Russophobic (https://civil.ge/archives/185639)
• On 1 September, Lavrov called for an international arms embargo "until Georgia becomes a normal state" and "against the Saakashvili regime." (https://civil.ge/archives/117328)
• On 1 September, at a rally in Tbilisi, Saakashvili called the Russian troops "21st century hordes", adding that Georgia would be "the graveyard of Russian imperialism" (https://civil.ge/archives/117332)
• In an interview on Russian TV, Medvedev called Saakashvili a 'political corpse' on 2 September (https://civil.ge/archives/117347)
• When VP Cheney visited Georgia in September 2008, Russia's MFA stated his remarks in Tbilisi would only increase "the aggressive ambitions of the Saakashvili regime" (https://civil.ge/archives/117373)
• On 12 September 2008, Medvedev described Saakashvili as a "political corpse burdened with a mass of pathologies who takes narcotics" (https://civil.ge/archives/117456)
• On 26 September, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Saakashvili posed a threat to peace and stability in the region (https://civil.ge/archives/117572)
• Saakashvili said that the threat of Russian aggression persisted in October 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/117617)
• Saakashvili claimed in December 2008 that Russia was spending hundreds of millions of USD in an anti-Georgia PR campaign across the West. He named the Saylor Company as a US PR firm helping the Russia line (https://civil.ge/archives/118119)
• During his 2008-2009 NYE address, he said that there was a global confrontation btween ideologies abd that Russia was guided by the opposite of democracy and human rights. He said that Georgia was at the epicentier of this ideological confrontation that pit Russia, who supported the division of the world into empires and spheres of influence, and the rest of the world. (https://civil.ge/archives/118167)
• 19 January 2009: Medvedev orders his government to "either restrict or cut military-technical and military-economic cooperation" with countries providing Russian or Soviet-made or -designed weapons to Georgia. (https://civil.ge/archives/118226)
• 20 January: Lavrov warns states that provide weaponry to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/118232)
• 21 January: Based on the 1999 OSCE Vienna Document, Russia demands to inspect Georgian military bases. Tbilisi denies, citing force majeure (https://civil.ge/archives/118245)
• 23 January: Saakashvili, in a public Q&A session, claims that Putin is Georgia's worst enemy since Shah Abbas. (https://civil.ge/archives/118251)
• 3 February: Medvedev addresses the Georgian Congress in Moscow in which he hopes for a stable, independent and democratic Georgia. The event is boycotted by Georgian authorities that were invited. (https://civil.ge/archives/118314)
• On 7 April 2009, during a speech at the London School of Economics, Medvedev said he wanted to entertain good relations with Russia but "I do not want to have relations with Saaakshvili" (https://civil.ge/archives/118592)
• When Georgia was denied entry into the 2009 Eurovision contest (Georgia's song was We Don't Wanna Put In), Saakashvili blasted the Eurovision organizers for political motives. The Georgian government organized the first edition of Tbilisi Open Air as an alternative to Eurovision (https://civil.ge/archives/118854)
• When Georgia formally quit the CIS on 8 August 2009, Saakashvili stated Tbilisi had decided to "say farewell to the Soviet Union" (https://civil.ge/archives/119287)
• In August 2009, the GNCC fined five Russian companies over unauthorized broadcasting in Abkhazia and SO (https://civil.ge/archives/119315)
• On 2 September 2009, two Russian journalists from Izvestia and Channel One were denied entry into Georgia because of their trips to Abkhazia. (https://civil.ge/archives/119333)
• In September 2009, Saakashvili stated that Georgia was confronting an imperialist monster (https://civil.ge/archives/185666)
• Saakashvili also compared the Russian rhetoric toward Abkhazia and South Ossetia to Hitler on Czechoslovalia annexation (https://civil.ge/archives/119360)
• In Decmeber 2009, the Presidential Administration accused Alexander Ebralidze of being used by Russia to stage destabilization i Georgia as he announced a presidential run (https://civil.ge/archives/119686)
• In December 2009, Georgia tore down the Kutaisi WWII memorial to build the Kutaisi Parliament, which was condemned by Moscow. Putin proposed to recreate the memorial in Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/119719)
• When Russia allowed three charter flights to fly Moscow-Tbilisi but refused to formally allow the reentrance of Georgian Airways, Saakashvili said Georgia would not fall to Putin's bait (https://civil.ge/archives/119810)
• The fake Imedi TV report on a simulated Russian invasion took place in March 2010. It received widespread criticism from home and abroad (https://civil.ge/archives/119982) (https://civil.ge/archives/185677) (https://civil.ge/archives/185679)
  • Phone leaks revealed that top channel management did it on purpose (https://civil.ge/archives/119983)
  • The authorities ruled out a probe into the leaked phone calls, stating there was no doubt the FSB was behind them (https://civil.ge/archives/119992)
• On 16 March 2010, Saakashvili met and praised Gary Kasparov or his bravery (https://civil.ge/archives/119985)
• Following the 2010 Moscow metro bombing, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev claimed that Moscow was checking Georgia's possible involvement (https://civil.ge/archives/120022)
• In an April 2010 interview with Kommersant, Merabishvili claimed that Primakov had been given the Georgia file by Putin and that the Church's idea of monarchy was Moscow's idea (https://civil.ge/archives/120044)
  • He also claimed that he had offered Russian troops 50,000 USD to take down the statue of Gori but they refused.
• Saakashvili stated on 6 May 2010 in a speech for the newly-established Police Day that the Soviet Union had been completely buried but was showing new signs of life by imperial control of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (https://civil.ge/archives/120147)
• On 8 May 2010, Putin inaugurated the construction of the Moscow-based Kutaisi WWII memorial blown up at a ceremony attended by Burjanadze and Noghaideli (https://civil.ge/archives/120161)
• According to Saakashvili, Putin once pressured a PM of a country not to appoint a certain Minister of Finance because of his friendship with Saakashvili. Putin also told a leader of an Arab country not to meet him (https://civil.ge/archives/120210)
• The Gori statue of Stalin was removed in the night of 25 June 2010 in an unannounced move, to be replaced by a memorial for the victims of the August War. The discretion was aimed at avoiding protests. Journalists from Trialeti TV had their equipment confiscated. The live LiveFromGeorgia.ge website covering Gori went off during the process. (https://civil.ge/archives/120321)
• Saakashvili stated in June 2010 that his foreign policy would focus on convincing partners to use the term occupation (https://civil.ge/archives/120334)
• In 2010, the Parliament declared 25 February the Day of Soviet Occupation and 23 August as the Day of Memory of Victims of Totalitarian Regimes (https://civil.ge/archives/120400)
• Saakashvili called Georgia "Russia's major ideological competitor". According to him, unnamed European politicians seeking reform cited "Russian model and Georgian model" as two opposites and prefering the Georgian model (https://civil.ge/archives/185710)
• During his 2010 UNGA speech, Saakashvili called on Russia to be a "part of the transformation of the region", to "learn from us how to transform society" (https://civil.ge/archives/185714)
• On 5 November 2010, the MIA announced the unveiling of a Russian spy network mostly working on Black Sea and port security issues. (https://civil.ge/archives/185727)
  • Saakashvili awarded the counter-intelligence officers involved in the operation (https://civil.ge/archives/118300)
  • The MIA stated there were further spy cells in Georgia. Moscow stated the story was fabricated ahead of the coming NATO and OSCE Summits (https://civil.ge/archives/185728)
• On 7 December 2010, following a couple of explosions that killed one in Tbilisi, Merabishvili stated that a serious threat had been averted by arresting suspects (https://civil.ge/archives/185759)
  • Saakashvili stated the same day that the perpetrators were operating from the OTs (https://civil.ge/archives/185760)
  • As Tbilisi claimed that the main conspirator was a Russian soldier in Abkhazia who contacted the EUMM hotline to inquire about the status of another explosion, the EUMM refused to release call logs (https://civil.ge/archives/185761)
  • Saakashvili eventually accused Russia of trying to create political terror in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/114098)
  • In December, Tbilisi made a rrquest through Switzerland for Russia to cooperate on the investigation and in February, a Merab Kolbaia, resident of Gali, was arrested, although the location of his arrest remains unknown (https://civil.ge/archives/185810)
• Burjanadze and Nogaideli attended the official memorial opening ceremony in Moscow in December 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/119709)
• On 10 March 2011, Russian and Georgian delegations met in Bern to relaunch WTO talks, although the meeting was confidential. That meeting reached two agreements: to agree on a further meeting and to keep a tight lip on the meeting. Lavrov violated the deal and spoke about the meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/185837)
• The Liberty Charter is passed by Parliament on 31 May 2011, proposed by MP Gia Tortladze. The Charter restricts the public display of Soviet and Nazi symbols and restrictions on former Soviet functionaries to hold public office but does not envision lustration (https://civil.ge/archives/185930)
• One of the government's foreign policies was the demand to change the exonym of the country from Gruzia to Georgia in as many countries as possible. South Korea agreed in June 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/185960)
• In July 2011, Saakashvili cited as a goal of his economic development to be the fight against 'Russian-planted slave mentality' (https://civil.ge/archives/185996)
• In July 2011, the Washington Times reported that US intelligence agencies had corroborated findings by Tbilisi that Russia was behind the 2010 Tbilisi explosions (https://civil.ge/archives/186006)
• In August 2011, Medvedev signaled that a WTO deal could be the starting point for normal trade ties between the two countries and then possibly diplomatic relations.
  • In the interview, he also stated that Saakashvili should face an international tribunal but that this was unreal
  • He also said Saakashvili's hands could not be shaken because of the Russian citizens killed
  • Saakashvili had earlier said that he had a lot in common with Medvedev but the latter was not a decision-maker in Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/121326)
    • In response to the interview, Avlabari slammed Medvedev's Cold War rhetoric (https://civil.ge/archives/186012)
• In August 2011, Lavrov called MS a pathology and anomaly against the background of the entire Georgian people (https://civil.ge/archives/186014)
• On 16 September 2011, Saakashvili said that Georgia's strategy was 'strategic patience' by waiting for Russia's collapse if it continues its aggressive policy (https://civil.ge/archives/121401)
• After several months of negotiations backed by the EU and US and mediated by Switzerland, Georgia agreed to the Swiss proposal on 27 October 2011, although Moscow did not immediately agree (https://civil.ge/archives/121498)
  • The deal envisioned the creation of trade corridors, including through the Larsi border crossing point, envisioned Switzerland as a third party in monitoring. The corridors pass through the breakaway territories and a Swiss company would be placed at both ends of the corridor, but not along the corridor. For the negotiation of this deal, Saakashvili met the Swiss President in Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/121504)
  • Russia backs the deal on 2 November (https://civil.ge/archives/121506)
  • Saakashvili hails the deal as a diplomatic victory (https://civil.ge/archives/186099)
  • The deal is signed in Geneva on 9 November 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/121521)
  • Moscow welcomes the deal as an important step in the right direction (https://civil.ge/archives/121527)
  • More details of the deal: sophisticated systems for cargo tracking and audit as part of an international monitoring of trade to be carried out by a neutral private company hired by both sides (https://civil.ge/archives/121546)
• When a crowd booed Putin at the Olympiysky Stadium in Moscow in late November 2011, Saakashvili stated that their days are numbered (https://civil.ge/archives/186127)
• Georgia pulls out of the CFE Treaty with Russia on 29 November 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/121582)
• Saakashvili announced during his state of the nation address that visa rules are lifted for Russian citizens (https://civil.ge/archives/121763)
  • Moscow says being ready to reciprocate if Tbilisi changes its law on occupied territories (https://civil.ge/archives/121771)
• At a speech in Baku in March 2012, Saakashvili said, In fact, I am dreaming about a proud and stable Russian Federation, self-confident about its own strength and its own path, a country that would not need to humiliate others in order to prove to itself an illusory greatness, a state that could ensure decent life to all of its citizens and would not try to replace the bread it steals from their mouth with dangerous nostalgia" (https://civil.ge/archives/121780)
  • This speech was severely condemned by Moscow. The Russian MFA stated, '[Saakashvili’s] paranoid hostility combined with the Georgian President’s megalomania has prompted him to call on all the nations of post-Soviet space (plus on some ‘Russian patriots’) to ‘join hands’ to fight against Russia. It is truly regrettable, that a parliamentary tribune of our friendly state was provided to this loosely connected delirium.' (https://civil.ge/archives/186262)
• Georgia ceased its Open Skies Treaty obligations vis a vis Russia on 5 April 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/121850)
• On 9 April 2012, the Ministry of Culture announced starting a transformation of the Museum of Stalin into the Museum of Stalinism (https://civil.ge/archives/121854)
  • Since the adoption of the Liberty Charter, Soviet symbolism had been progressively removed from public buildings, including the Soviet star on top of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences (https://civil.ge/archives/121854)
• On 26 April 2012, Saakashvili said he would resign if Russia returned Abkhazia and SO (https://civil.ge/archives/186316)
• Saakashvili himself ordered the rmeoval of the Stalin statue in Avlani in 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/186596)
• In February 2013, he would hint he believed Bidzina was the Kremlin's favorite candidate and oversaw with him certain key positions (https://civil.ge/archives/186647)
• According to him, Putin had delivered a death sentence against me for protecting Georgia in 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/122625)
• He became critical of private business dealings with Russia, condemning and disseminating fake news about Liberty Bank and TBC Bank allegedly selling stakes to Russian banks, a comment for which he had to apologize (https://civil.ge/archives/186655)
• Saakashvili condemned the conviction of Alexei Navalny in July 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/123028)
• In his last UN speech on 25 September 2013, Saakashvili lashed out at Russia once more, calling it the 'last authoritarian empire in the world' that would fail and its leader Putin will vanish from the Russian politics in few years from now. (https://civil.ge/archives/123189)

• Glucksmann
  • His colored shirts were part of a PR strategy to move the country out of the Soviet mentality in which every politician must be dressed in black or white or must look like Brezhnev (122)
  • Part of that same strategy was the repainting of building facades, which many of his opponents called Potemkin villages (122)
  • He encouraged young Georgians abroad (who is unknown, maybe cabinet members) to return to Georgia with their Western education (124)
  • He once controversially said shortly after the revolution that, "Le gouvernement doit désormais apprende á avoir peur du peuple" (148)

• Revaz Gachechiladze
  • The decision to remove the Stalin statue in Gori seems to have been unilateral and without any public hearing on the matter. It took place in the middle of the night. Public protest led to promises that it would be relocated, although the relocation never took place (355)

• He argued that his main goal as president was to change the mentality of society (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6874&i=2)
• Medvedev declared him persona non grata in 2010 (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6876&i=2)

• In his 2010 parliamentary address, he said: "I have no doubt that one day we will have unrestricted flights to Moscow, and normal relations with our northern neighbor. No, they will not be flights for 37 rubbles-but believe me, it is much better to pay the market price to fly to Moscow, and arrive there as free Europeans, than to pay cheap prices, but carry the status of a vassal." (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4954&i=1)

Accusations de corruption

• The Financial Police was created in February 2004 (https://civil.ge/archives/105228)
  • In January 2008, Subari warned that a new type of corruption - neo-corruption, elite corruption - had replaced petty corruption.
• He was often criticized for lavish vacations
  • In April 2009, in the midst of widespread protests in Tbilisi, Turkish media reported his vacationing at the Marmara Hotel in Bodrum (https://civil.ge/archives/118726)
• In early May, 2008 President Saakashvili issued a decree authorizing the sale of the mansion and a 31,696 square meter plot of land to Burjanadze for a GEL 1 in Tskneti outside Tbilisi. The decree explained that the step was made because of Burjanadze’s efforts “in the development of parliamentarianism and democracy in Georgia.” (https://civil.ge/archives/119288)
• The Financial Police, after having been abolished in January 2007, was recreated as a semi-autonomous structure within the MOF in 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/119394)
• Parliamentary opposition often criticized the gov for not being transparent on spending from the Government's and President's reserve funds. (https://civil.ge/archives/120304)
• In a parliamentary debate in February 2012, MP Jondi Baghaturia accused President Saakashvili of amassing wealth for himself and his family since coming to power. He cited the fact that his mother became owner of an university and his father owner of balneological resorts (Saakashvili rebutted that his father was not an owner) (https://civil.ge/archives/186238)
  • MP Gia Tsagareishvili showed photos of private homes belonging to key government members, to which Saakashvili said he was paid for by Gazprom
• On 15 May, a couple of days after a flood killed 5 in Tbilisi, Saakashvili was seen vacationing and buying luxury items in Milan (https://civil.ge/archives/186341)
• In April 2013, the GD government declassified a series of SSPS documents that unveiled lavish spending for Saakashvili and his inner circle:37,500 EUR for the President's 5-day spa vacation in South Tyrol with Imedi TV head Giorgi Arveladze (they stayed at the Palace Merano Hotel and 3000 EUR was spent on an aesthetic clinic), 5900 GEL for Nikoloz Saakashvili's primary school fee at the British Georgian Academy in 2011, 24,000 GEL for Eduard Saakashvili's Givi Zaldastanishvili American Academy in 2010-2011, 114,900 GEL for a Saakashvili-Ugulava vacation in Innsbruck in October 2010, 89,000 GEL for a Saakashvili-Glucksman-Bakradze-Varsholomidze vacation at the Amanpuri luxury resort in Thailand in March 2012, 236,000 GEL for a January 2013 visit to Dubai, 3,500 GEL for a gift to Mariam Sajaia. All these were confidential expenditures (https://civil.ge/archives/122775)

• Glucksmann
  • He said he gave his trust to people abused it (134)

• The Force Awakens
  • Vera Kobalia's salary was 10,000 USD a year, on top of the State paying for her mortgage (110)

Politique de surveillance

• Kavadze
  • Heavy surveillance became routine, mking Georgia a police state (66)
  • De Waal says that Merabishvili had created a well-functioning machine of total surveillance and persecution within the country (429)

• In November 2007, during the political crisis that saw the government leaking several audio conversations by opposition leaders, Saakashvili stated that the phone tapping was legitimate, refuted that private life was interfered with and pledged to create an audit commission with civil society. (https://civil.ge/archives/113576)
  • By that time, phone tappings had been confirmed for criminal suspects, opposition politicians and journalists.

• On 30 Novmber 2009, Batumelebi accused the MIA of attempting to blackmail its journalist Tedo Jorbenadze, head of the investigative reporting team, by revealing his homosexuality. Jorbenadze came out publicly (https://civil.ge/archives/119625)

• The Liberty Charter passed in Parliament on 31 May 2011 called on the MIA to develop security and anti-terrorism measures through video surveillance systems that would cover all strategic facilities, although these measures were already in place (https://civil.ge/archives/185930)

• In November 2012, 12 MIA officials were arrested for illegal surveillance through malware software that enabled to gain unauthorized access to private computer systems, taking control of embedded webcams and microphones on computers, to take screenshots and to eavesdrop of targets. The DCS was mainly responsible for this. The surveillance was often used against political opponents (https://civil.ge/archives/122405)

• In January 2013, the Prosecutor's Office accused the previous leadership of the Military Police of making dozens of secret video recordings of publicly well-known men having gay sex and using these videotapes to blackmail them, under the leadership of Megis Kardava. The MP would recruit agents to have sexual relations with them in flats renting out by the government and equipped with audio and video surveillance devices (https://civil.ge/archives/186611)
• The 2007-2012 human rights reports from the DOS revealed that individuals were telling western monitors that they were reluctant to discuss sensitive topics by telephone due to concern about government wiretapping. The 2012 report stated that the MIA, despite a ruling of the constitutional court, continued direct access to the technological infrastructure of telecommunication companies. Large archives were contained within the MIA (https://civil.ge/archives/122810)
• His government installed black boxes in telecomunication companies that have security agencies direct access to communication networks allowing them to monitor text messages, phone calls and internet traffic from thousands of mobile phones without oversight. There was an estimated 21,000 phones under surveillance (https://civil.ge/archives/186720)
• New authorities would destroy 12,888 computer files of illegal surveillance, including sex tapes (https://civil.ge/archives/122951)
• The Eka Beselia sextape was probably recorded during his presidency, although he denied having had any involvement in the recording of opponents (https://civil.ge/archives/300824)

Accusations de totalitarianisme

• In the 2010 study Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes After the Cold War, political scientists Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. Way cite various media and human rights reports to describe Saakashvili's Georgia as a "competitive authoritarian" (i.e., a formally democratic but essentially non-democratic) state.

• Zourabichvili
  • The judiciary worked entirely for MS and his regime (199)
  • Magticom, a US company, would have its rights violated and it would take the US Embassy's intervention to stop the violations (199)
  • Supreme Court justices would be forced to resign (199-200)
  • MP Maia Nadiradze, head of the majority faction, said "We are the majority, therefore we are right." The SG of UNM said "We know what we're doing and we don't need to give any explanation" (214)
  • There was almost never any explanation given to any policy implemented by the government, from the closure of regional universities to the restructurization of public transport and the ban on street vendors (214)
  • MS would himself select the Eurovision contester, their clothes. Same for Miss Georgia (229)
  • Merabishvili controlled the CEC, local and regional governments, and ruled with an iron fist over regions of ethnic minorities. It was in collaboration with the Akhalaia, Kodua, aand Gorozia clans that he controlled Samegrelo (271)
  • In many elections, Merabishvili promises the freedom of some detainees in exchange for the roundup of votes by their families (271)
  • Merabishvili was thought to have kompromats on everyone (274-275)
  • SZ's conclusion words on Georgian totalitarianism (325)

• Kavadze
  • A majority of the population realized that behind the mask of the great reformer was a skillful PR master who transformed Georgia into a theater with a one-man show and who was trying to keep power by all available means (66)
  • While the NSC was under the presidency as an independent institution under Shevardnadze, it became the decision-making body of the triumvirate following the Rose Revolution. This status would change after the death of Zhvania and the removal of Burjanadze from the Speaker position, which isolated MS into making decisions about national security with a close range of trusted associates and without need for wide-range discussions and compromise (367)
  • This effectively started the downgrade of the NSC (367)
  • He founded the tradition of night-time meetings with the central figures of government, including Merabishvili, Adeishvili, Bokeria and Ugulava instead of traditional NSC meetings (367-368)
  • This situation led to a confusion in responsibilities: Ugulava was caharged with the organization of the defense of Gori during the war, Merabishvili oversaw the refugee crisis and wine exports, Bokeria was the PR maker of the regime. (368)
  • The NSC was slightly reformed in 2009 when Eka Tkeshelashvili was appointed Secretary as it was tasked with overseeing different security agencies' works and drafted a new national security strategy post-war. (368)
  • Bokeria finalized the national security strategy in January 2012 (369)
  • HRW called th situation in human rights very alarming in 2010 and 2012 (426)
  • Giga Bokeria, as secretary of the NSC, gained full power to coordinate press and media work and became the regime's propaganda chef. (428)
  • All media not approved by the government was labled to be pro-Russian (428)
  • On 7 Juluy 2011, Giorgi Abdaladze, Irakli Gedenidze and Zurab Kurtsikidze were arrested for allegedly passing secret information to Russian intelligence. (439)
  • It would later be revealed that they were arrested for taking pictures of 26 May 2011 of the violent police dispersals. They would be released in 2013 and labeled as political prisoners (439)

• One of the first use of the term authoritarian was by International Crisis Group on 19 December 2007 following the 7 November issue (https://civil.ge/archives/113805)
• Following the 2007 crisis, Freedom House stated that democratic institutions moved "sharply in the wrong direction". The report stated that "Mikheil Saakashvili… has dominated the political landscape and shown an unwillingness to engage political opposition and civil society." (https://civil.ge/archives/113920)
• The 2007 US State Dept human rights report noted that "Respect for freedom of speech, the press, assembly and political participation worsened, especially during the fall crisis" (https://civil.ge/archives/114495)
• During the Saakashvili visit to the White House in March 2008, HRW addressed Bush, calling on him to bring up human rights issues during their meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/114554)
• A Gallup survey showed that 55% of Georgians in 2007 were afraid to voice political views, more than double the amount in 2006 (https://civil.ge/archives/116551)
• On 31 March 2009, Sozar Subari submitted to Parliament a human rights report covering the second half of 2008 in which he complained of the lack of judicial independence, no systems of parliamentary checks and balances (https://civil.ge/archives/118584)
• A 2009 Freedom House report showed that Georgia's democracy level was lower than under Shevardnadze's presidency (https://civil.ge/archives/119103)
• The 2010 Freedom House report classified Georgia as partly free and a non-electoral democracy and Georgia's classing in political rights and civil liberties categories (https://civil.ge/archives/119774)
• The 2010 HRW report condemned the use of masked officers and civilian policemen to break up protests, regressive amendments to the administrative code in 2009, prison overcriwding (50% increase of prisoners since 2006) and lack of television freedom (https://civil.ge/archives/119804)
• By 2010, Merabishvili had become the most powerful person in government, potentially even challenging Saakashvili for the 2013 PM post. When asked on Imedi TV, he said "Decisions not involving the MIA are rare."
• The NSC was placed in charge of crisis management in May 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/121078)

MAY 2011 EVENTS

• 19 May: Saakashvili claims that "degenerate former separatists, terrorism suspects and former politicians running around the streets" are planning to regain influence over Georgia using Russian help (https://civil.ge/archives/185900)
• 21 May:
  • People's Assembly of Burjanadze launches protests in Tbilisi's Freedom Square (https://civil.ge/archives/121095)
  • Protesters march toward the GPB, calling for Saakashvili's resignation. (https://civil.ge/archives/121096)
  • Small clash between police and protesters outside of Adjara TV in Batumi. (https://civil.ge/archives/121097)
  • Burjanadze addresses at night the crowd of thousands and calls on them to stay overnight. (https://civil.ge/archives/121098)
• 22 May:
  • Two clashes happen in the morning outside of GPB. Exact nature is unknown. In one, police uses rubber bullets (https://civil.ge/archives/121101)
  • Sozar Subari announces "Day of Rage" protest for 25 May and joins the People's Assembly protest (https://civil.ge/archives/121102)
    • Okruashvili backs him and announces his return (https://civil.ge/archives/185906)
  • Group of Eight distances itself from the rallies at first, condemns authorities for using violence (https://civil.ge/archives/121103)
  • Okruashvili controversially calls on the army to side with protesters against the Saakashvili regime (https://civil.ge/archives/185909)
    • Burjanadze distances herself from Okruashvili's comments (https://civil.ge/archives/185911)
• 23 May
  • Protests continue outside of GPB (https://civil.ge/archives/121107)
  • Burjanadze announces a goal of preventing the Independence Day parade (https://civil.ge/archives/121108)
  • Russian MFA condemns police violence (https://civil.ge/archives/121109)
• 24 May:
  • Georgian Party drops its Day of Rage plan and retracts Okruashvili's announcement about his return, citing disagreements with Burjanadze (https://civil.ge/archives/185913)
  • Georgian Party withdrawal from the rally harms ongoing protests (https://civil.ge/archives/185915)
• 25 May
  • Saakashvili downplays protests, calls them a masquerade, ties them to Russia, and warns about dangers for investors (https://civil.ge/archives/185917)
  • Burjanadze, who rules out any violent government overthrow, warns that the format of protests will have to change if not enough people show up today (https://civil.ge/archives/121117)
  • Preparing to prevent the military parade, protesters move from GPB to Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/121118)
  • MIA releases secret videos that may have been doctored allegedly showing opposition members seeking individuals ready to use Molotov cocktails (https://civil.ge/archives/185919)
  • Tbilisi City Hall offers protesters alternative location (https://civil.ge/archives/185920)
  • Ambassador Bass expresses concern about violent groups inside the protests (https://civil.ge/archives/121121)
• 26 May:
  • Close to midnight, riot police uses water cannon, tear gas and ruber bullets to disperse protesters outisde of Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/121125)
  • Burjanadze claims the protesters werre besieged and not allowed to leave peacefully by the riot police, compares the dispersal to 9 April 1989, calls it a crime against humanity (https://civil.ge/archives/185921)
  • One policeman is killed by a car leaving hurriedly from the scene (https://civil.ge/archives/121127)
  • More details on the dispersals: https://civil.ge/archives/121128
  • GYLA and TI accuse the police of using excessive force (https://civil.ge/archives/121129)
  • One civilian is killed (https://civil.ge/archives/120213)
  • At Independence Day speech, Saakashvili accuses the protest scenario of being written in Russia (https://civil.ge/archives/121130)
  • 162 protesters are arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/121144)
  • Dozens turn up missing following the protests, some having gone to hiding and others having been arrested but not registered (https://civil.ge/archives/185926)
• 27 May
  • MIA releases vide footage and audio tapes showing key allies of Burjanadze plotting violence and public disorder (https://civil.ge/archives/185923)
  • Amnesty International calls for investigation into excessive use of force (https://civil.ge/archives/185925)
  • OSCE condemns violence against ten local and foreign reporters (https://civil.ge/archives/121135)
• 28 May:
  • Police announces having found two bodies of people who died from electrocution on top of a shop on Freedom Square (https://civil.ge/archives/121138)
  • London calls for investigation into the events (https://civil.ge/archives/121139)
  • US calls for investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/121140)
  • Thousands rally against police violence in front of Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/121141)
• 30 May
  • Badri Bitsadze has criminal charges of inciting violence against police filed against him, but he is not arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/185927)
    • He would be ordered pre-trial detention on 20 June but had already left the country by then (https://civil.ge/archives/185949)
    • He would be sentenced in absentia to more than five years in jail on 19 August (https://civil.ge/archives/121344)
  • MIA arrests group of 24 men in Kintsvisi who it claims were preparing to cause violence during the protests, a paramilitary group (https://civil.ge/archives/121149)
  • Concerns as NGOs draft a list of 47 individuals missing (https://civil.ge/archives/185928)
• 31 May: UN calls for probe into police action (https://civil.ge/archives/121153)
• 13 June: At a speech, Saakashvili denounces "traitors" in the country (https://civil.ge/archives/185942)
• 14 June: The Public Defender's Office locates every missing person in detention (https://civil.ge/archives/121194)
• UNM introduced a bill banning protests within a 20-meter radius of state buildings and toughening punishments for violence against police (https://civil.ge/archives/121200)
• 23 June: Counter-intelligence operation of MIA arrests a group of men allegedly affiliated with the Georgian Party and charged them with formation of illegal armed group, claiming the group was meant to provide military backup to the return of Okruashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/121225)
• 1 July: Parliament approves the law on rallies (https://civil.ge/archives/121251)
• GYLA hired UK forensic firm DABS Forensic Ltd to do a facial comparison and image analysis on the individuals who were found dead on the roof. The report revealed that one of the two individuals was a protester who had been arrested by the riot police after the rally was broken up. (https://civil.ge/archives/186038)

PHOTOGRAPHER'S CASE

• 7 July:
  • Irakli Gedenidze (presidential photographer), his wife Natia Gedenidze, Shakh Aivazov (AP), Zurab Kurtsikidze (epa), Giorgi Abdaladze (MFA) are arrested. Aivazov is released within a few hours (https://civil.ge/archives/121262)
  • Charles are filed on espionage (https://civil.ge/archives/121263)
  • The NSC classifies the case (https://civil.ge/archives/185968)
  • Avlabari states that the photographers are arrested for passing on information on confidential events (https://civil.ge/archives/121265)
  • In an interview on Ekho Moskvy, Saakashvili states being very upset about his photographer's arrest (https://civil.ge/archives/185971)
• 8 July: Reporters without Borders calls for the declassification of the case (https://civil.ge/archives/185970)
• 9 July
  • Natia Gedenidze is released, the other three are charged (https://civil.ge/archives/121269)
  • Gedenidze, Kurtsikidze and Abdaladze are sent to pre-trial detention (https://civil.ge/archives/121270)
  • MIA releases alleged information on the case. Kurtsikidze is accused of having links with two employees of the GRU wanted by Georgian law. Abdaladze and Gedenidze as public employees were accused of taking illegal pictures and sending them to Kurtsikidze (https://civil.ge/archives/121271)
• 10 July
  • Journalistic Ethics Charter Council of Georgia calls for the declassification of the case (https://civil.ge/archives/185972)
  • The Coalition for Media Advocacy calls for the declassification of the case (https://civil.ge/archives/185973)
• 11 July: US DOS official Victoria Nuland says the case is 'an issue between Russia and Georgia' (https://civil.ge/archives/185979)
• 12 July: NSC Secretary Bokeria criticizes allegations that the arrests are a campaign against free media to be a conspiracy theory (https://civil.ge/archives/185982)
• 13 July: Prosecutor's Office agrees to make 'most of the case' public, although a 'small part' will remain confidential (https://civil.ge/archives/185983)
• 16 July: Abdaladze allegedly confesses to investigators (https://civil.ge/archives/185989)
  • His lawyer cast doubt over his confession (https://civil.ge/archives/185990)
  • The confession statement was released on 18 July. In it, Abdaladze allegedly admitted taking pictures of notes from a meeting of FMs of Georgia and Azerbaijan. During the confession tape, he states that he was arrested in Tskhinvali in 2002, although the real arrest year is 2000, which revealed that the confession was not true (https://civil.ge/archives/185992)
• 21 July: Kurtsikidze wants plea agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/121296)
• 22 July: Photographers are found guilty and released as the judge approves plea agreements (https://civil.ge/archives/121299)
• 4 August: Russian website Coroka.net publishes audio recordings of Merabishvili, MS and Adeishvili conspiring to fabricate evidence against the photographers (https://civil.ge/archives/186013)

• HRW released a report in January 2012 caling Georgia's 2011 human rights record as uneven, citing the May protest dispersals, violation of labor rights and forced evictions of IDPs living in temporary shelters (https://civil.ge/archives/186183)
• On 27 February 2012, a 46 year old man died inside a police station in Khashuri. Police alleged he fell down the stairs but doubts were cast rapidly (https://civil.ge/archives/186240)
• In June 2012, Ambassador Bass stated that there had been more energy toward modernization than democratization (https://civil.ge/archives/186375)
• In July 2012, two unknown individuals kidnapped an elderly woman giving out an interview criticizing Saakashvili, mid-interview, and hid her in their basement for the duration of Saakashvili's stay in Zugdidi (https://civil.ge/archives/186429)
• A parliamentary resolution adopted on 5 December 2012 recognized 190 persons as political prisoners and 25 persons in political exile. (https://civil.ge/archives/186574)
  • The Law on Amnesty was passed on 21 December 2012: https://civil.ge/archives/122488
    • Which MS vetoed (https://civil.ge/archives/122500)
      • And Parliament overturned (https://civil.ge/archives/186602)

• Businessmen feared either financing opposition parties of advertising in opposition-minded media for fear of the government's displeasure (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=5554&i=2)
  • The Economist called MS "more a moderniser than a democrat"

Situation dans les prisons

• In September 2012, during Saakashvili's presidency, a video taken inside Tbilisi prison Gldani No. 8 showing prisoners being beaten and sodomized was released to the public.
• The Georgian Minister of Correction, Probation and Legal Assistance Khatuna Kalmakhelidze was forced to resign over the scandal.
• Human rights organizations including the U.N. Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a statement expressing outrage over the video.

• Kavadze
  • It became the country wit the highest per capita prison population in Europe (66)
  • Authorities engaged in institutionalized torture, including sexual abuse by prison guards (66)

• In August 2004, MS launched a 21-member group made of NGO reps to monitor the human rights situation in prisons, with the right to enter prisons at any time without any permits and with the right to submit reports to Parliament and to the President. (https://civil.ge/archives/115846)
• In September 2005, MOJ Kote Kemularie came under fire for human rights violations in prisons after the death of two inmates from illness when it was revealed they were given access to medical care too late. NGOs alleged that priosners had to bribe 500 USD their way to medical care. Serious allegations of malnutrition and overcrowding wer also being accused. NGOs were demanding the resignation of Kemularia (https://civil.ge/archives/108880)
• The lack of heat and water in the middle of winter in a Kutaisi prison led to a prison riot on 21 December, a day after the opening of the new prison (https://civil.ge/archives/109427)
  • The next day, MOJ Kote Kemularia and Penitentiary System Chief Shota Kopadze were dismissed, replaced by Gia Kavtaradze and Bacho Akhalaia. Akhalaia was the brother of Data (chief of constitutional security department at MIA) and son of Roland (chief prosecutor of Samegrelo) (https://civil.ge/archives/109443)
• March 27: a nighttime prison riot leads to several inmates dying and two police officers injured. The MOJ claims this was organized by thieves in law (https://civil.ge/archives/110214)
  • The opposition demands the resignation of Bacho Akhalaia (https://civil.ge/archives/110217)
  • The Liberty Institute backed the government (https://civil.ge/archives/110218)
  • The government claimed the riot aimed at destabilizing the country, hoping for a chain reaction (https://civil.ge/archives/110222)
  • After being quiet for severl hours, the MOJ affirmed seven inmates died (https://civil.ge/archives/110226)
  • Parliament refused the opposition's proposal for a probe (https://civil.ge/archives/110234)
  • Opposition media alleged that government was hiding the true number of casualties (https://civil.ge/archives/110258)
  • The OSCE expressed concern at the violent response (https://civil.ge/archives/110279)
  • There were several human rights groups and international calls for a public probe into the prison riot, but the authorities refused. Many believed the riot was due to human rights abuses in prisons and not some elaborate plot and Bacho Akhalaia used extremely excessive force (https://civil.ge/archives/110281)
  • In June 2006, the Public Defender unveiled footage and interviews with inmates that proved Bacho Akhalaia's cooperation with thieves-in-law to plan the prison riot on purpose (https://civil.ge/archives/110772)
• In July 2006, Sozar Subari made an address to Parliament during which he expressed huge concerns on human rights in the penitentiary system and accused officials of provoking the riot. He claimed that the riot was spntaneous and was caused by Bacho Akhalaia physically ordering special troops to beat up several prisoners. (https://civil.ge/archives/111069)
  • On top of the 7 officially dead inmates during the riot, 26 prisoners died in 2005 (https://civil.ge/archives/111069)
• In September 2006, HRW released a report (Undue Punishment: Abuses against Prisoners in Georgia) that stated that thousands of prisoners in Georgia live in inhuman and degrading conditions and many are subjected to severe beatings and other ill-treatment (https://civil.ge/archives/115329)
• On 30 October 2006, Subari called for an immediate probe into reported prisoner abuse in the Rustavi jail on October 30. Subari said that while monitoring the prison, observers from the Public Defender?s Office discovered that some prisoners were held stripped naked in their cells. Akhalaia denied the allegation (https://civil.ge/archives/111306)
• On 5 March 2007, Imedi TV released a taped phne conversation between criminal Paata Mamardashvili and DCS official Gia Dgebuadze in which the latter offered Mamardashvili early release in exchange for his help in organizing the prison riot (https://civil.ge/archives/112019)
• A May 2007 bill proposed by the government proposed extending prison terms for specificed, non-criminal offences, notably prison regulations, allowing administrative detention from 10 to 90 days. The bill was criticized by HRW, who wrote a letter to Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/112501)
• Nine opposition parties sign a joint memorandum calling on the government to tackle the 'intolerable conditions' in the prison system on 3 August 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112796)
• A juvenile prison riot led to 12 people injured in August 2007 (https://civil.ge/archives/112853)
• An October 2007 report by the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture underlined the problem of prison overcrowding (https://civil.ge/archives/113322)
• A Ministry for Penitentiary and Probation was announced following the merger of the MOJ with the GPO in October 2008 (https://civil.ge/archives/117650)
• On 27 January 2009, the ECHR ordered Georgia to pay 26,700 EUR to Shalva Ramishvili and Davit Kokhreidze of 202 TV for their inhuman treatment in prison. The decision said, "The Court noted that Mr. Ramishvili had been obliged to share a 120 cm bed with a stranger and could not even relieve himself in the so-called toilet without being observed by the latter,” ECHR said. “The conditions of his detention in the punishment cell had therefore obviously not allowed for even the most basic privacy. The Court also found that the sanitary conditions had been unacceptable and concluded that the applicant was held in inhuman and degrading conditions." (https://civil.ge/archives/118275)
• The US Department of State noted the substandard conditions of Prison No 5 in Tbilisi and praised its closure in 2008. (https://civil.ge/archives/118419)
• On 19 April 2009, there was a riot at the woman's jail in Rustavi who were criticizing the poor conditions (https://civil.ge/archives/118690)
• In October 2009, the new Ombudsman Giorgi Tugushi published a HR report (partially written by his predecessor) criticizing the situation in the prison system, incluing: poor healthcare, ill-treatment. (https://civil.ge/archives/119531)
  • The Kutaisi Prison 2 was noted for the normality of use of force, beating and torture of inmates by employees.
  • A total of 62 prisoners died in the first half of 2009.
  • The Ministry of Penitentiary was underreporting numbers.
• The Prison 7 of Tbilisi fire on 7 March 2010 leads to one death after several warnings from the Ombudsman's Office about safety there (https://civil.ge/archives/119952)
• The Public Defender's Human Rights Report for the Second Half of 2009 showed that the penitentiary system was still the largest problem, with overcrowded cells and facilities described as inhuman treatment. (https://civil.ge/archives/120027)
  • The report called on the authorities to drop their zero tolerance policy.
• Often, prisoners with injuries would refuse to talk to the Public Defender's Office for fear of reprisals (https://civil.ge/archives/120388)
• According to the Ombudsman's report of 2010, 142 inmates died in that year, 70% of which under 50 years old, mostly because of poor health care. This was an increase by 56% over 2009.
  • The number of inmates grew from 6654 in 2004 to 23684 in 2011. (https://civil.ge/archives/185861)

PRISON SCANDAL

• 18 September: Videos are released showing graphic rape and beatings of prisoners by prison guards, leading to mass protests. (https://civil.ge/archives/122232)
  • Hours before the release, the MIA arrested 3 officials from the Gldani prison for inhuman treatment of inmates.
  • MIA accuses Tamaz Tamazashvili of being behind the scandal.
  • Seems like former prison guard Vladimer Bedukadze was the main whistleblower
  • Davit Tchakua, head of the penitentiary department, is fired.
  • Bedukadze was already in Brussels when the videos emerged, seeking political asylum. He alleged that Akhalaia was still in charge of the penitentiary system.
• 19 September:
  • Saakashvili calls for the strictest punishment to those masterminded and perpetrated the conspiracy (https://civil.ge/archives/186495)
  • Minister Khatuna Kalmakhelidze resigns (https://civil.ge/archives/122233)
  • Prosecutor announces 10 prison officials are arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/122234)
  • Saakashvili appoints PM Merabishhvili in charge of prison reform (https://civil.ge/archives/122236)
  • New footage released by Channel 9 shows prison guards threatening to rape juvenile inmates (https://civil.ge/archives/186498)
    • Bokeria calls this scandal a grave mistake from the government
• 20 September:
  • Giorgi Tugushi is appointed new prisons minister (https://civil.ge/archives/122238)
  • Thousands of students protest (https://civil.ge/archives/122213)
  • MIA Akhalaia resigns (https://civil.ge/archives/122239)
• 22 September: Saakashvili condemns the Russian war of compromising materials (https://civil.ge/archives/186502)
• 25 September: Tugushi pledges an investigation by an independent team of human rights experts (https://civil.ge/archives/186504)
• 27 September: 4 more prison officials are arrested, including the head of the Kutaisi n.2 prison (https://civil.ge/archives/122259)

Croissance économique et Acte de liberté économique

• In 2009, he introduced The Economic Liberty Act of Georgia, which was adopted by the Parliament of Georgia in 2011.
• The Act restricted the state's ability to interfere in the economy, and was aimed at reducing the state expenses and debt by 30% and 60%, respectively.
• It also explicitly prohibited the Government from changing taxes without a popular referendum on rates and structure.
• Due to his government's economic reforms, Georgia's economy grew 70% between 2003 and 2013, and per capita income roughly tripled.
• However, poverty only marginally declined.
• At the end of his second term, about a quarter of the population was still poor, and unemployment was at 15%.[36]

• Zourabichvili
  • Despite claims of liberalism, the government constantly put pressure on the private sector, even going to extortion (230)
  • During the 2008 parliamentary elections, the UNM placed in majoritarian seats wealthy businessmen, some by pressure, thus finalizing government intervention in the economy (230)
  • Bidzina Ivanishvili was the most quiet of the three oligarchs, refusing to appear in the spotlight and only contributing through his philanthropy (250)
  • It is believed MS considerably pressured him to back him during the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections, something Ivanishvili refused (250)
  • It is also believed MS asked two billion USD in the first half of 2009, in exchange of which Bidzina may have asked the Chiatura mines, something that was denied (251)
  • Bidzina, a French citizen with most of his assets in Russia, was thought to be under such pressure he would leave the country (251)

• Rayfield
  • There was a real creation of a middle class economy (397)
  • In turn, this boosted culture despite little public spending: readers would buy books, authors and publishers would see a market; Georgian cinema and theatre saw a small revival. (397)
  • The goal was that of a Caucasian Singapore. (402)
  • Rayfield criticized the Singapore model as "Georgia lacks the Confucian culture, the ethnic mix and strategic geographic situation of Singapore" (402)

• Kavadze
  • Under his leadership of nine years, budget revenues increased tenfold and the GDP fourfold (80-81)
  • Georgia was among the top countries in international rankings (ease of doing business, economic freedom, freedom from corruption, global competence) (81)

• When Saakashvili started his second term, his government immediately worked on new economic measures: (https://civil.ge/archives/114326)
  • Comprehensive economic package passed Parliament on 19 February
  • Cheap credits scheme to boost exports
  • 2000 GEL Tax credit for new businesses
  • Gate to Knowledge project, envisioning cheap credit for those studying abroad
• The State Audit Agency's powers to audit the NBG, the Financial Supervisory and Financial Monitoring Services was removed by the Comprehensive Economic Package, to the opposition of its head (https://civil.ge/archives/114338)
• On 3 November 2008, Saakashvili told his cabinet that the priority of his new government, led by Mgaloblishvili, was to "eradicate poverty" (https://civil.ge/archives/117824)
  • Gurgenidze had become co-chair with Mgaloblishvili of a new special commission to reestablish the financial sector following the war (https://civil.ge/archives/117824)
• On 12 November 2008, Saakashvili announced an income tax cut starting on 1 Jan 2009 from 25 to 20% (https://civil.ge/archives/117882)
• War linked economic downturn was exarcebated by the global financial crisis. Saakashvili pledged to cut bureaucratic spending and continue the fight against corruption in response (https://civil.ge/archives/118065)
• In Decmeber 2008, the government was careful to state that Georgia's economic growth had slowed down, but did not resemble a "crisis" like in the rest of the post-Soviet world (https://civil.ge/archives/118155)
  • A Commission had been set up earlier co-chaired by Lado Gurgenidze and Grigol Mglaoblishvili to stabilize the economy. Saakashvili called on the commission to invite more business leaders, experts, academic sector. (https://civil.ge/archives/118155)
• On 9 January 2009, Saakashvili announced an economic stimulus package worth 2.2 billion GEL, largely similar with the Obama Stimulus plan, targeting infrastructure goals to employ people. But criticism existed, as only 700,000 GEL was expected to be spent in the Georgian economy. 25,000-30,000 jobs were expected to be created. (https://civil.ge/archives/118189)
• Saakashvili proposed to set up an advisory group made of Georgian economists and bankers working abroad to help tackle the global economic crisis on 31 January 2009 (https://civil.ge/archives/118307)
• On 6 Feruary 2009, Nika Gilauri sacked Kakha Bendukidze as head of the government's administration. This was his latest governmental position as the authorities' "economic ideologist", after serving as Minister of Economy and State Minister for Reforms until 2008. (https://civil.ge/archives/118335)
• In February 2009, Saakashvili announced that every state agency would be required to tighten their belts and cut expenses by 10%. He also announced the privatization of three presidential residences in Tbilisi, Zugdidi and Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/118363)
• In March 2009, Saakashvili presented his 2013 vision for development of the Black Sea coast in which h envisioned that Batumi and Poti would become a single megapolis with 30-50 skyscrapers to challenge Dubai, a megapolis with a 100% employment rate (https://civil.ge/archives/118512)
• On 30 June 2009, the government unveiled a banking sector boost plan, which involved seeking 200 million USD in loans from the EBRD and ADB to help commercial banks. The plan saw the issue of treasury bills worth 260 million GEL to invest in infrastructure projects. The plan also envisioned the deregulation of the banking sector, resulting in freeing up 700 million GEL in private assets. The proposal also saw state-guaranteed loans to construction firms to encourage them to renovate old parts of Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/119097)
• On 21 August 2009, Gilauri sacked Economy Minister Lasha Zhvania. Zhvania had been conflicting with some of the PM's advisers that were tied with Bendukidze. One of the largest point of contention was Zhvania's insistence on speeding up DCFTA negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/119293)
• On 6 October 2009, Saakashvili introduced in an address to Parliament his Act on Economic Freedom with the following points: (https://civil.ge/archives/119449)
  • Referendum on tax increase;
  • Ban of setting new regulatory agencies;
  • No more new licenses or permits;
  • Expenditures-to-GDP ratio – 30%;
  • Debt-to-GDP ratio – 60%;
  • Budget deficit no more than 3% of GDP;
  • ‘Georgia should be flagship of world liberal economy’
• On 11 November 2009, at a speech in Kakheti, Saakashvili proposed further business-related reforms: return by the end of the year of 35 million GEL in VAT to companies, proposal to allow reps from the Federation of Georgian Businessmen and Chamber of Commerce and Industry to take a seat in the tax dispute council, and a ban on lower level tax officials sealing companies for financial reasons for more than 48 hours (requiring a Minister of Finance order for any further sealing) (https://civil.ge/archives/119564)
• The Gov proposed the new draft tax code on 19 June 2010. The proposal included several changes in tax rates and created the position of Tax Ombudsman (https://civil.ge/archives/120305)
• Saakashvili pledged in June 2010 that Georgia would turn into a new Dubai by 2017 (https://civil.ge/archives/120310)
• The appointment of 29-year-old Vera Kobalia in June 2010 came with two new priorities for the Ministry: tackle the decrease in FDI and the slow pace of privatization (https://civil.ge/archives/120350)
• In November 2010, CDM criticized the President for his heavy-handed policy against SMEs through the use of tax authorities. (https://civil.ge/archives/185755)
  • In response, Saakashvili pledged a new economic course that would focus on SMEs and pledged to cretae the office of Tax Ombudsman (https://civil.ge/archives/185758)
• Trying to promote investments in Svaneti, he launched a program to give out plots of land for 1 GEL to investors wanting to build hotels in the region on 24 December 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/185771)
• In February 2011, the government proposed a series of reforms to almost abolish the Ministry of Environment, transferring most of its powers to the Ministry of Energy, Justice, Economy, Agriculture and Regional Development and Infrastructure. The reforms envisioned the abolition of the Environment Protection Inspection and the Investigations Department. (https://civil.ge/archives/185813)
• In September 2010, Saakashvili met Trump in New York, shortly after which the Trump Organization signed a memorandum of understanding with Silk Road Group (https://civil.ge/archives/185826)
• The Economic Liberty Act was amended in June 2011 to provide an escape clause to the December 2010-approved constitutional amendments subjecting tax increase to a referendum, allowing the government to increase taxes without referendum for no more than 3 years (https://civil.ge/archives/185950)
  • The draft, which originally capped government spending at 30% of GDP and budget deficit at 3% of GDP and public debt at 60% of GDP, also allowed an escape clause that envisaged the government being required to draft a binding return to set limitations within two years in the event of a crossing of the debt ceiling.
  • The draft did not envision some of the most radical proposals of President Saakashvili, such as the ban of new regulatory agencies, the ban on new licenses and permits.
  • The final draft (as amended) of the Economic Liberty Act was passed by Parliament on 1 July 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/185962)
• When police dispersed a strike and arrested three strikers in Kutaisi against the metallurigical plant, the GTUC accused the authorities of repressions against labor unions (https://civil.ge/archives/186050)
• On 11 October 2011, Parliament approved a law allowing the government to float stocks (IPO) of state-owned enterprises (https://civil.ge/archives/121461)
  • The government announced delaying its plan to IPO SOEs in November 2011, citing the grave situation on the international stock markets (https://civil.ge/archives/121547)
• Trump visited Georgia to unveil plans for the Trump Tower in Batumi in April 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/121875)
  • Saakashvili awarded him the Presidential Order of Excellence and praised him for building New America. Trump called Saakashvili a big man outside this region (https://civil.ge/archives/121876)
• The plan to lower income tax from 20 to 15% progressively by 2014 was dropped in May 2012, Instead the government proposed the creation of a voluntary personal savings system administered by asset management companies to invest funds in various projects (https://civil.ge/archives/186351)
• In the first half of 2012, the Central Bank's monetary policies led to a drop from a 14% inflation rate to a 2% deflation rate. But as commercial banks kept high interest rates, he warned banks that anti-bank public sentiments would rise if interest rates did not fall. (https://civil.ge/archives/122018)
• As lame-duck president, Saakashvili proposed a bill for a large tax amnesty and to decriminalize economic offences (although see here the number of former officials arrested for tax evasion and financial crimes) (https://civil.ge/archives/122539)

• Georgia in the World Context
  • Following the global recession of 2008, indebted construction companies left the market immediately (516)
  • Georgia still came out relatively easily of the global recession because post-war efforts led to an international donors’ conference of Western powers and Japan that gave Georgia 4.5 billion dollars, more than half of which in grants (516)

• Saakashvili met Trump twice before the announcement of their memorandum, he actively worked to make the deal happen (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=5556&i=2)
  • The Ajara government launched a new program in 2010 that offered hotel developers 27 plots on 11.3 ha of undeveloped state-owned land for 1 USD per plot. The program was available for any investor willing to invest at least 2 million GEL in a beachfront hotel zone. Additional incentives included free utilities and no sales/income tax for 15 years.
  • Though the Ajara government was behind this, it was announced by Saakashvili
  • The program was meant for Kobuleti

• There was criticism that many of the foreign-oriented economic moves by the Saakashvili administration did not benefit the Georgian population as much as other moves could have done (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6885&i=1)

• Despite the 2008 global recession and the war, Georgia still had economic advantages: the banking system was stable, state resources were not depleted, support from donor nations was high, GEL was stable, inflation was under control (especially compared to neighboring states) (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4953&i=1)
  • According to the IMF and MS, Georgia had the chance to be among the ten countries with the least impact from the world crisis.
  • He proposed a series of measures: foreign aid toward the creation of new jobs, a 2.2 billion GEL economic stimulus package that would create 25,000 jobs, attraction of foreign investments. These measures would aim at the State becoming the largest investor in the economy.
  • These proposals were met with serious backlash, including from several MPs that claimed that construction was not a stable, long-term economic proposal
  • He privatized the government residences in Zugdidi and Batumi as attempt to seek more government revenue.

• In his 2010 parliamentary address, he said that it was "our commitment to a liberal economy and the minimal necessary involvement of government in the economy... that has made Georgia appearing to foreign investors' radars." (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/Documents/AnnualReports?p=4954&i=1)
  • Despite the economic crisis, the Radisson, the Sheraton, the Tbilisi Central Railway Station shopping center and the Kutaisi and Rustavi metallurgy factories were completed in 2008-2010.

• Economic Zone of Registration, meant to simplify customs clearance procedures, time and expenditures, were announced in November 2010. By January 2011, Poti and Adlia EZRs were announced (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=5945&i=5)

Agriculture, tourisme et problèmes régionaux

• Rayfield
  • The countryside was deserted and agriculture was ruined (397)
  • Vestigial heavy industry depends on Russian and Kazakh capoital (397)
  • Criticism included that visitors would only see luxury hotels, asphalted boulverds and medieval towns resotred as tourist parks with fine restaurants and expensive cars parked outside, elaborate fountains and tasteless statuary district from the crumbling housing stock and roads (397)
  • Despite an ancient agricultural history, much of the produce found in shops came from Turkey (402)
  • The government tried new projects, such as crocodile farming and importing white farmers from South Africa but those were not serious (402)

• USCCSCE
  • He moved the Parliament to Kutaisi and the Constitutional Court to Batumi (17)

• He proposed the move of the CC to Batumi in June 2006 as a move for decentralization and to promote the links between Tbilisi and Batumi (https://civil.ge/archives/110920)
• 25 June 2006: The National Presidential Program to Boost Tourism Infrastructure is launched, aiming at bringing 2.5 million tourists to Georgia's resorts across the country (https://civil.ge/archives/110921)
• On 11 September 2009, Parliament approved a constitutional amendment envisaging splitting the work of Parliament between Tbilisi and Kuataisi (https://civil.ge/archives/119366)
• Agriculture’s share in the country’s GDP decreased from 14.8% in 2005 to 8.3% in 2009.
  • Agriculture contributed 9% of the country’s GDP in the first half of 2010
  • the sector suffered 1.8% contraction in the third quarter of 2010 and its share in GDP during the same period was 8%.
  • In response to these problems, Saakashvili announced in March 2011 a plan to invest 150 million GEL into the sector (https://civil.ge/archives/185830)
• Tourism fell 80% following the war (https://civil.ge/archives/118310)
• As tourism revenue increased, Saakashvili preicted that Georgia would welcome 3 million tourists by 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/119323)
• Saakashvili launched a global ad campaign in August 2010 on its potential of having swimming resorts and ski resorts and for this, did a one-day beach trip in Anaklia and ski-trip to Svaneti (https://civil.ge/archives/120428)
• Parliament passed on October 26 law exempting from profit and property taxes for next 15 years investors who will invest at least GEL 1 million in construction of hotels on 11.4 hectare plot of land in Kobuleti. This was called the Free Tourism Zone. (https://civil.ge/archives/185754)
  • Soon, Saakashvili also called for the same in Anaklia, on top of regulations making it cheaper to get a casino license there
• On 5 May 2011, Parliament amended the Free Tourism Zone concept to allow the government to declare any zone such (https://civil.ge/archives/185885)
• The construction of the new Parliament cost 57 million GEL officially
  • Criticism stated that the move would weaken the legislature by placing it far from the executive branch (https://civil.ge/archives/121218)
  • Saakashvili stated that the plan was to bring three capitals to Georgia: Tbilisi as the capital of the Caucasus, Batumi as the economic center of Georgia, and Kutaisi as the parliamentary capital of Georgia.
  • Saakashvili criticized MPs who were against the move by claiming they didnt want to work in Kutaisi (https://civil.ge/archives/185956)
  • Parliament approved the constitutional amendment envisaging the relocation to Kutaisi on 1 July 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/121250)
• Tourism increase: From 1,000,161 in 2006 to 2,031,695 in 2010 with the following increases: 5.1% in 2007, 22.5% in 2008, 10.5% in 2009 and 42.75% in 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/121384)
• Saakashvili stated that the relocation of Parliament to Kutaisi would give new economic life to Tskaltubo, Bagdadi, Vani and Khoni and for all of Imereti (https://civil.ge/archives/186126)
  • He added Kutaisi would become the political administrative center of the country and the second capital.
• On 4 December 2012, Saakashvili announced plans to launch construction of Georgia's second largest city on the Black Sea coast, which he would build close to Abkhazia ABL and call it Lazika, with a planned population of 500,000 by 2021 (https://civil.ge/archives/186142)
• Wine export evolution: 49 million USD (2004), 81 million USD (2005), 41 million USD (2006), 29 million USD (2007), 37 million USD (2008), 32 million USD (2009), 39 million USD (2010), 54 million USD (2011) (https://civil.ge/archives/121703)
• State of the Nation address in February 2012: he government would provide irrigation systems to cover 18,000 hectares of land and 3,800 hectares will have the drainage systems rehabilitated. Saakashvili also said that twelve “centers of mechanization” would be established with 250 new tractors and 400 tractor extension aggregates to serve farmers. These centers, he said, would also serve as a consultancy providers to farmers. (https://civil.ge/archives/186238)
• GYLA revealed that the construction of the new Parliament cost at least 73.7 million GEL and highlighted troubles with lack of transparency (https://civil.ge/archives/121878)
• Saakashvili called the relocation of Parliament in Kutaisi as part of the decentralization process.(https://civil.ge/archives/186329)
  • He went on to call decentralization as the help for creation of many centers around the country, the firmest foundation of unity.
  • He called for the increase of accountability of local self-governance before the people
• In May 2012, he pledged to transform Tskaltubo into the best resort of Europe within two, three four years (https://civil.ge/archives/186326)
• In May 2012, he announced planning a liberal financial zone near Gonio with full freedom of financial transactions and separate laws, with skyscrapers (https://civil.ge/archives/186330)
• Parliament introduced a constitutional amendment to grant special status to the future Lazika, planning for special form of governance, special jurisdiction for civil adjudications to make it attractive for investors (https://civil.ge/archives/186331)
• MOF stated the construction of Parliament cost 133.7 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/121931)
• Kutaisi hosted the Independence Day military parade of 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/121963)
• On 15 June 2012, Saakashvili made a speech on Lazika. He said that British law would be introduced for commercial transactions in the city, calling it a huge experiment toward absolute safety and guarantee of commercial transactions for local and foreign investors (https://civil.ge/archives/122018)
• Parliament approved the constitutional amendment granting Lazika a special status to be defined in a future organic law. Lazika was planned to be built between Anaklia and Kulevi (https://civil.ge/archives/122041)
• The GD Finance Ministry revealed in October 2012 that the new Parliament cost 340 million GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/122364)

• MS - The Force Awakens
  • Over 8 years, he spent 200 million USD to rehabilitate and build roads in Svaneti (13)
  • In Svaneti, he rehabilitated towers, churches, museums and the Mestia Airport (13)
  • In Racha, he had built a wine factory that boosted production and increased tourism (13)
  • In Kutaisi, he rebuilt the town's center and built a new airport there (14)
  • In Anaklia, he built boulevards using Spanish architects, new roads, new railroads and new hotels (14)
  • Batumi had become the fastest-growing city in Europe. By the end of his term, a Royal Caribbean terminal was being built there. A new airport had been built during his term (14)
  • In a move to boost religious tourism, he renovated all the churches and mosques in the country and up to 500 churches (132)
    • This included the Rabati complex of Akhaltsikhe (133)
    • And Gremi (133)
  • He also engaged in the launch of tourism colleges to grow the field (133)
  • He also built the Martvili Canyon tourism area, scrapping plans for a HPP there (133)
  • He took the Prince of Monaco Albert to Svaneti (134)
  • He purchased a lot of advertisement time on CNN, which led to programs on Georgian wine and cuisine (136)
  • He promoted in Western Georgia the myth of Colchis, building a statue of Medea in Batumi, and promoting the old status of gold-mining in Georgia (137)
  • At the initiative of Sandra Roelofs, he welcomed the CEO of Royal Caribbean to Georgia to discuss the launch of a cruise ship in the Black Sea with Batumi as a hub, envisioning Royal Caribbean as a main investor to the remaking of the Port of Batumi, a project that fell after the Russo-Georgia war (139)
  • He built the entire Sighnaghi from a poor, dilapitated village to a booming tourism city, largely by building the facades (142)

• He named a few major tourism-boosting infrastructure projects the "Century Projects", including: the Dolphinarium, the Piazza, the Bridge Peace, the Batumi Boulevard, Mtskheta, Anaklia and Sataplia. (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/ge/Georgia/CenturyProjects?o=6)
• The Anaklia project started to stall as MS started to leave office. The PM said that economic development should be based on proper assessments and not on one man's priorities (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=8421&i=1)

• In April 2011, avlabari launched the village aid program, which allocated 40 million GEL and gave villages the chance to identify their top priority and receive funding for their program (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=6313&i=4)
• On 19 march 2012, saakashvili signed a bill that he proposed, to exempt secondary local agriculture production from additional taxes (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=7414&i=3)

Vers une république parlementaire

• Rayfield
  • It's likely that the move toward a parliamentary republic was meant to favor him (402)
• Kavadze
  • With his second term coming to an end, he devised a 'soft exit strategy' to move powers from the presidency to the cabinet (369)
  • In 2010, he adopted a string of reforms starting with constitutional amendments (369)
  • The largest transfer of power was in security and after the 2012 elections, most of the security apparatus was transferred to the PM (369)

• On 26 December 2008, Saakashvili announced for the first time he would propose a constitutional amendment to cut his powers in favor of Parliament to "gradually move towards the classical European constitutional model." He laid out the main principles of the planned amendment: easier for Parliament to dismiss the government, tougher for the President to dissolve Parliament. (https://civil.ge/archives/118151)
• On 29 December, Saakashvili presented the draft of the amendment, which laid out several new changes: President will only be allowed to dissolve Parliament once during his term, while any further time will need to go through referendum and in case of failing mentioned referendum, early presidential elections are to be scheduled ; the parliamentary minority would be granted the right to start impeachment procedures against the cabinet. (https://civil.ge/archives/118157)
• In May 2009, during the height of the protests, Saakashvili proposed the opposition to present a nominee for chair of a constitutional commission to rewrite the constitution. The opposition refused but the parliamentary minority nominated Avtandil Demetrashvili, who set out his goal as "a balanced system, which will rule out usurpation of power by any branches of the government… A strong president as an arbiter and of course a strong parliament." (https://civil.ge/archives/118898)
  • The Constitutional Commission would be made of representatives of political parties, group of experts and academicians, reps of Abkhazia government and SO and Adjara, reps from state institutions (including President) and NGOs. (https://civil.ge/archives/118970)
  • Saakashvili formally signed the executive order creating the constitutional commission on 8 June with Demetrashvili at the helm (https://civil.ge/archives/118985)
• On 27 July 2009, Saakashvili initiated two constitutional amendments: one moving the Parliament's main session to Kutaisi by 1 January 2012 and the second one allowing MPs resigning their seats because of alleged fraud to take their seats back (https://civil.ge/archives/119215)
• In September 2009, GYLA criticized the President's regular use of constitutional amendments as political dealing (https://civil.ge/archives/119385)
• The State Commission on Constitutional Reform reached an agreement on 11 May 2010 on a basic draft for the future constitution, which would increase the PM's powers at the expense of the President's. In the new draft, direct and exercise of domestic and foreign policy are transferred to the PM, PM is directly appointed by Parliament, the Power-Wielding Ministers (MOD, MIA) are placed under the same status as other portfolios, ambassador appointment by parliament is replaced by gov nomination and presidential appointment, removes the presidential power to give consent to the gov's budget proposals (https://civil.ge/archives/120168)
• On 8 June 2010, Saakashvili for the first time said he was considering becoming PM after the end of his term in an interview with Le Monde, but rejected comparison to Putin (https://civil.ge/archives/120271)
• Alasania's OGFD and the Labor Party both backed a constitutional ban for Saakashvili to become PM after the Presidency (https://civil.ge/archives/120349)
• The State Commission approved final drafts to the Constitutional Amendments on 19 July 2010, with the President announcing month-long public discussion format (https://civil.ge/archives/120394)
  • The amendments were introduced in Parliament formally on 21 July (https://civil.ge/archives/118043)
  • They were criticized as falsely claiming to increase parliamentary powrs by former SCG chair Mindia Ugrekhelidze (https://civil.ge/archives/120410)
  • Polls showed in 2010 that most backed the presidential system over the parliamentary one (https://civil.ge/archives/120413)
• The Venice Commission in 2010 recommended Georgia to move to a parliamentary system where the President had a role similar to that of Italy or Germany. Saakashvili opposed this on 3 September 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/185711)
• The parliamentary debates on the new constitution were launched after the visit by the Venice Commission (https://civil.ge/archives/185712)
  • The new Constitution also required the PM to deliberate with the government on appointing governors
• The Venice Commission visited Georgia on 16-17 Sep 2010 but did not issue a final report with recommendations yet as changes were expected (https://civil.ge/archives/185713)
• Parliament passed the five amendments to the Constitution in a 112-5 vote on 15 October 2010, significantly decreasing the powers of the next president in favor of the PM (https://civil.ge/archives/102560)
  • The changes were scheduled to come into force after the next presidential inauguration of 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/102560)
• It was believed that Vano Merabishvili was eyeing the PM post after the constitutional change as early as 2010 (https://civil.ge/archives/185731)
• The NATO PA passed a resolution welcoming the constitutional reform in Georgia but expressing regret that the Venice Commission was not fully listened to. (https://civil.ge/archives/185733)
  • The Venice Commission, while welcoming the new constitution as a step in the right direction, criticized the fact that the Parliament did not see enough strengthening.
• He again hinted he might be PM or not during an interview on Ukraine's 1+1 TV in May 2011 (https://civil.ge/archives/121113)
• In a November 2011 interview with Euractiv, Saakashvili states that the PM post was not interesting for someone who had served as President (https://civil.ge/archives/186105)
  • This was his first real stance on the idea. Avlabari had to walk back the comments (https://civil.ge/archives/1861090
• Responding to a group of foreign reporters in Washington about prime ministerial prospects, Saakashvili said he did not want to become a lame-duck president by speculating about his own future. (https://civil.ge/archives/121718)
• The Worldwide Threat Assessment report of the US Intelligence in January 2012 stated that 'President Saakashvili may seek to stay in power by serving as Prime Minister, which could impact the prospect for reducing tensions.' (https://civil.ge/archives/121719)
• At an event in Tskaltubo on 2 May 2012, he asked voters to give him 2-4 more years to achieve his goals (https://civil.ge/archives/186326)

• In his 2010 parliamentary address, he called for a constitutional commission that would write a new constitution with a stronger parliament, revised roles for the President and Government, more judicial independence, and more human rights protections.

Éléctions parlementaires de 2012 et défaite

• On 2 October 2012, Saakashvili admitted defeat in Georgia's parliamentary election against Bidzina Ivanishvili in the election the day before.

• Rayfield
  • GD was seen as lacking coherent programmes or serious support and based its support on Ivanishvili;s philanthropy (402)
  • It was seen by some that GD enjoyed the Kremlin's patronage (402)

• Kavadze
  • MS built a feeling that he led a mental revolution in the country, one that took Georgia out of its post-Soviet mindset and among the European countries (80)
  • This gave him access to the European upper political class and media elites (80)
  • Obama told him at their last meeting in January 2012 to be ready for a peaceful transition of power (82)
  • The elections were marred with harassment and intimidation of opposition party activitists (426)

• USCCSCE
  • Ivanishvili was stripped of his citizenship (30)
  • Parliament passed strict campaign finance laws to prevent Bidzina's involvement (30)

• In a March 2010 interview with Kommersant, Saakashvili stated he would not seek a third term. He denied that he was seeking a parliamentary system to keep him in power and supported a strong presidential system (https://civil.ge/archives/119931)

• Bidzina Ivanishvili appeared for the first time in Georgian politics on 13 May 2011, when Cartu Group released a statement underlining Ivanishvili's apolitical nature but criticizing Natelashvili for slamming him for having financed Saakashvili at the tune of 150 million USD a year.
  • Ivanishvili did not deny the funding but emphasized he was apolitical and that there was a balance of power between the government, the opposition and the governmental opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/121074)
• On 25 June 2011, UNM announced new proposals for electoral reform that were mainly drafted by MP Pavle Kublashvili. The reform offered an increase of MPs from 150 to 190, with 107 elected proportionally and 83 through the majoritarian system, doubling campaign contribution limits (60,000 GEL per person or 200,000 GEL per company) (https://old.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=23666)
  • Out of the moderate G8, New Rights and CDM welcomed the proposals but the other six (National Forum, Conservative Party, Republican Party, People's Party, OGFD and Georgia's Way) rejected them (https://civil.ge/archives/185959)
  • On 27 June, UNM signed a deal with CDM and NR that gave a green light to move forward on the proposals despite opposition: 190 MPs with 107 proportional, 1 million GEL for all parties clearing the 5% threshold, abolition of the Liakhvi and Akhalgori districts and additional districts in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/121232)
  • The proposal to increase the number of MPs was legally shrouded as the 2003 referendum capped the number at 150 and Georgian Constitution required another referendum to annul, while UNM argued that the 2003 election results were fraudulent, even though no one ever challenged them (https://civil.ge/archives/121240)
  • GYLA and ISFED criticized the deal as only partial and not covering enough ground to be efficient (https://civil.ge/archives/121247)
  • GYLA opined that an increase in the number of MPs required a referendum (https://civil.ge/archives/121241)
• On 8 July 2011, the six opposition parties that split from the G8 announced forming a coalition, with all eyes on Alasania as potential electoral leader (https://civil.ge/archives/121267)
  • But the coalition collapsed on 6 October with parties pointing fingers at Alasania refusing to cooperate (https://civil.ge/archives/121449)
• 5 October: In a one-sentence written statement, Saakashvili announces the establishment of a political party to run in the 2012 parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/121444)
  • At the time, his only public appearance was in a 2005 interview with Russian business newspaper Vedomosti (https://civil.ge/archives/121450)
• 7 October: Ivanishvili issues a lengthy written statement in which he announces eyeing either PM or Speaker post, quitting politics within 2-3 years after achieving goals, selling his businesses in Russia, revoking his French and Russian citizenships, sorting out relations with Russia, deepening friendship and integration with US and EU, pledging 1 billion USD for agriculture (https://civil.ge/archives/121451)
  • He also announces plans to purchase a TV station after his hopes for Channel 9 to be reinvented fell in 2008 when the GNCC revoked its license for failing to air for years. Channel 9 had shut down in 2005. He promised to pay three times the price of a channel as evaluated by auditors (https://civil.ge/archives/186065)
• 11 October:
  • UNM leaders accuse Ivanishvili of being funded by Putin (https://civil.ge/archives/121464)
  • Civil Registry announces that Ivanishvili lacks Georgian citizenship, even though he received in 2004. The same year, he received the French citizenship, which may have disqualified him from Georgian citizenship, although the Civil Registry refused to say when his citizenship was stripped (https://civil.ge/archives/121463)
• 12 October:
  • Ivanishvili criticizes pseudo-opposition parties, says wants to cooperate with Republican Party and OGFD, praises Merabishvili and hints at seeking to get him to join him (https://civil.ge/archives/186068)
  • Alasania and RP officials meet Ivanishvili. CDM and New Rights decline to cooperate (https://civil.ge/archives/186070)
  • Civil Registry announces his citizenship was stripped on 11 October. Lawyer Eka Beselia claims the information is false and no legal procedure took place (https://civil.ge/archives/186071)
• 14 October: Ivanishvili receives Presidential Order N. 602 stripping him of his citizenship, allegedly signed by Saakashvili on 11 October (https://civil.ge/archives/121475)
• 17 October:
  • In an interview with Reuters, Ivanishvili states that elections won't be legitimate if he is barred from running, Russia carried out unheard-of aggression against Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/186073)
  • Ivanishvili meets Gubaz Sanikidze of National Forum. NF member Nodar Javakhishvili is appointed president of Cartu Group (served as NBG President in 93-98) after Ivanishvili sacks his predecessor, accusing him of being a government agent (https://civil.ge/archives/121478)
• 18 October
  • Large amount of cash belonging to Cartu Bank is seized by the police during a vehicle transfer (https://civil.ge/archives/186076) A total of 2 million USD and 1 million EUR (https://civil.ge/archives/121481)
  • NBG pledges investigation (https://civil.ge/archives/186080)
  • Cartu Bank accuses politics of being behind the cash seizure (https://civil.ge/archives/121491)
• 19 October:
  • GPB ends its boycott of Ivanishvili press conferences (https://civil.ge/archives/121482)
  • US Deputy State Secretary William Burns calls on Georgia to level the playing field ahead of the parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/121485)
• 20 October: NBG launches probe into Cartu Bank's activities. (https://civil.ge/archives/186082)
• 21 October: Ivanishvili does another TV interview in which he states that he supports NATO integration although Saakashvili wasted the chance (https://civil.ge/archives/121488)
• 29 October: Saakashvili claims that 'serious opposition force' tries to throw Georgia into the past (https://civil.ge/archives/186091)
  • He also ruled out participation in any reovlutionary activities, only supporting change through elections (https://civil.ge/archives/186083)
• 1 November: Ivanishvili holds first press conference, noted with obvious hostility from GPB and Real TV. Ivanishvili accuses Merabishvili of influencing some of these journalists. (https://civil.ge/archives/186095)
• 3 November: Despite being stripped of citizenship, which bans him from running for office or funding a party, Ivanishvili announces he will set up a public movement later this month (https://civil.ge/archives/121508)
• 7 November: Ivanishvili does not rule out potential cooperation with Burjanadze (https://civil.ge/archives/121515)
• 8 November: UNM MPs claim that a new pro-Russia poltical center was formed around Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/186104)
• 13 November: Ilia II states that Ivanishvili should be returned his Georgian citizenship (https://civil.ge/archives/121533)
• 17 November:
  • Ivanishvili states he would appeal MS to restore his citizenship (https://civil.ge/archives/121543)
  • The issue of Ivanishvili's citizenship is debated at the European Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/121545)
• 21 November: Ivanishvili delays his public movement, citing artificial obstacles from the authorities (https://civil.ge/archives/186123)
• 23 November: UNM makes a U-turn on liberalizing campaign contributions. Government proposes new regulations: no funding from legal entites, caps on party membership fees, caps on bank credits to parties, State audit agency placed in charge of monitoring, more transparency (https://civil.ge/archives/186128)
• 24 November: Ivanishvili buys almost 9% shares into Kaladze's Progress Bank. Kaladze already before publicly endorsed Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/186129)
• 8 December: A poll shows 36% support for UNM and 32% for Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/121611)
• 9 December: UNM proposes new reform to allow independent candidates to run for MP seats and removing the blanket ban on the voting right of prisoners (https://civil.ge/archives/121612)
• 11 December: Ivanishvili launches his public movement. The 2,000-crowd was filled with artists, writers, filmmakers, cultural workers who benefited for years from Cartu's philanthropic measures, former officials of the Shevardnadze administration, Alasania and Usupashvili. In his speech, he criticized the establishment of a nomenclature capitalism, failing to prevent war, discrediting the Church. He praised law enforcement reform but decried its politicization (https://civil.ge/archives/121620)
• 19 December: UNM drops previous deal to increase MPs. Instead, new deal: 73 majoritarian to 77 proportional, higher bar to pass constitutional amendments (113 from 100), 5% threshold clearers automotatically given six seats. (https://civil.ge/archives/121639)
• 26 December: Ivanishvili revokes Russian citizenship (https://civil.ge/archives/121657)
  • Saakashvili had also stripped his wife of citizenship
• 27 December:
  • Tbilisi City Court uphelds Presidential Order on stripping citizenshp (https://civil.ge/archives/121658) but returns citizenship to his wife (https://civil.ge/archives/186185)
  • Parliament approves new election code announced on 19 December (https://civil.ge/archives/121659)
• 28 December: Parliament approves new controversial party funding rules, although with the Council of Europe's endorsement (https://civil.ge/archives/121644)
  • The rules bar four opposition parties who received 4.1 million GEL in the last two months from Ivanishvili from using the funds in 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/186160)
    • The retroactive measures are controversial and several NGOs (ISFED, GYLA, TI-Georgia, Open Society Georgia and the Coalition Freedom of Choice) call on Saakashvili to veto (https://civil.ge/archives/121662)
    • Ivanishvili states that Saakashvili was in agony (https://civil.ge/archives/186161)
    • The US Embassy expressed concern over the retroactive measures (https://civil.ge/archives/121666)
  • EU Ambassador Philip Dimitrov stated that the retroactive measures gave grounds to question the fairness of elections (https://civil.ge/archives/121668)
    • Davit Usupashvili of the RP calls on the Prosecutor's Office to launch a probe after uncovering a so-called doctoring of the party funding legislation in which the retroactive measures may have been added into Matsne after Parliament voted for the third hearing of the law on a draft that did not include the measures (https://civil.ge/archives/186163)
• 4 January 2012: Chamber of Control launches new unit in charge of monitoring funding of political parties and headed by Natia Mogeladze, a former prosecutor (https://civil.ge/archives/121674)
• 10 January: Audit reveals Ivanishvili put 16.7 million GEL into his public movement (https://civil.ge/archives/186169)
• 12 January: Money seized earlier from Cartu is returned (https://civil.ge/archives/186174)
• 23 January: Ivanishvili picks Tedo Japaridze as foreign affairs adviser (https://civil.ge/archives/121696)
• 26 January: State audit agency accuses GD of having illegally obtained 1.1 million GEL through striking a sham deal with its affiliated company to evade restrictions set by law, forcing GD to relinquish the funds (https://civil.ge/archives/121701)
• 31 January: Ivanishvili praises the Obama comments at the Saakashvili-Obama meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/121717)
• 6 February: National Forum joins Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/186200)
• 8 February: Ivanishvili states that if Saakashvili stops clinging to power after his presidential term expires, he would be forgiven. In this, he claims emanating what Obama told MS behind closed doors (https://civil.ge/archives/186204)
• 9 February: A 450,000 EUR satellite van coming from Lithuania to help set up Ivanishvili's planned television is damaged while in customs (https://civil.ge/archives/186215)
• 20 February: Chamber of Control fines 600,000 GEL Ivanishvili's movement, a donor and its firm for fraudulent donations (https://civil.ge/archives/186234)
• 21 February: Ivanishvili announces coalition with OGFD, NF and RP (https://civil.ge/archives/121751)
• 25 February: Saakashvili calls on parties to make their foreign policy stances clear, a clear criticism of Ivanishvili's statements on good ties with Russia and pro-NATO (https://civil.ge/archives/186233)
• 2 March: Saakashvili claims being wiling to hand over power but only to a new generation with a new mentality (https://civil.ge/archives/186245)
• 12 March: State Audit fines Ivanishvili's bank 822,000 GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/186264)
• 15 March: State Audit fines Ivanishvili's Elita Burji 1.5 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/186267)
• 16 March:
  • US Ambassador Bass expresses concern over the State Audit Agency (https://civil.ge/archives/186268)
  • GD claims that the State Audit's activities are made to find a justification for his citizenship request to be denied on state safety grounds (https://civil.ge/archives/121799)
  • Amnesty International states that the State Audit has a chilling effect and risks violating the rights to freedom of expression and association (https://civil.ge/archives/186269)
• 20 March: State Audit fines Ivanishvili 2.7 million GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/121806)
• 21 March: At his confirmation hearing, Ambassador-designate Norland states that the elections would be a litmus test for membership to NATO and that there were lots of concerns about the Chamber of Control, while Georgian officials are beginning to understand they are being watched. (https://civil.ge/archives/121813)
• 26 March: Congressman McDermott introduces a bill that calls for suspending US assistence to Georgia from 2013 unless the DOS certifies that the parliamentary elections are carried out in free and fair and competitve manner consistent with internationa standards. This was largely thought to be Ivanishvili's lobbying (https://civil.ge/archives/186282)
• 27 March: Forbes Georgia editor quits over censoring against Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/186280)
• 4 April: Civil Registry refuses Ivanishvili's request for naturalization, citing his French citizenship (https://civil.ge/archives/121846)
  • This decision is slammed as politically motivated by GD (https://civil.ge/archives/121847)
  • GYLA called it illegal (https://civil.ge/archives/186287)
  • Ivanishvili refuses to request dual citizenship to Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/121856)
  • CDM proposed a constitutional amendment that would allow 10-year Georgia residents who are EU citizens to run for office. The move seems to have been backed by UNM (https://civil.ge/archives/121849)
    • This proposal is largely criticized by NGOs who are opposed to tailoring constitutional amendments to individual cases (https://civil.ge/archives/121857)
    • Ivanishvili opposes the amendment (https://civil.ge/archives/121863)
• 11 April: Industry Will Save Georgia joins GD coalition (https://civil.ge/archives/121861)
• 21 April: Georgian Dream party is officially launched. Manana Kobakhidze is its first chair, while Ivanishvili lacks citizenship (https://civil.ge/archives/186312)
• 30 April: Channel 9 is launched by Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/186322)
• 10 May: Ivanishvili sells Rossiyskiy Kredit for 352 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/121918)
• 12 May: Ivanishvili sells his pharmacy chain Doctor Stoletov for 60-70 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/121923)
• 15 May:
  • State Audit fines 4.76 million GEL Ivanishvili's Management Service company (https://civil.ge/archives/186340)
  • Channel 9 buys 10% of shares into Trialeti TV (https://civil.ge/archives/186343)
• 16 May: Ivanishvili sells real estate in Russia for 982.5 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/121937)
• 19 May: State Audit seizes assets of charitable foundation Komagi, associated with Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/121937)
• 22 May: Parliament passes constitutional amendment related to Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/121948)
  • Ivanishvili calls it absurd and asks Saakashvili to veto it (https://civil.ge/archives/121951)
• 26 May: Independence Day from the Kutaisi Parliament. Saakashvili states that some are preparing to use the elections to derail Georgia.
• 27 May: Ivanishvili rally in Tbilisi. Thousands gather. Saakashvili call them former police officers and corrupt officials sacked after the Rose Revolution (https://civil.ge/archives/121964)
• 6 June: MIA investigates GD for vote-buying after activists distribute flyers requesting voters to list their dreams (https://civil.ge/archives/186366)
  • 3 were arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/186369)
• 11 June:
  • State Audit and Tbilisi City Court fine Ivanishvili 126 million GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/122004)
  • Ivanishvili is also fined 22.42 million GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/122005)
    • Ivanishvili refuses to pay the fine (https://civil.ge/archives/122016)
• 12 June: Ivanishvili pledges to return Georgian products on the Russian market (https://civil.ge/archives/122013)
• 15 June: Appeals Court halves total of fines to 74.32 million GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/186379)
• 21 June: Police confiscates Elita Burji's Global TV satellite dish antennas that were meant to be distributed in regions (https://civil.ge/archives/186386)
• 22 June: MIA accuses Ivanishvili of weakening democracy by vote-buying (https://civil.ge/archives/186390)
• 25 June: State Audit threatens another 2,85 million GEL fine to GD (https://civil.ge/archives/122029)
• 26 June: National Bureau of Enforcement impounds Ivanishvili's assets in Georgian banks for failure to pay his fines (https://civil.ge/archives/186398)
• 27 June:
  • 2 GD activists are arrested for trying to recruit a counter-intelligence officer (https://civil.ge/archives/186399)
  • GD is fined 2.38 million GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/122033)
• 28 June: EU expresses increasing concern about growing political tension and polarization ahead of the parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/186400)
• 30 June:
  • Vano Merabishvili becomes PM (https://civil.ge/archives/122046)
  • Saakashvili pledges to create a State Ministry for Employment (https://civil.ge/archives/122047)
  • Merabishvili states that his main focus will be unemplopyment, asgricultuyre and healthcare
• 3 July: Merabishvili reshuffles cabinet: Akhalaia as MIA, Shashkin as MOD, Dekanoidze at Education, new State Ministry for Employment with 950,000 GEL budget led by businessman Paata Trapaidze.
• 6 July: State Audit fines Elita Burji and Management Service 11 million GEL
• 8 July: State Audit fines 17 individuals 1.17 million GEL for breaking party donation rules (https://civil.ge/archives/186414)
• 11 July:
  • After a failure to sell shares, State takes over Cartu Bank (https://civil.ge/archives/186416)
  • Thousands of satellite dishes meant to be distributed in charity are confiscated by the authorities (https://civil.ge/archives/186417)
• 17 July: Authorities arrest three GD activists for allegedly violating campaign contribution laws (https://civil.ge/archives/122096)
• 25 July:
  • Following devastating hailstorm in Kakheti, Ivanishvili pays 48 million USD in fines, saying it's for disaster relief (https://civil.ge/archives/186428)
  • Bank account of Ivanishvili-linmked Georgian Development Research Insitute is frozen (https://civil.ge/archives/186437)
• 27 July:
  • TI-Georgia unveils diplomatic emails sent out from the Georgian Embassy in Washington to US-based Georgia watchers trying to discredit Bidzina Ivanishvili, which TI calls a misuse of administrative resources (https://civil.ge/archives/186432)
  • Channel 9 journalist Nodar Chachua alleges blackmail from the authorities (https://civil.ge/archives/122121)
• 7 August: At war memorial, Saakashvili warns of Putin's new plan aiming at subduing Georgia from within by forcing Tbilisi to change foreign policy orientation (https://civil.ge/archives/186446)
• 9 August: State Audit requests Ivanishvili and Kaladze to return almost 7 million GEL into their bank accounts that had been withdrawn earlier this year (https://civil.ge/archives/122143)
• 10 August:
  • State Audit fines 16 people a total of 635,000 GEL for illegal contributions (https://civil.ge/archives/186452)
  • Kaladze fined 10,3 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/122147)
• 11 August: Ivanishvili fined again, this time 20.2 million GEL (https://civil.ge/archives/122149)
• 16 August: Ivanishvili sues government at international arbitration (https://civil.ge/archives/186457)
• 17 August: Government levies GD's bank accounts (https://civil.ge/archives/186458)
• 20 August:
  • Davit Bakradze named head of UNM's party list (https://civil.ge/archives/186460)
  • As Ivanishvili calls for debate with Saakashvili, UNM responds by offering Merabishvili or Bakradze (https://civil.ge/archives/122167)
• 22 AugustL OSCE PA President Riccardo Migliori states, 'there is little part of Leninism in this electoral campaign' with signs of 'trying to destroy the enemies' which Nika Rurua calls utter foolishness (https://civil.ge/archives/186467)
• 30 August: Ivanishvili refuses to attend debates without Saakashvili *(https://civil.ge/archives/122190)
• 31 August: Kaladze named at head of GD party list (https://civil.ge/archives/186477)
• 3 September: Merabishvili in Brussels, Commissioner Fule says the EY is concerned about the growing polarization and tension in the elections. He calls on electoral law to be applied in a way that maintains confidence in the fairness of the electoral process and the rule of law (https://civil.ge/archives/186480)
• 4 September: Polish and Swedish FMs arrive in Tbilisi to meet with opposition and government, call for free and fair elections, although Bildt writes that from Ivanishvili, he sees strange signals are coming from” the Georgian Dream leader, who “occasionally sounds like” if it is the post-election street protests rather than ballot on the election day that has to decide who shall rule the country. (https://civil.ge/archives/186482)
• 6 September: Ivanishvili sells his agricultural corporation in Russia Stoilenskaya Niva for 180 million USD (https://civil.ge/archives/122204)
• 9 September: GPB debate, with GD boycott. Merabishvili debates Targamadze and Natelashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/122216)
• 17 September:
  • FMs of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania visit Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/122226)
  • Ivanishvili stands ready to accept election results if recognized by international observers (https://civil.ge/archives/186493)
• 21 September: Following the prison scandal, Ivanishvili calls on Saakashvili to resign at a speech in Khoni (https://civil.ge/archives/122244)
• 23 September: 6 GD activists are arrested for administrative offences (https://civil.ge/archives/122210)
• 24 September: 3 more GD activists are arrested for bribing a policeman (https://civil.ge/archives/186487)
  • MIA releases footage allegedly proving the bribing accusations, which is condemned by Ivanishvili as provocative and falsified (https://civil.ge/archives/122248)
• 24 September: Tbilisi says cooperating with Paris on the French National Gendarmerie's investigation into possible illegal ties between organized crime and some Georgian politicians aimed at triggering destabilization ahead of the election (https://civil.ge/archives/186503)
  • Georgian Prosecutor's reveals that the person in question is Goga Khaindrava (https://civil.ge/archives/186505)
  • Paris said it was surprised by Tbilisi's disclosure of public information (https://civil.ge/archives/186508)
• 25 September: OSCE PA President Riccardo Migliori expresses concern over the detentions (https://civil.ge/archives/122254)
• 26 September: MIA releases audio recordings of Kaladze and Sanikidze allegedly talking with Valeri Khaburdzania, former state security minister under Shevardnadze and alleged thief-in-law, although Kaladze and Sanikidze deny the veracity of this recording and refutes that Khaburdzania is a thief in law (https://civil.ge/archives/122256)
• 27 September:
  • PM Viktor Orban addresses crowd at stadium in Kutaisi and calls on voters to vote for MS (https://civil.ge/archives/186509)
  • MIA releases a series of audio recordings showing GD candidates talking trash about each other, which GD claims are fabricated (https://civil.ge/archives/122261)
• 28 September: Saakashvili does his wrap-up rally in Tbilisi at a stadium in which he says the choice is between future and past, democracy and thieves-in-law (https://civil.ge/archives/122263)

ELECTION DAY

• Reports in Khashuri of masked men breaking into precincts and falsifying vote tallies (https://civil.ge/archives/122284)
• On 2 October 2012, a day after the elections, Saakashvili conceded defeat in a televised address, announcing UNM was now going into the opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/122289)
  • He pledged to contribute to the constitutional process by conveneing the new Parliament and forming the new government of the GD coalition
  • He added that he believed GD's views were extremely wrong
• ODIHR OSCE stated that the elections marked an important step in consolidating the conduct of democratic elections (https://civil.ge/archives/186517)
  • The elections were marred by polarization and tense rhetoric
  • There was no clear distinction between the state activities and the campaign of UNM
  • The Department of sTATE CONGRATULATED gEORGIANS ON THE ELECTION while the White House called on Saakashvili and Ivanishvili to work together 'in a spirit of national unity to ensure continued progress on the advancement of democracy and economic development to the benefit of the Georgian people and the entire region.'
  • Jean-Claude Mignon, president of PACE, welcomed the 'cosntructive approach taken by President Mikheil Saakashvili who has announced that he wishes to facilitate the process for forming a new government'
• On 5 October, Saakashvili held a phone call with Hilary Clinton in which he raised concern about pressure exerted on the CEC due to rallies by GD activists refusing to recognize the results of some controversial districts. (https://civil.ge/archives/186518)
• Final electoral results: 54.97% for GD, 40.34% for UNM (https://civil.ge/archives/122338)
• The Prosecutor's Office in December 2012 accused UNM of using state funds for their campaign (https://civil.ge/archives/186598)
• An MOD audit in March 2013 unveiled that the MOD had gifted the UNM office in Samegrelo 23,600 liters of fuel (https://civil.ge/archives/122670)
• The SAO accused the UNM of having obtained 5.2 million GEL from the state budget during the elections (https://civil.ge/archives/122995)

• MS - The Force Awakens
  • On Election Day, polls and internal advice suggested UNM would win (13)
  • He engaged in an Election Day-tour of the country after voting in the morning (13)
  • He flew by helicopter to Svaneti, then Racha, Kutaisi, Anaklia and Batumi (13-14)
  • He allegedly received intelligence from French intelligence that organized crime was planning to interfere in the 2012 elections (121)

Cohabitation

• He was barred from seeking a third term in the 2013 presidential election.
• Kavadze
  • That time is informally known as cohabitation (369)
  • MS remained able to convene NSC meetings as its chair (369)
  • That time was marred with tensions and unproductivity with GD gov members not attending NSC meetings and Saakashvili associates being legally targeted (369)
  • The new gov recalled all ambassadors and diplomatic staff loyal to MS. (370)
  • MS responded by launching a campaign with his lobbyists against Ianishvili in the international media and accusing him of collusion with Moscow. (370)
  • His constant Russophobic statements crippled Ivanishvili's attempts to normalize relations with Moscow. (370)
  • Georgia's closest allies were confused by conflict foreign policy statements by both MS and BI (370)

• 2 October: Ivanishvili calls on Saakashvili to resign to avoid dual power. (https://civil.ge/archives/122292)
• 3 October: Ivanishvili walks back his comments, states it was not a demand (https://civil.ge/archives/186514)
• 5 October:
  • Beginning of negotiations between UNM and GD coalition over power handover. Negotiations take place inside the NSC. (https://civil.ge/archives/122302)
  • Saakashvili meets with acting MIA Eka Zguladze and Prosecutor Murtaz Zodelava and asks them to be vigilant and prevent a rise in crime (https://civil.ge/archives/122306)
• 8 October:
  • FMs of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithiania and Romania send letters urging both Saakashvili and Ivanishvili to ensure a smooth transition (https://civil.ge/archives/122311)
  • Saakashvili appoints Brigadier-General Giorgi Kalandadze as Chief of Joint Staff, replacing Devi Chankotadze (https://civil.ge/archives/122313)
• 9 October: First Saakashvili-Ivanishvili meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/122314)
  • The two make statements from Avlabari pledging for a smooth transition (https://civil.ge/archives/122315)
  • They pledge to continue Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration path (https://civil.ge/archives/186521)
    • Saakashvili also hints at future political plans, while GD emphasizes that hopes for a constitutional change before the end of Saakashvili's term are slim, given that GD has less than 100 seats in Parliament, while the country remains in a presidential system.
  • US official Thomas O. Melia states that the transition is remarkable (https://civil.ge/archives/186522)
• 10 October: NATO SG congratulates both sides for the transition (https://civil.ge/archives/122323)
• 11 October: 20th round of GID, for the first time with reps of GD (https://civil.ge/archives/122326)
• 12 October: Saakashvili states that NATO integration is inevitable following the elections (https://civil.ge/archives/122324)
• 15 October: Merabishvili becomes SG of UNM for, as Saakashvili put it, purification, catharsis and renewal. MS remains chairman. (https://civil.ge/archives/122330)
• 16 October:
  • Saakashvili grants Ivanishvili the Georgian citizenship (https://civil.ge/archives/122331)
  • Saakashvili appoints three new governors: Zurab Tchiaberashvili (Healthcare Minister) in Kakheti, Vakhtang Balavadze (Minister of Energy and Natural Resources) in Imereti, and Zaza Gorozia (Minister of Agriculture) in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, and UNM MP Giorgi Chelidze in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti (https://civil.ge/archives/122332)
    • In response, the new government proposed to amend legislation to give the PM the power to appoint governors in agreement with the President (https://civil.ge/archives/122370)
  • Imedi TV is returned to the family of Badri Patarkatsishvili after an unidsclosed agreement (https://civil.ge/archives/186527)
• 17 October: Saakashvili formally names Ivanishvili as the next PM candidate (https://civil.ge/archives/122333)
• 21 October: Saakashvili opens the new parliament in Kutaisi, says it's time to work towards infrastructure, healthcare and Euro-Atlantic integration. He says we are not enemies but political rivals and warns against revenge. He proposes to make the mayors of Kutaisi, Batumi, Rustavi and Poti elected directly, as well as governors and municipal heads. (https://civil.ge/archives/122341)
• 22 October:
  • Shashkin confirms having left Georgia, never returning from a visit to the US. Adeishvili had also left (https://civil.ge/archives/122349)
  • Georgian Railway CEO Irakli Ezugbaia resigns after seven years (https://civil.ge/archives/122350)
• 25 October: Parliament confirms Ivanishvili, his cabinet (https://civil.ge/archives/122354)
• 30 October: Saakashvili agrees to sack his Chief Prosecutor Murtaz Zodelava and replace him with GD MP Archil Kbilashvili, who pledges to replace top brass, calls for a pause on ongoing cases for two weeks, and plans to review the entire office (https://civil.ge/archives/122360)
• 2 November: Government announces budget cuts for Avlabari Palace, NSC and Tbilisi City Hall (https://civil.ge/archives/122371)
  • Ivanishvili called on the President to move out of the expensive Avlabari Palace and instead move to the State Chancellery
  • The state was paying 800,000 GEL annually to cover for the palace's electricity bill.
    • The government planned cutting the presidency's budhet from 14.6 to 9.23 million GEL, a 4.93 million GEL cut, to which Avlabari responded by turnning off its outdoor lights (https://civil.ge/archives/122375)
  • He also opposed 800,000 GEL monthly funding for one of the two presidential planes
  • Ivanishvili opposed the 24.7 million GEL annual NSC budget, 21 million of which was not transparent
  • The new government announced it would cut the Tbilisi City Hall budget by 100 million GEL
• 4 November: Saakashvili talks on the phone with Clinton, calls on Washington to push for Georgia's NATO integration (https://civil.ge/archives/186545)
• 5 November: Akhalaia returns to Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/122373)
• 6 November: Akhalaia is arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/122378)
• 7 November:
  • Giorgi Kalandadze is arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged abuse of official powers, alonmg with 4th Brigade Commander Zurab Shamatava, for alleged mistreatment of officers (https://civil.ge/archives/122379)
    • Bokeria criticizes the arrests, calls for their release, and condemns political retribution (https://civil.ge/archives/122380)
    • The visit of the NATO Military Committee to Georgia is postponed because of the arrests (https://civil.ge/archives/186547)
    • When he is released on bail on 10 November, he is welcomed by Saakashvili at Avlabari, who backs him and calls on the government to support the armed forces (https://civil.ge/archives/122391)
      • The Tbilisi City Court suspends him from office on 11 November (https://civil.ge/archives/122393)
  • Revenue Service launches investigation into the 3.8 million GEL tax debt accumulated by GPB (https://civil.ge/archives/122382)
• 14 November: Saakashvili and Ivanishvili are both in Brussels at the same time. Saakashvili meets Herman Van Rompuy, who calls on Saakashvili to continue to work effectively with the government during their period of cohabitation. Saakashvili calls for more coordination with the government to avoid similar situations (https://civil.ge/archives/186553)
• 15 November:
  • Nika Gvaramia becomes head of Rustavi 2 (https://civil.ge/archives/122401)
  • Levan Kardava, head of the Department of Constitutional Security, and other MIA officials are arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/122402)
  • Shota Khizanishvili, who went from Deputy MIA to Vice Mayor of Tbilisi after the change in government, is also arrested for abuse of power (https://civil.ge/archives/122404)
• 21 November: New Construction Company owner Gegi Kelbakiani, with close ties to Ugulava, is arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/122415)
• 22 November: Ivanishvili confirms he is not demanding Saakashvili's resignation but wants to amend the constitution to diminish his powers (https://civil.ge/archives/186557)
• 23 November: On the anniversary of the Rose Revolution, Saakashvili addresses the nation and expresses concern that a sense of serious instability has reemerged in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/186558)
• 26 November: EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton visits Tbilisi, meets with Saakashvili and Ivanishvili, calls on both sides to continue to use their offices and institutions to contribute constructively to Georgia's good governance (https://civil.ge/archives/122425)
• 29 November:
  • Zestaponi governor Kakha Getsadze is arrested for hooliganism (https://civil.ge/archives/122431)
  • Tengiz Gunava, former head of the MIA's internal investigations unit, is arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/122432)
• 30 November:
  • Criminal charges for torture and abuse of power filed for former DSC head Data Akhalaia and his deputy Soso Topuridze (https://civil.ge/archives/122434)
  • 2005-2012 Borjomi police chief Mamuka Khvedeliani is arrested for ordering a police officer to rape a detainee with a chair leg (https://civil.ge/archives/122435)
• 1 December: Merabishvili is summoned by MIA for using a fake passport (https://civil.ge/archives/186566)
• 4 December:
  • NATO SG calls for a smooth transition (https://civil.ge/archives/186572)
  • Saakashvili and MOD reach an agreement on the appointment of Colonel Irakli Dzneladze as Chief of Joint Staff. This agreement is welcomed by the US Embassy (https://civil.ge/archives/122447)
• 6 December: Saakashvili claims that events surrounding the cohabitation caused Georgia to fail from getting the MAP at the foreign ministerial of NATO on 4-5 Decmeber (https://civil.ge/archives/186575)
• 11 December: 5 US Senatorswrite a letter to Ivanishvili telling him to Avoid event the perception of selective justice (https://civil.ge/archives/186581)
• 12 December: Visiting Thomas Melia states that the Georgian government is paying heightened attention to due process (https://civil.ge/archives/186582)
• 15 December: Vano Merabishvili's uncle Levan Tumanishvili, a business owner in Samtskhe Javakheti, faces charges for tax evasion (https://civil.ge/archives/122471)
• 17 December: Saakashvili signs an executive order distributing 1 million GEL among NGOs and media development (https://civil.ge/archives/186588)
• 18 December: GD proposes to remove the Special Sttae Protection Service from the Presidency's control (https://civil.ge/archives/122475)
  • In a special agreement, the SSPS is transferred to the government but a special unit will be created for the security of the President, under presidential control (https://civil.ge/archives/122504)
    • In February 2013, the agreement collapsed as the two sides failed to agree on funding and the President refused to use security (https://civil.ge/archives/122638)
• 19 December: Six former officials are arrested for corruption, including Nika Gvaramia, Alexandre Khetaguri, Telasi CEO Devi Kandelaki, Kakha Damenia and Bela Gutidze of GDC Solutions (https://civil.ge/archives/122478)
  • Saakashvili called for the immediate release of Gvaramia (https://civil.ge/archives/186589)
  • Saakashvili's car is attacked by thrown stones after leaving the UNM office on Kutaisi (https://civil.ge/archives/186590)
  • Saakashvili responds to recent crisis by setting his goal at the 2013 presidential and 2014 local elections (https://civil.ge/archives/122479)
• 26 December: After dozens of municipal mayors resigned, Saakashvili accuses the government of exerting pressure and calls on elected officials to fill out their terms (https://civil.ge/archives/186600)
• 28 December:
  • GD introduces a constitutional amendment removing the President's power to appoint a new government even if Parliament refuses to confirm it (https://civil.ge/archives/122502)
    • Saakashvili slams this proposed amendment (https://civil.ge/archives/122529)
    • UNM conditioned its backing of the amendment if GD agrees to set the country's pro-western course in the constitution (https://civil.ge/archives/186638)
  • Parliament overrides a presidential veto on the amnestly law envisaging the release of 190 inmates imprisoned during the Saakashvili years (https://civil.ge/archives/122503)
    • Saakashvili campaigns against amnesty by visiting families victims of crime (https://civil.ge/archives/122507)
• 29 December: Charges of organizing inhuman treatment of inmates filed against Adeishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/122506)
• 1 January 2013: NYE address of MS, where he proposes a five-step plan for cohabitation: end aggressive rhetoric, end of arrests, no undermining of Georgia's relations with the West, no more attacks on local governments, confidence-building measures toward the business community (https://civil.ge/archives/122509)
• 10 January:
  • MS appoints controversial Tengiz Gunava, arrested twice last year by the new government over police brutality, as governor of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti (https://civil.ge/archives/122523)
  • Saakashvili claims that bribe-taking had already been detected in the police, strongly denied by the MIA (https://civil.ge/archives/186609)
• 12 January: Saakashvili appoints Khatuna Ochiauri as Governor of Mtskheta Mtianeti and Andro Barnovi as Governor of Shida Kartli (https://civil.ge/archives/122528)
• 14 January: Avlabari makes public the list of ambassadors that the MFA wants replaced by Saakashvili, MFA accusing them of being political appointments: Berlin, London, Brussels, Beijing and Ankara (https://civil.ge/archives/122533)
  • Saakashvili dismisses these ambassadors the next day (https://civil.ge/archives/122534)
• 21 January: Saakashvili addresses PACE in Strasbourg, accuses the government of giving up NATO aspiration, silencing the opposition and pressuring GPB (https://civil.ge/archives/122547)
• 24 January: Former Gov Cesar Chocheli of Mtskheta Mtianeti is arrested for money laundering (https://civil.ge/archives/122556)
• 30 January: MIA accuses Davit Kezerashvili of having received over 12.3 million USD in bribes for providing protection to ethyl spirit smuggling (https://civil.ge/archives/122566)
• 8 February: Crowd gathers to protest at the National Library, where MS is scheduled to give his address to the nation (https://civil.ge/archives/186641)
  • Saakashvili decided to make his address from his palace instead, dispersing protesters (https://civil.ge/archives/122591)
  • Protesters gathered at Avlabari nonetheless (https://civil.ge/archives/122592)
  • The reason why the address was scheduled at the NL was because Parliament refused to accept him because of a row on constitutional amendments. Saakashvili condemned the language of ultimatum. He also voiced disagreement on the idea to make the President a position elected by an Electoral College. He called for a constitutional law on deoccupation, and a constitutional amendment guaranteeing Georgia's pro-western course. (https://civil.ge/archives/122593)
    • He also stated he was not against the constitutional amendment on reducing his power (https://civil.ge/archives/186644)
  • Saakashvili then calls for a meeting with Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/122598)
• 11 February: Saakashvili meets Usupashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/122602)
  • Saakashvili voiced his opposition to another constitutional amendment proposing to relocate Parliament in Tbilisi (https://civil.ge/archives/122603)
• 12 February: Saakashvili vows to lobby European leaders ahead of the Vilnius EaP Summit of November to get a declaration on EU membership perspective (https://civil.ge/archives/186646)
• 15 February: In GD-UNM negotiations, UNM offers to enforce constitutional amendments reducing the president's powers adopted in 2010 and set to come in force in 2013 earlier (https://civil.ge/archives/122612)
• 20 February: Usupashvili announces talks with UNM collapse as the two sides fail to agree on amnesty for former officials (https://civil.ge/archives/122623)
• 22 February: Gigi Ugulava is charged with misspending and embezzlement, although not arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/122632)
• 26 February: Ambassador Norland urges both sides to reach a solution to put an end to the crisis (https://civil.ge/archives/122641)
• 3 March: GD proposes to move the Intelligence Service away from the Presidency (https://civil.ge/archives/122648)
• 4 March: Saakashvili and Ivanishvili meet (https://civil.ge/archives/122650)
  • Saakashvili calls the meeting full of emotions, meant to relaunch negotiations (https://civil.ge/archives/122651)
  • Ivanishdivli said the meeting failed to reach any progress and qualified it a meeting for the sake of a meeting (https://civil.ge/archives/122652)
  • Saakashvili came under fire for continuously criticizing the government's foreign policy (https://civil.ge/archives/186662)
• 5 March: Saakashvili and Ivanishvili indicate during meetings with Lithuanian FM that they are ready to make a joint statement reiterating Georgia's commitment to Euro-Atlantic integration (https://civil.ge/archives/122656)
• 6 March: 23 EPP members of the EP send a letter expressing concern for Georgia drifting away from Europe, which is responded by Usupashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/122690)
• 7 March:
  • UNM and GD pass together a resolution confirming Georgia's pro-western course (https://civil.ge/archives/122665)
  • Parliament votes down Saakashvili's proposed fiscal amnesty (https://civil.ge/archives/122667)
• 18 March: President appoints nine new ambassadors, including Archil Gegeshidze to the US, after what the government said was dragging his feet (https://civil.ge/archives/122689)
• 21 March: Parliament passes unanimously constitutional amendment on presidential power (https://civil.ge/archives/122701)
• 6 April: Saakashvili visits Turkey, meets President Gul (https://civil.ge/archives/122751)
• 11 April: Saakashvili visits Poland, meets President Komorowski (https://civil.ge/archives/122759)
• 19 April: UNM rally on Rustaveli Ave, Saakashvili addresses the crowd and pledges to fight in politics till the end of his life. (https://civil.ge/archives/122783)
• 23 April:
  • Saakashvili vetoes GD's bill reforming the High Council of Justice for ignoring recommendations of the Venice Commission, which opposed the idea of sacking sitting members (https://civil.ge/archives/122790)
    • Parliament overturned the veto (https://civil.ge/archives/122814)
  • Saakashvili vetoes jury bill which restricted the defendant's right to request a trial by jury (https://civil.ge/archives/122791)
• 24 April:
  • Saakashvili appoints Zurab Chkheidze as Governor of Shida Kartli (https://civil.ge/archives/122796)
  • Saakashvili visits the US to meet with VP Biden, State Secretary John Kerry and attend the opening ceremony of the Bush Presidential Center in Dallas organized by the McCain Institute and hosted by Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush and Carter (https://civil.ge/archives/122797)
• 10 May: Saakashvili vetoes two GD bills: one shortening Constitutional Court deadlines in delivering verdicts into applications that cause suspension of validity of a disputed legislative act, and one allowing legal entities of private law to become entities of public law, which opponents argue would have limited university autonomy. (https://civil.ge/archives/122837)
  • Parliament overturns both vetoes (https://civil.ge/archives/122900)
• 11 May: Giorgi Margvelashvili is named GD's candidate for the presidential elections (https://civil.ge/archives/186703)
  • Saakashvili compares this to Caligula naming his horse to the Senate (https://civil.ge/archives/186704)
• 15 May: Saakashvili visits the YS, meets Senator Rubio and leaks that he will run for US president in 2016 (https://civil.ge/archives/122849)
• 21 May: Merabishvili and Gov Zurab Tchiaberashvili of Kakheti are arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/122876)
  • In response, Saakashvili warns that the government is heading to Ukrainian path of isolation (https://civil.ge/archives/122877)
• 30 May: Saakashvili vetoes amendments to the code of criminal procedures that envisages a provision according to which defense lawyers will have the right to request for a court warrant to carry out number of investigative measures, including to conduct a search (https://civil.ge/archives/122899)
  • Veto overriden on 14 June (https://civil.ge/archives/122940)
• 5 June: After a series of criticisms by Ivanishvili against the lack of direction of the NSC, Saakashvili calls a session of the NSC (https://civil.ge/archives/122919)
• 25 June:
  • Warsaw expresses concern: we are beginning to be worried over Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/186738)
  • Saakashvili vetoes public broadcasting reform that changed the composition of the board of trustees, transformed Adjara TV's status into public broadcaster and provided measures for more financial transparency of broadcasters (https://civil.ge/archives/122968)
    • Parliament overrides the veto (https://civil.ge/archives/123014)
• 27 June:
  • Rasmussen visits Georgia, meets Saakashvili, who complains about the lack of rule of law (https://civil.ge/archives/122972)
  • 4 Tbilisi officials, incluidng Vice Mayor, are arrested over financial embezzlement (https://civil.ge/archives/122973)
• 29 June: UNM announces primaries betwen Bakradze, Baramidze, Zurab Japaridze and Shota Malashkhia (https://civil.ge/archives/122978)
• 1 July: Saakashvili sets the presidential election on 31 October after announcing it for October 27 (a Sunday) at first (https://civil.ge/archives/122986)
  • Midweek voting is highly criticized by NGOs that express concern for diaspora (https://civil.ge/archives/122993)
  • After criticism, Saakashvili reset the date at 27 October (https://civil.ge/archives/122994)
• 5 July: Saakashvili vetoes bill removing his power to appoint the chair and members of the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (https://civil.ge/archives/122997)
  • Parliament overrides the veto (https://civil.ge/archives/123014)
• 17 July: Saakashvili vetoes bill that allows the Chairman of the AR of Abkhazia to sign into law legal acts before the appointment of the head of the Abkhaz government in exile (https://civil.ge/archives/123022)
  • Parliament overrides the veto (https://civil.ge/archives/123058)
• 27 July: UNM delegates confirm Bakradze as UNM nominee (https://civil.ge/archives/123053)
• 29 July: Saakashvili visits Singapore (https://civil.ge/archives/123056)
• 30 July: After Governor Gunava of SZS is arrested, Saakashvili pardons him (https://civil.ge/archives/123061)
• Saakashvili formally backed Bakradze in the elections
• 11 August: Ivanishvili and Saakashvili appear together in Batumi during a US navy ship port call, where the two exchange barbs. Saakashvili states of Ivanishvili that he does not love Georgia or is in alliance with Georgia's enemy, while Ivanishvili accused him of being personally responsible for the 2008 war (https://civil.ge/archives/123082)
• 16 August: Saakashvili vetoes bill that bans doctoral degree seekers to hold assistant professor position (https://civil.ge/archives/123097)
• 23 August: Saakashvili says he wanted to nominate Kakha Kozhoridze (GYLA), Nino Lomjaria (ISFED) or Eka Gigauri (TI) for chair of CEC, although neither one was eligible because they lacked an electoral administration certificate. 11 NGOs recommended Tamar Zhvania for the position (https://civil.ge/archives/186764)
• 6 September: Parliament overrides presidential vetoes on three bills: closing of loophole on sale of agricultural land to foreigners by allowing the change of the land status to non-agricultural (Saakashvili signed temporary ban on 17 July), ban of doctoral degree candidates from holding associate professor status, and transfer of power for revoking cultural heritage status in Tbilisi from City Hall to Ministry of Culture (https://civil.ge/archives/123138)
• 9 September: Saakashvili nominates Zhvania and CEC bureaucrats Konstantine Amirejibi and Manuchar Gamkrelidze as CEC chair candidates (https://civil.ge/archives/123150)
• 16 September: Saakashvili comes out against GD proposed constitutional amendment reducing starting in November the threshold for constitutional amendments from 3/4 of Parliament to current 2/3 (https://civil.ge/archives/123162)
• 5 October: UNM reelects at a party congress Saakashvili as party chairman, while detained Merabishvili is reelected as SG, and candidate Davit Bakradze becomes Political Council chair. (https://civil.ge/archives/123208)
• 21 October: Ivanishvili announces that Saakashvili may face prosecution in the case of Zhvania's death (https://civil.ge/archives/186816)
• 27 October: Margvelashvili is elected President. Saakashvili states that retreat is temporary. (https://civil.ge/archives/186831)
• 28 October: Saakashvili delivers farewell address. In it, he recognized that society needed "rest from me" and apologized to those who became victims of injustice under his rule, and announces UNM would fight in the upcoming local elections. (https://civil.ge/archives/123288)
• 30 October: Saakashvili vetoes bill requiring judges of serving at least 3 years before being eligible for life appointment (https://civil.ge/archives/123293)
  • Parliament overrode his veto (https://civil.ge/archives/123298)
• 3 November: Saakashvili pardons Bacho Akhalaia from his conviction related to his involvement in the 2006 prison riot (https://civil.ge/archives/123302)
• 6 November: Saakashvili refuses to participate in the inauguration if the next presidency refuses to use the Avlabari palace (https://civil.ge/archives/123310)
• 9 November: One more controversy as Avlabari adorns a Georgia-like flag with hearts instead of crosses, installed for a music video shot for Saakashvili's end of term with musician Khatia Buniatishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/186844)
• Saakashvili left Tbilisi for Brussels a week before the inauguration. On 15 November, he confirmed he and UNM would boycott the following inauguration (https://civil.ge/archives/123326)
• 17 November: Margvelashvili is inaugurated. In his speech, he states that 'The worst years are gone now. The post-Soviet period is over' (https://civil.ge/archives/123330)

• In June 2013, the MIA made a statement on the arrest of individuals accused of attempting a terrorist attack who allegedly lived with the president's pilot. The pilot turned out to be a pilot for the company Tusheti, a subcontractor of the SSPS. Avlabari accused Georgian authorities of cooperating with Russian special services (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/Briefings?p=8324&i=1)

Départ de Géorgie

• Saakashvili left Georgia shortly after the election.
• In December 2013, Saakashvili accepted the position of lecturer and senior statesman at Tufts University in the United States.
• Saakashvili energetically supported Ukraine's Euromaidan movement and its 2014 Ukrainian revolution.
• On 7 March 2014, Saakashvili authored an op-ed piece entitled "When Putin invaded my country", in the context of the turmoil in Ukraine after the ouster on 22 February of President Viktor Yanukovich and before the 16 March referendum in the 2014 Crimean crisis.
• In September 2014, Saakashvili moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York.[97]

• On 7 December 2013, Saakashvili addressed pro-European protesters in Kyiv, stating that Ukrainian triumph will put an end to the era of Vladimir Putin (https://civil.ge/archives/123381)
  • While in Kyiv, he met with Vitaly Klitschko, whose UDAR party is a partner of the UNM since December 2012.
  • He said 'I am Georgian, I am Ukrainian therefore I am European'
  • He stated that Georgia's fate was being decided on the square
• Saakashvili announced he would become a lecturer as a senior statesman at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Boston's Tufts University starting in Januuary 2014, on European governance and ogther contemporary international and regional issues. (https://civil.ge/archives/186879)
  • He was invited by Admiral Stavridis, dean
  • He stated that he had decided to focus for the moment on academic work in order to reflect, discuss and debate what has been achieved and what remains to be done in our region."
• On 22 April 2014, the Saakashvili Presidential Library was inaugurated in Tbilisi on land purchased by Temur Alasania. Saakashvili took part online. The library included books mostly about politics, social science and architecture and was meant to be an open, democratic space for students. The library is run by a prvate charity ran by Andro Barnovi, who was his chief of staff in 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/123649)
  • Saakashvili was blacklisted, according to him, from Ukraine in the last two months of the Yanukovich presidency. He was allegedly blacklisted from Russia and Georgia under Ivanishvili, although Georgia was only because of the ongoing trial.
• In March 2014, Saakashvili would claim that US and EU officials advised MS to leave Georgia at the end of his term, while an EU official warned him that there was a direct order from Putin to arrest him. (https://civil.ge/archives/186957)
  • He also stayed at some point in Terneuzen, Netherlands

• In July 2014, Balkan Insight reported that Albanian PM Edi Rama had recruited MS as part of a star-studded line of advisers to the government. (https://balkaninsight.com/2014/07/24/albania-pm-seeks-advice-from-ex-georgian-president-saakashvili-1/)
  • MS visited Tirana and met PM Rama, Deputy PM Niko Peleshi, Urban Development Minister Eglantina Gjermeni, Local Government Minister Bledi Cuci on 15 July.
  • Back in September 2013, MS and Rama met and MS pledged to help Rama's government with public sector and police reforms. The meeting took place on the sidelines of UNGA.
  • After leaving office, he became a lecturer at Tufts University
  • Balkan Insight reported that a number of former Saakashvili officials recently visited Albania to advise the government, including Kakha Bendukidze who met with Rama.
  • MS denied that he was offered a position.
  • The advisers to Rama's government also included Tony Blair and Alistair Campbell

• The Force Awakens
  • When Maidan started, he flew from NYC to Warsaw to try and gather a group of MEPs to go to Kyiv (28)
  • He managed to gather former Polish PM Buzecki, MEP Elmar Brock and others and they took a plane to Kyiv to support the protests (29)
  • He spent three days in Kyiv and met with Poroshenko and Klitshko daily (29)
  • There, he backed a radical approach of provoking the government to lead it to mistakes and was largely backed by Poroshenko in this (30)
  • Giorgi Baramidze was also there (30)
  • After the government, Vera Kobalia became an adviser to the Indonesian government (110)

Poursuites judiciaires

• On 23 March 2014, when Saakashvili was summoned to give testimony to the main prosecutor's office of Georgia, the office planned to interrogate him about the pardoning in 2008 of four high-ranking officials of the Department of Constitutional Security of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs – Gia Alania, Avtandil Aptsiauri, Alexander Gachava and Mikhail Bibiluridze, The case of the murder of bank employee Sandro Girgvliani on 28 January 2006, as well as for unlawful actions against his friend Levan Bukhaidze. Also – as a witness, for nine criminal cases, including the death of the Prime Minister of Georgia Zurab Zhvania in 2005.[82]
• On 28 July 2014, criminal charges were filed by the Georgian prosecutor's office against Saakashvili over allegedly "exceeding official powers" during the 2007 Georgian demonstrations, as well as a police raid on and "seizure" of Imedi TV and other assets owned by the late tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili.
  • Saakashvili, then in Hungary, responded by accusing the Georgian authorities of political score-settling and attempts at appeasing Russia.[83]
  • The United States expressed concerns over the case and warned that "the legal system should not be used as a tool of political retribution".[84]
  • The European Union stated that it took "note with concern" and it will "closely monitor these and other legal proceedings against members of the former government and current opposition in Georgia".
• On 2 August 2014, Tbilisi City Court ordered pre-trial detention in absentia for Saakashvili and the co-accused Zurab Adeishvili (chief prosecutor in 2007) and Davit Kezerashvili (defense minister in 2007), with a preliminary hearing appointed for September 2014.
• On 13 August 2014, Saakashvili was charged with embezzling budget funds.
• On 14 August, an internal search was declared, and on 31 August, the procedure for declaring an international search was launched.
• On 1 August 2015, Interpol refused to declare Saakashvili on the international wanted list, as the Georgian authorities demanded.
• In September, the property of the Saakashvili family was seized. His personal bank accounts in Georgia were also seized.
• In March 2015, Ukraine denied a Georgian request to extradite Saakashvili, as it deemed the criminal cases against him politically motivated.
• Saakashvili stated on 1 June 2015 that he had given up (three days before) Georgian citizenship to avoid "guaranteed imprisonment" in Georgia.
• The Constitution of Ukraine forbids the extradition of Ukrainians to other states.[91]
• On 8 August 2017, the Georgian General Prosecutor's Office claimed Saakashvili would face up to 11 years of imprisonment (charges included the spending of public funding on personal needs, abuse of power during the dispersal of a demonstration on 7 November 2007, the beating of former MP Valery Gelashvili and the raid of Imedi TV).
• On 18 August 2017, Georgia requested Ukraine to extradite Saakashvili.
  • On 5 September, the Ukrainian authorities confirmed that they had received the request from Georgia.[93]
• On 5 January 2018, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Saakashvili to three-year imprisonment in absentia for abusing power in pardoning the former Interior Ministry officials convicted in the 2006 Sandro Girgvliani murder case.
  • On 28 June 2018, the Tbilisi City Court found Saakashvili guilty of abusing his authority as president by trying to cover up evidence related to the 2005 beating of opposition lawmaker Valery Gelashvili and sentenced him in absentia to six years in prison.
  • Saakashvili and his supporters denounced the verdict as politically motivated.

• Kavadze
  • Many high-ranking officials were arrested on various charges, including Merabishvili, Bachana Akhalaia, Ugulava and other key members of UNM (443)
  • Adeishvili is wanted by Georgia and Tbilisi has requested Intepol to list him as a wanted suspect. (443)
  • In 2014, the Prosecutor's Ofice filed charges against MS on abuses of power and embezzlement. (443)
  • MS escaped arrest and resided first in the US before moving to Ukraine (443)
  • Many EU and US leaders expressed concerns with what seemed like political-motiviated arrests (443)

• On 22 March2014, the Prosecutor's Office summoned Saakashvili for questioning in connection with 10 cases, including halving the prison term of four convicts through pardon involved in the SG case, the raid on Imedi TV and developments on its eventual ownership, alleged misspending of 8.83 million GEL from the SSPS between 2009 and 2012, the death of Zhvania, coercing the owners of Rustavi 2 and Mze TV to give up their shares in 2004, the special operation that killed one related to the Mukhrovani mutiny, the privatization of the Agrarian University, preferential treatment through illegal privatization to Temur Alasania, bribing TV 25 with granting it real estate worth 3 million USD, and attempting to force Cartu Bank into bankruptcy in 2011-2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/123586)
  • He was summoned to appear before 27 March.
  • Saakashvili was at the time in Brussels attending the German Marshall Fund's annual Brussels Forum when he learned the news, which the UNM called political persecution that may derail the country from its Euro-Atlantic integration path. (https://civil.ge/archives/123587)
    • Ugulava alleged that the cases were fabricated for the purpose of targeting Saakashvili.
    • MP Giorgi Kandelaki called it sabotage and was an Ivanishvili attempt to derail his success in Ukraine
    • MP Tina Bokuchaa said it was orderes from Putin.
• Saakashvili refused to appear to the questioning the same day, calling it an Ivanishvili-Putin game and linked the targeting to his activity on the international stage im support of Ukraine. (https://civil.ge/archives/186957)
• The US expressed concern at the decision to call him for questioning (https://civil.ge/archives/186959)
  • So did EU Commissioner Stefan Fule (https://civil.ge/archives/186961)
  • ISFED, TI Georgia and CiDA issued a joint statement calling for maximum transparency into the case (https://civil.ge/archives/123595)
• On 27 March, as the deadline passed, the Prosecutor's Office offered Saakashvili questioning via Skype, citing the high status of MS (https://civil.ge/archives/123597)
  • This was despite the PM stating that Saakashvili would be placed on a wanted list for failure to appear
  • Saakashvili refused online questioning (https://civil.ge/archives/123598)
• On 28 March, on behalf of Saakashvili, Ugulava stated MS would be ready to answer questions via link but only in court and not in front of the Prosecutor's Office (https://civil.ge/archives/123600)

• MS was summoned a second time for questioning by the POG on 26 July 2014, although it was not clear over which cases. He had until 28 July to appear (https://civil.ge/archives/123906)
  • MS called the summonjing political revenge that would strain Georgia's relations with the West (https://civil.ge/archives/123908)
• On 28 July. the POG filed criminal charges against MS: exceeding official authorities stem from breaking up of the November 7, 2007 anti-government protests, as well as raid on and “seizure” of Imedi TV station and other assets owned at the time by tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili. The same charges were filed against Merabishvili, Adeishvili, Kezerashvili and Ugulava
  • Saakashvili said this was politically motivated and orchestraded by Moscow and pledged to get rid of Ivanishvili soon (https://civil.ge/archives/123909)
  • Sen. McCain, Risch, Shaheen and Cardin expressed disappointment and concern with the decision (https://civil.ge/archives/123910)
  • Gharibashvili stated that his government was mandated by voters to create a system where everyone would be equal before the law (https://civil.ge/archives/123911)
  • The US DOS was concerned by the filing of charges (https://civil.ge/archives/187087)
  • Senators Chris Murphy and ROn Johnson also expressed their concern (https://civil.ge/archives/123917)
• On 30 July, MS, in Budapest, said that filing criminal charges was meant to restrict his international travels and active advocacy for Ukraine and ruled out seeking asylum anywhere. He made this announcement while standing by the side of PM Orban (https://civil.ge/archives/123915)
• The EU took note with concern of the filing of charges (https://civil.ge/archives/187091)
• On 31 July, PM Gharibashvili pledged full transparency and objectivity in the case (https://civil.ge/archives/187092)
• On 1 August, the POG filed a motion at the Tbilisi City Court to order pre-trial detention in absentia. (https://civil.ge/archives/123918)
  • The hearing was presided by Judge Spartak Pavliashvili who had been transferred from the Tetritskaro Court just on 1 July (https://civil.ge/archives/187094)
  • The court ordered pre-trial detention the same day and set a preliminary court hearing for 22 September (https://civil.ge/archives/123921)
  • Davit Bakradze and the UNM condemned the pre-trial detention order as a negative effect on NATO and EU integration (https://civil.ge/archives/123923)
  • Gharibashvili denied that prosecution of MS would have any effect on integration (https://civil.ge/archives/123925)
• On 5 August 2014, the POG filed new criminal charges related to the 2005 attack on Valeri Gelashvili, MS accused of organizing the attack (https://civil.ge/archives/110275)
• On 5 August, the Tbilisi Court of Appeals refused to hear an appeal against the pre-trial detention. Judge Manuchar Kapanadze found the complaint inadmissible. (https://civil.ge/archives/187098)
  • Saakashvili's defense lawyer was Otar Kakhidze, who accused the court of bending to the will of the government.
• GD officials, including MPs Volski and Tedo Japaridze and Tea Tsulukiani (the latter in a WSJ piece) accused MS's international backers of being politicized and under influence, pointing fingers at the EPP and Carl Bildt (https://civil.ge/archives/187099)
  • PM Gharibashvili added that the Swedish and Lithuanian FMs were part of the Club of Saakashvili Friends (https://civil.ge/archives/187100)
• GYLA stated that there was nothing unjustified or illegal with the pre-trial detention order (https://civil.ge/archives/187102)
• On 13 August 2014, the POF announced it would file new charges related to the 8.83 million GEL misspending from SSPS funds between 2009 and 2013 (https://civil.ge/archives/123938)
  • Also charged was former SSPS head Temur Janashia
  • MS denied the charges, calling them fabricated to please Moscow (https://civil.ge/archives/123939)
• On 30 August, the POF announced it had launched procedures for Interpol to usse a red notice for Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/187117)
  • In December, the POG says he will spare no effort to cinvince Interpol to issue a red notice. (https://civil.ge/archives/124278)
• On 29 August, the Tbilisi City Court issued a ruling to impound Saakashvili's property. The Court of Appeals eventually upheld it and the property was impounded on 19 September, including a vineyard, a country house, an old car, an apartment in Tbilisi owned by Sandra, 1,900 square meter of land in Kvareli and an apt in Batumi owned by Giuli, am apt in Tbilisi, 500 sq meter of land in Guria and a car owned by his grandmother Mzia Tsereteli, and a car owned by his father. (https://civil.ge/archives/124006)

• On 27 Nov 2014, the POG announced it would file new criminal charges of conspiring with former senior officials to obstruct justice in the Girgvliani case, including through the fabrication off investigation, covering up of the involvement of senior officials in the crime to prevent their prosecution. (https://civil.ge/archives/124191)
• On 17 February 2015, the POG confirmed that Kyiv was not cooperating and refused to extradite Saakashvili and Adeishvili. Saakashvili was appointed head of the international council on 13 February (https://civil.ge/archives/124385)
• On 1 April 2015, the PO of Ukraine formally declined the request for extradition (https://civil.ge/archives/124506)
• After Saakashvili resigned from the Odessa Governorship, Tbilisi requested once more extradition from Ukraine on 5 September 2017 (https://civil.ge/archives/218277)
• On 5 January 2018, MS was found guilty of abusing power in pardoning the former MIA officials convincted in the SG case. (https://civil.ge/archives/218964)
  • He was sentened to four years in prison and banned from holding public office for two years, although the Law on Amnesty reduced his sentence to 3 years in prison and 1.5 years ban on public office.
  • The UNM said it was a violation of the President's discretionary pardon power
  • President Margvelashvili slammed the court ruling
    • The Court of Apheals upheld the ruling on 18 July 2018 (https://civil.ge/archives/246822)
• On 29 June 2018, the Tbilisi City Court found MS guilty of exceeding authority and organizing an attack against Valeri Gelashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/245313)
  • The Court of Appeals upheld the verdict on 22 November 2018 (https://civil.ge/archives/267228)

Homme politique d'Ukraine

Relations avec Petro Porochenko

• On 13 February 2015, Saakashvili was appointed by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko as head of the International Advisory Council on Reforms—an advisory body whose main task is working out proposals and recommendations for implementation and introduction of reforms in Ukraine based on best international practices.
• On the previous day, 29 May 2015, he was granted Ukrainian citizenship.
• A month before this appointment, Saakashvili had stated that he had turned down the post of First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine because in order to fulfill that post, he would have had to become a Ukrainian citizen and renounce his Georgian citizenship.

• Kavadze
  • Following the arrival to power of Petro Poroshenko with Euromaidan, many of MS's close allies were given high governmental posts in Ukraine, to the discontent of the GD government (164)
  • Tbilisi requested the extradition of MS and his subordinates to Georgia to no avail (164)
  • Poroshenko regularly praised Saakashvili's "great deeds and contribution" of MS in the Europeanization and reforms of Georgia and his know-how. (164)
  • Alexandre Kvitashvili was named Minister of Healthcare. Eka Zguladze - deputy MIA, Hia Hetsadze ecame First Depiuty MOJ and David Sakvarelidze, First Deputy Prosecutr General (444)
  • Adeishvili became a freelance adviser to the Ukrainian government (444)

• In March 2014, as the interim authorities of Ukraine announced Saakashvili to be an adviser, PM Gharibashvili called this a huge mistake.
  • A video showed the head of Ukrainian SBU Valentyn Nalyvaichenko asking MS for advices.
  • There were also rumors about Baramidze becoming adviser to the Ukrainian MIA, same with Adeishvili and Data Akhalaia
  • Garibashvili called it tantamount to suicide (https://civil.ge/archives/186939)
• On 25 May 2014, President-elect Poroshenko told journalists in Kyiv that Georgians would be among his citizens. The next day, Kyiv mayor-elect Vitali Klitschko of UDAR said he spoke with both Saakashvili and Bendukidze and both were ready to help. (https://civil.ge/archives/187013)
  • Saakashvili was a frequent guest of the interim government
  • Saakashvili said he campaigned for Poroshenko
  • When Poroshenko was elected, Saakashvili went from New York down to Kyiv
  • Lavrov said that Saakashvili was not the one who should be appointed as mediator between Ukraine and Russia
  • Gharibashvili advised Poroshenko against the appointment
• On 13 Feb 2015, Poroshenko appointed Saakashvili as head of the newly-formed International Advisory Council on Reforms, a consultative body tasked with elaborating proposans and recommendations on the implementation of reforms in Ukraine taking into account the best international experience, made up of foreign experts to work on the reformation of the Ukrainian legislation and increase the level of international support to Ukraine (https://civil.ge/archives/124375)
  • Poroshenko praised Saakashvili's economic, political and social reforms
  • Poroshenko said before Saakashvili was a freelance consultant in Ukrainian reforms and now this was an official status
  • The new body was set to work in close coordination with the National Council of Reforms
• Ivanishvili called on Georgia to react with understanding and said the decision was regrettable but not tragic. (https://civil.ge/archives/124377)
• On 16 Feb 2015, the Georgian MFA summoned Ukrainian ambassador Vasyl Tsybenko to talk on the Saakashvili appointing, which was deemed surprising but not threatening the strategic partnership (https://civil.ge/archives/124379)
• Margvelashvili stated that the matter was an internal affairs issue but the decision was awkaward (https://civil.ge/archives/124386)
• Victoria Nuland emphasized that Georgia and UYkraine needed each other (https://civil.ge/archives/124387)
• On 27 March 2014, Saakashvili met with Yulia Tymoshenko in Kyiv after she announced her run for the presidency in the May elections (https://civil.ge/archives/123598)
• From November 2014 to his appointment in Odessa in May 2015, Saakashvili stated numerous times that he was offered the post of Deputy PM (https://civil.ge/archives/124641)

• The Force Awakens
  • After Yanukovich's departure, he developed close relations with Nalivaichenko (30)
  • He advised the post-Yanukovich government to immediately reinforce Crimea (31)
  • In power in Ukraine, he brought in Rezo Tcharbadze as a military adviser to develop the military industrial complex, the latter having been in charge of the post-war military industrial complex in Georgia (195)

Gouverneur d'Odessa

Réformes

• On 30 May 2015, Poroshenko appointed Saakashvili Governor of Odessa Oblast (region).
• Saakashvili stated on 1 June 2015 that he had now changed his mind to avoid "guaranteed imprisonment" in Georgia and to defend Georgian interest through his governorship in Odessa.
• Also on 1 June, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia stated that the appointment of Saakashvili would not have a negative impact on the relations between Georgia and Ukraine.
• But in reality, after this appointment, relations between the two countries soured.
• A poll by Sociological group "RATING" showed that in October 2015, Saakashvili was the most popular politician in Ukraine (43% viewed him positively).[102]

• On 29 May 2015, Poroshenko granted Saakashvili the Ukrainian citizenship. (https://civil.ge/archives/124641)
  • On 30 May, he appointed him Governor of the Odessa region.
  • Poroshenko introduced him as a friend known for making the impossible possible
  • MS said Odesssa was one of the most interesting cities he had ever seen and planned to transform it into the largest city, the capital of the Black Sea.
  • He stated that it would be a lengthy process and that new rules were required for that to happen.
• Margvelashvili called Saakashvili's acceptance of the Ukrainian citizenship an insult to the Georgian state and presidency.
  • Khidasheli (MOD) called this yet another act of treason.
  • Saakashvili announced 'we will all together build a new Ukraine. Without a new Ukraine, there will be no Georgia' (https://civil.ge/archives/124642)
• Saakashvili lost his Georgian citizenship (Margvelashvili signed the decree on 4 December 2015) (https://civil.ge/archives/125149)

Opposition contre Porochenko et démission

• In December 2015, Saakashvili started an anti-corruption NGO Movement for Purification.
• Among rumours that this NGO would be transformed into a political force, Saakashvili stated he did not have the intention to create a new political party.
• In the autumn of 2015, informal attempts and negotiations were launched to form a political party around Saakashvili with members of the parliamentary group Interfactional Union "Eurooptimists", Democratic Alliance and possibly Self Reliance, but this project collapsed in June 2016.[104]
• Saakashvili submitted his resignation as Governor on 7 November 2016[105] citing corruption in Ukraine as a main reason.[9]
• In a press conference this same day, he claimed that President Poroshenko personally supported "corruption clans in the Odessa region" and that the "Odessa region is being handed over not only to corrupt people, but also to enemies of Ukraine."
• On 9 November 2016, President Poroshenko accepted Saakashvili's resignation (as Governor) and dismissed him as his freelance adviser.

• Kavadze
  • Odessa, even though strategic, was not enough for MS, who tried conquering the political olympus of Ukraine and challenged Poroshenko (164-165)
  • Poroshenko used all of his power against MS, forcing him to resign in 2016 (165)
  • He claimed that corruption and oligarchical rule stifled his attempts at reform (444)

• On 7 November 2016, MS resigned as Governor, accusing Poroshenko of supporting corrupt and criminal clans in the region. (https://civil.ge/archives/125909)
  • He added I decided to resign and begin a new stage of struggle.
  • He beliebed in the new, vigorous, young forces in Ukraine that would unite for the struggle.
  • Gia Lortkipanidze, chief of police in Odessa, announced his resignation the same day, shortly before Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/125909)

« Mouvement des nouvelles forces » : d'allié à opposant

• On 11 November 2016, Saakashvili announced his goal to create a new political party called "Movement of New Forces" and that "our goal is early parliamentary elections to be carried out as quickly as possible in the shortest possible time."
• In late February 2017, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine registered Movement of New Forces officially as a political party.
• According to a poll by Sociological group "RATING", 18% viewed Saakashvili positively in April 2017.
• In Ukraine, only Ukrainian citizens can lead political parties or be elected to its parliament.

• Kavadze
  • His allies would lose their Ukrainian positions (165)
  • He would be stripped from the Ukrainian citizenship and deported from the country (165)

• MP Mustafa Nayyem called him the loudest voice of the Ukrainian opposition (https://civil.ge/archives/218110)

• The Force Awakens
  • When he started opposing the government, three small cases were opened against him (59)
    • When he fought against the Walnut Mafia, he was accused of misusing state funds (59)
  • He called for four main economic reforms: low taxation, deregulation, treat SMEs and big business the same to end privilege, and fire the entire revenue service (99-100)
  • He also criticized corruption in academia and backed a voucher system (109)
  • He criticized the appointment of foreigners into government positions (such as Post) (110)
  • He backs the creation of a diaspora ministry in Ukraine (158)

Expulsion d'Ukraine

• On 26 July 2017, President Poroshenko issued a decree stripping Saakashvili of his Ukrainian citizenship, but without a reason for his doing so being stated.
• Ukraine's migration service said in a statement that "according to the Constitution of Ukraine, the president takes decisions on who is stripped of Ukrainian citizenship based on the conclusions of the citizenship commission".
• Saakashvili, in response to his being stripped of citizenship, replied: "I have only one citizenship, that of Ukraine, and I will not be deprived of it! Now there is an attempt under way to force me to become a refugee. This will not happen! I will fight for my legal right to return to Ukraine!"
• A Ukrainian legislator from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction in parliament, Serhiy Leshchenko, said that Saakashvili was (when Poroshenko issued his decree) in the United States, but that if he sought to return to Ukraine, he would face extradition to Georgia to face charges for alleged crimes that occurred during his presidency there.
• According to The Economist, most observers saw Poroshenko's stripping Saakashvili of his citizenship "simply as the sidelining of a political rival" (at the time political polls gave Saakashvili's political party Movement of New Forces around 2% in a hypothetical early election).
• On 28 July 2017, Saakashvili told Newshour he wanted to return to Ukraine to "get rid of the old corrupt elite" there.
• On 4 August, Saakashvili appeared in Poland; he left the country 4 days later travelling to Lithuania claiming "I'll be travelling across Europe."
• Saakashvili announced on 16 August that he will return to Ukraine on 10 September (2017) through the Krakovets checkpoint and urged people to meet him at the checkpoint.
• On 10 September, the train on which Saakashvili tried to enter Ukraine was held at a railway station in Przemysl, Poland.
• Then, on the same day, he traveled by bus to the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing, where he was allowed to pass through a Polish checkpoint on the border with Ukraine, but then temporarily blocked from reaching the Ukrainian checkpoint by a line of border guards standing arm-in-arm.
• Finally, a crowd broke through from the Ukrainian side and took Saakashvili into Ukraine.
• According to Ukraine's criminal code, this offence carries a prison sentence of up to three years, six months' detention or a fine of up to fifty minimum salary payments.
• On 12 September, in the Leopolis Hotel in Lviv, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine acquainted Saakashvili with the protocol on the administrative violation of "Illegal crossing or attempted illegal crossing of the state border of Ukraine."
• At a rally in the western Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi on 13 September, Saakashvili announced that he would return to Kyiv on 19 September after travelling to several other cities to rally support.
• On 22 September, the Mostysky District Court of the Lviv region found Saakashvili guilty of illegally crossing the state border.
• Under the court's decision, he must pay a fine of 200 non-taxable minimums (3400 hryvni).

• Kavadze
  • He was deported to Poland (444)

• Poroshenko stripped him of citizenship on 26 July 2017 (https://civil.ge/archives/217898)
  • MS was wanted in Ukraine on a number of criminal charges
  • The POG gave Ukraine information that was not known at the time of granting citizenship and the PO of Ukraine said that the decision to revoke citizenship can be made if the person receiving provided deliberately false data, lied and provided false documents or hid an important fact from his biography.
  • He was citizen of no country
  • He was in the US when he learned the news and announced he would fight for his legal right to return to Ukraine, accusing Poroshenko of acting in an underhanded manner
  • On 24 July, Poroshenko appointed new members to the Citizenship Committee, allegedly as a purge
  • MS said Poroshenko crossed a red line and would lead to his government's failure in the next election
  • He also linked the recent Poroshenko visit to Ukraine as an agreement between two oligarchic regimes where they came together with a plan to strip him of his citizenship
  • Russian PM Medvedev said the development was amazing and the show must go on
• MS eventually said that Poroshenko's decision was a blatant attempt to get rid of one of the main political opponents inside the country in an interview with VoA, a very Soviet behavior. (https://civil.ge/archives/218110)
  • He said there should have been a judicial process with a legal foundation that lacked.
  • He said he would fight for his right to return to Ukraine and spoke to several Ukrainian journalists and think tanks.
  • MS said Poroshenko violated the 1961 Convention on Reducing Statelessness in the World.
  • His initial application for citizenship did not mention that he was going through legal proceedings in Georgia, and the government used that as an excuse. MS said he did not include them because the trial was not recognized internationally.
• On 5 September 2017, he announced he would return to Ukraine via Poland on 10 September, accompanied by MEPs, journalists and backers. He said this following his meeting with Joseph Daul, President of the EPP. (https://civil.ge/archives/218273)
  • MS linked reinforcement with heavy armament of the border with barbed wire fences with his plans to return
• On 10 September, he forced his way into Ukraine from Poland, originally planning on crossing in the middle of the day through the Korczowa-Krakovets crossing point, where his supporters had been gathering from early morning amid an increased police presence in the area. (https://civil.ge/archives/218288)
  • At the last moment, he changed his plan to cross through the Medyka-Shehiny crossing point, where he traveled from Przemysl.
  • In Przemysl, he had been joined by MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, a number of Ukrainian politicians including Yulia Tymoshenko.
  • He reached the border via bus after failing to cross the border via train after his train had been stopped at the border for an hour at the request of Ukrainian officials.
  • Though allowed crossing, MS was met with a line of border guards where he was briefly stopped. Supporters broke through the police cordon at the border and marched Saakashvili across the border, before traveling to Lviv to address his supporters.
  • Ukrainian authorities stated that 16 border guards had been injured as a result of confrontation.
• On 5 December 2017, Saakashvili was detained in his Kyiv apartment by the Ukrainian Security Service. (https://civil.ge/archives/218884)
  • Davit Sakvarelidze, one of his close associates, wrote on Facebook that security officers were trying to break into his house.
  • Live video footage showed heavy police presence in and around the building, while MS addressed his supporters from the rooftop and called on them to mobilize outside the building.
  • Once in the police van, his supporters blocked the road and the van was surrounded
• Later that day, he was freed from the Security Service detention by his supporters after the van episode lasted four hours. (https://civil.ge/archives/218887)
  • From his house, he and his supporters walked to the Rada where he addressed the crowd and pledged to end all oligarchs in Ukraine and Georgia.
  • He called for the resignation of the General Prosecutor and the Secrutiy Service leadership
  • He was detained and charged under Article 256.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (assistance to members of criminal organizations and covering up of their criminal activity)
• On 6 December, the Ukrainian authorities put him on his wanted list under the cited charge and also Article 15.1 (criminal attempt) and Article 28.2 (criminal offense committed by a group of persons upon prior conspiracy) (https://civil.ge/archives/218890)
  • The Prosecutor claimed that Saakashvili was planning protest rallies to seize power with the help of controversial businessman Serhiy Kurchenko, linked with Yanukovich.
  • The PO released an audio recording that confirmed that Kurchenko was financing Saakashvili. On 4 December, an Ukrainian citizen of Georgian origin was arrested for being a mediator between both.
  • After addressing the Rada crowd, he stayed in a tent camp close and refused to show at the PO, although showed readiness to receive an investigator in his tent
• On 6 December, thousands gathered in Tbilisi to protest for Saakashvili's freedom, led by UNM, who accused a coordinated revenge by Poroshenko and Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/218894)
• Saakashvili was detained by the National Police on 8 December in a flat in the Solomianka District of Kyiv and transferred to a detention facility. (https://civil.ge/archives/218902)
  • The Movement of New Forces called on his supporters to gather in front of the Security Service building on Askoldov Lane where he was allegedly transferred to.
  • Saakashvili issued a written statement calling on his supporters to gather on 10 Dec to call for Poroshenko's resignation
  • The Prosecutor sought house arrest for Saakashvili.
  • His defense lawyer Pavlo Bogomazov said he went on a hunger strike.
• On 11 December, the Perchersk District Court in Kyiv turned down the prosecutorion's motion to place MS to pre-trial house arrest, releasing him free from the courtroom as a result. (https://civil.ge/archives/218906)
  • House arrest was requested to prevent Russian security services from murdering him to destabilize the political situation
  • Several Ukrainian MPs showed at the courtoom to demand his release
  • Hundreds of UNM supporters gathered at the Ukrainian Embassy
• On 12 December, Saakashvili was detained by masked men from the State Border Service of Ukraine in a restaurant (https://civil.ge/archives/219668)
  • He was deported to Ukraine as the court rejected his asylum appeal
  • Poland's Border Service confirmed that he had arrived and that Warsaw had approved the request of Kyiv considering that Saakashvili is a spouse of a EU citizen
  • MS said he was kidnapped and expelled on a private plane
• MS was banned from reentry into Ukraine until 2021 (https://civil.ge/archives/306972)

Saakachvili l'apatride

• In the first half of 2017, and in December 2018 and January 2019, Saakashvili hosted political talk shows on the TV channel "Zik".[127] Saakashvili claims his program was axed in 2019 because his view on Yulia Tymoshenko's candidacy for the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election was distorted (he claimed to support her candidacy while his TV show suggested the exact opposite).
• On 5 December 2017, Saakashvili (who was leading anti-government protests at the time[128]) was temporarily detained by Ukraine's Security Service on the roof of his apartment building in central Kyiv and his apartment was searched.
• He was freed from police by a large group of protesters.
• Saakashvili's lawyer reported that the politician had been detained for attempting to overthrow Ukraine's constitutional system,[130] whilst the SBU accused Saakashvili of receiving financing from a "criminal group" linked to ousted (during the 2014 Ukrainian revolution) Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
• On 8 December, General Prosecutor of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko announced that National Police officers had found the location of Saakashvili, detained him and placed him in a temporary detention center.
• The following day, Saakashvili began an indefinite hunger strike, claiming to oppose any attempts at compulsory feeding.
• On 11 December, a Ukrainian court released him from detention.
• On 12 February 2018, Saakashvili was deported to Poland.
• The Ukrainian border service stated "This person was on Ukrainian territory illegally and therefore, in compliance with all legal procedures, he was returned to the country from where he arrived".
• Saakashvili was subsequently banned from entering Ukraine until 2021 by the Ukrainian border service.
• Saakashvili claimed that his Georgian bodyguards and supporters had in recent months been kidnapped, tortured and deported to Georgia.
• On 14 February 2018, Saakashvili showed up in the Netherlands, having been granted permanent residency there on the basis of family reunification.

• Kavadze
  • He resided in the Netherlands, country of his wife (444)

• On 10 February 2019, Saakashvili held a meeting with Georgian emigrants in Liege as part of his Together at Home campaign of meeting with Georgian diaspora groups around Europe. During the meeting, a scuffle erupted. (https://civil.ge/archives/276376)
• He used a tourist visa to the US.
  • According to him, he was offered a green card but refused.

Chef de l'opposition géorgienne in absentia

• On 24 March 2019, Saakashvili stepped down as the UNM party's chairman. He was succeeded by his own nominee, Grigol Vashadze.
• On 4 December 2015, Saakashvili was stripped of his Georgian citizenship.[101] According to him, this was done to prevent him from leading the United National Movement in the 2016 Georgian parliamentary election.
• En août suivant, il annonce son retour en Géorgie, présentant ses excuses à ses habitants pour les fautes qu’il aurait commises.

• Kavadze
  • He called to make Georgia great again (445)

• On 3 July 2014, following the arrest of Ugulava, Saakashvili met a group of UNM MPs in Kyiv. He was still chair of the UNM at the time. He condemned the use of the judiciary for political purposes. He called on his party to be very calm, but mobilized (https://civil.ge/archives/123843)
• On 30 August 2014, MS met with UNM MPs in Turkey close to the Sarpi border crossing point and called for launching new activities based on multi-party, common Georgian interests to prevent the country's backsliding. He criticized the long queues at the Sarpi border, based on mismanagement. (https://civil.ge/archives/187117)
• On 25 October 2014, he stated that the UNM's goal should be to rally Georgian patriots, not around political parties but around the idea of saving Georgia. He accused Ivanishvili of scrapping the election system and ending the classical rules of the game (https://civil.ge/archives/124077)
• On 21 March 2015, UNM planned a massive rally in Tbilisi to demand the government's resignation. Saakashvili sated that the struggle was moving into a decisive phase. The rally had been planned for for weeks, with UNM campaigning to call on people to come out and through TV ads. MS emphasized this was not only the UNM's rally. (https://civil.ge/archives/124485)
• On 29 October 2015, leaked phone conversations of Saakashvili showed him calling for the defense of Rustavi 2 through erecting barricades and called for 'going through revolutionary scenario' and the need for physical confrontation during which faces should be smashed. (https://civil.ge/archives/125034)
  • This came in the midst of a legal battle over the legal ownership of Rustavi 2, while the SUSI announced the launch of an investigation into conspiracy to overthrow the government. The phone conversations were with Gvaramia and Bokeria, who both confirmed the authenticity of the recordings.
  • In the call, Saakashvili tells Gvaramia to prepare for a revolutionary scenario, hget supplies of water, erect barricades, and prepare for a standoff lasting for weeks.
  • When Gvaramia showed concern about revenue, Saakashvili responded, 'who cares about revenue, that's revolution, war'
  • When Gvaramia asked if he saw confrontation in the horizon, MS told him to get boeviks to defend Rustavi 2 because it will definitely end up with shooting.
  • MS told Bokeria that Gvariama had to make sure the authorities could not enter the Rustavi 2 building without firing a shot. When Bokeria said Gvaramia had no boevik, MS told him UNM should provide.
  • Saakashvili defended the calls as his defense of the last bastion of free speech in Georgia.
    • SUSI announced it was launching an investigation into the recordings (https://civil.ge/archives/125036)
    • PM Gharibashvili stated that law enforcement would neutralize and eradicate any possible provocation and called on everyone to think carefully and not to become unwittingly a blind weapon in somebody's dirty plans (https://civil.ge/archives/125037)
    • The MFA summoned Ukrainian charge dáffaires Georgii Nazarov over the remarks *https://civil.ge/archives/125043)
    • The US Embassy in Georgia praised the government's response and condemned calls for violence (https://civil.ge/archives/125045)
    • Gharibashvili wrote Poroshenko, expressing concern, stating this did not correspond to friendly relations (https://civil.ge/archives/125052)
• On 4 December 2015, as MS received the Ukrainian citizenship in May to become Odessa Governor, Margvelashvili signed a decree removing MS's Georgian citizenship. Margvelashvili called it an insult to Georgia and the presidency (https://civil.ge/archives/125151)
  • Saakashvili called his citizenship's removal a political decision. Georgian law banned dual citizenship, although the President could grant it in special cases
• In May 2016, Saakashvili predicted the defeat of the uneducated oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili in that year's parliamentary elections (https://civil.ge/archives/125486)
• In the 2016 elections, Sandra ran in the Zugdidi majoritarian district, according to him as his personal representative. (https://civil.ge/archives/125777)
  • He claimed that UNM was ahead of GD in the polls across the country
• Saakashvili lost the UNM chairmanship along with his citizenship (https://civil.ge/archives/125791)
  • He predicted he would come to Georgia after UNM's victory in 2016
  • Avlabari summoned the Ukrainian charge because of meddling of Ukraine in Georgian elections (MS was Odessa Governor) (https://civil.ge/archives/125806)
  • MS said that GD's victory would pose a threat to the existence of the Georgian state. (https://civil.ge/archives/125807)
• After GD was victorious in the first round, MS called for a boycott in the runoffs, although there was a group in the party
  • This caused division within the party. Bakradze called for the Political Council to not make any hasty decision. Bokeria stated that UNM would only use constitutional forms of struggle. Khoshtaria called boycott suicide. (https://civil.ge/archives/125836)
  • A majority of the political council of UNM rejected his call for boycott (https://civil.ge/archives/125917)
    • Saakashvili supporters on social networks accused those UNM members against boycott of making an alliance with Ivanishvili
    • MS accused Ivanishvili of rigging the elections
    • The defeat of UNM coincided with his resignation as Odessa governor. Poroshenko directly linked the defeat to his activism in Ukraine (https://civil.ge/archives/125917)
• A party congress was scheduled for 20 January 2017, but leaders of UNM like Bakradze supported postponing it while division existed over the boycott. In response, MS formed an organizational committee that circumvented the decisions of the Political Council and MS confirmed the party congress would be held as planned (https://civil.ge/archives/126028)
  • Another point of division was about the chairmanship of UNM: While MS was no longer chairman because of his loss of citizenship, the post remained vacant. Some supported electing a new chair, MS hardliners wanted to see the post vacant.
  • On 30 November 2016, the political council decided to schedule a 7000-delegate congress as MS desired. More moderates wanted to see a congress of 2158 delegates.
• Saakashvili backed a law to allow the recall of MPs (https://civil.ge/archives/126075)
  • In January 2017, four months after the beginning of the split, a majority of UNM lawmakers, including Ugulava (recently released), formally left the party to announce the launch of a new political movement.
  • Along the MS hardliners that stayed in UNM was Nika Melia
• In March 2018, MS was Honorary Chairman of the UNM. (https://civil.ge/archives/220081)
  • In preparation of the presidential election, he slammed the economic policies of GD and pledged to increase pensions to 400 GEL and police/teacher salaries to 2000/1000 GEL. (https://civil.ge/archives/220081)
• On 27 May 2018, MS drew ire when he called GD MP Shota Shalelashvili a "swindler Russian Jew with no relation with Georgia." (https://civil.ge/archives/244594)
  • On 12 June, he compared the GD campaign activities in Marneuli as 'Chechen-like behavior'
  • This came as on June 14, Kote Ioseliani of the UNM political council said that PM Bakhtadze was the gay lover of Uta Ivanishvili
  • 10 NGOs ended up condemning the comments of MS as xenophobic and unacceptable.
• After Salome Zourabichvili was nominated by GD, MS claimed that Western ambassadors blackmailed Bidzina Ivanishvili against running himself, something strongly denied by Vice-Speaker Tamar Chugoshvili (https://civil.ge/archives/247603)
• During the presidential elections, he backed Grigol Vashadze, although he denied the claim that he would seek the latter's pardon (https://civil.ge/archives/262793)
  • MS promised that the election of Vashadze would not lead to a purge in public servant posts.
• During the runoff, MS used a deragotory term to describe Bangladeshi and Indian tourists in Georgia, claiming they did not bring much income to the tourist industry. This address was condemned by NGOs as xenophobic (https://civil.ge/archives/263934)
• On 18 November, he called Zourabichvili campaign adviser Moshe Klughaft 'Jewish swindler Moshe'. The No to Phobia platform of NGOs condemned the anti-Semitic remarks (https://civil.ge/archives/266841)
• He pledged not to hold public office if Vashadze won, but did offer to become director of the Lazika Free Economic Zone, for which he proposed an English law system with British judges, 0 VAT, free business environment and guaranteed protection of rights (https://civil.ge/archives/267716)
• Before results were even announced, Saakashvili questioned the legitimacy of the elections and called for mass protests, accusing Ivanishvili of having taken over every state institution. He called for mass civil disobedience, on the police to stand on the side of the people, on the armed forces to not fulfill illegal orders, on civil servants to distance themselves from the government. (https://civil.ge/archives/268454)
  • In response, Vashadze said the party would gather to see the options.
• It became clear, and worsened during the political crisis, that the political spectrum of Georgia was divided between Saakashvili and Ivanishvili (https://civil.ge/archives/276028)
• On 18 March 2019, MS stepped down from the honorary chairmanship and backed the election of Grigol Vashadze as Chairman (https://civil.ge/archives/279789)
• In 2019, he accused Ivanishvili of ruling Georgia like a feudal lord. He called SZ a messed up woman, accused BI of stealing the elections. He expressed regret he did not deport Ivanishvili before 2012 (https://civil.ge/archives/300824)
  • He accused the Georgian government of working on the orders of Russia.
  • He said he would be content with Lazika mayorhood (renamed Anaklia)
  • He called for direct elections of the PM through electronic voting and downgrading the powers of Parliament
  • He supported marijuana decriminalization
• During the May 2019 by-elections in Zugdidi, he backed Sandra and called on his supporters to go on the offensive and to not wait the conclusions of international organizations, something condemned by President Zourabichvili (https://civil.ge/archives/305852)
• On 7 September 2020, ahead of the parliamentary elections, he was named as PM candidate of the Unity is in Strength bloc (https://civil.ge/archives/365836)
• During the parliamentary elections, MS was in open confrontation with many opposition parties, including Labor, Girchi, European Georgia, Strategy Aghmashenebeli (https://civil.ge/archives/374322)
• When PACE observers did not question the integrity of the polls, MS called Tiny Kox a Russian agent, which was condemned by PACE President Rik Daems (https://civil.ge/archives/383551)
• In 2021, following the April 19 Agreement, MS said UNM would sign the agreement after Melia was freed from prison (https://civil.ge/archives/414386)

• The Force Awakens
  • He supports the appointment of foreign judges as the only solution to a corrupt judicial system, a reform he also backs for Ukraine (52-53)
  • He was a strong opponent to the massive GD-era amnesty, which allegedly included Russian agents (127)

Retour en Ukraine

Sous le nouveau gouvernement de Kiev

• In May 2019, Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelensky restored Saakashvili's Ukrainian citizenship.
• On 29 May 2019, Saakashvili returned to Ukraine; but he soon stated that he had no political ambitions in Ukraine.
• On 4 June, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko offered Saakashvili to join the leadership of his UDAR party and to take part in the July 2019 early parliamentary elections.
• Saakashvili turned down the offer.
• In these elections Saakashvili did head the party list of Movement of New Forces.
• The party received 0.46% of the total votes and no seats.
• Two days before the election, Saakashvili had called on his supporters to vote for the Servant of the People party at the election. (Servant of the People won the election with 43.16% of the votes.)

• On 28 May 2019, Zelensky restored his Ukrainian citizenship (https://civil.ge/archives/306972)
• There were talks of his appointment as Deputy PM in April 2020. (https://civil.ge/archives/348722)
  • GD MPs warned of recalling the Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine if the Rada approved his candidacy
  • The Speaker addressed his counterpart admonishing Ukrainian MPs not to vote for him for fear of harming the bilateral relations
  • Opposition figures slammed the Georgian government for putting partisan interesters ahead of national concerns

Au cabinet de Zelensky

• Saakashvili wrote it on his Facebook page on 22 April 2020 that he had received a proposal from President Zelensky to become Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for reforms in the Shmyhal Government.
• Saakashvili told the Financial Times newspaper: "The president wants me to be in charge of talks with the IMF ... I have experience."
• The Ukrainian parliament did not consider the issue at its meetings on 24 April and 30 April 2020.
• On 7 May 2020, President Zelensky appointed Saakashvili head of the Executive Committee of the National Reform Council
• En mai 2020, il est désigné vice-Premier ministre chargé des Réformes, mais sa nomination est contestée au sein du parti au pouvoir.
• Le quorum nécessaire à sa nomination n'est ainsi pas atteint. Le président Zelensky le nomme à la tête du Conseil national des réformes.

• Kavadze
  • Zelensky's decision was seen as reckless (445)
  • His nomination as Deputy PM failed because he did not have enough support in Parliament (445)

Implications sur les relations ukraino-géorgiennes

• Kavadze
  • Already under Poroshenko, Tbilisi-Kyiv relations started growing sour because of MS and Georgia weakly condemned the Crimea annexation and did not join Western sanctions against Russia over Donbas (164)
  • Georgia also did as much as possible to prevent Georgian volunteers from fighting on the side of Ukraine (164)

• When the Rada was considering his Deputy PM appointment, President Zourabichvili released a statement stating it triggered legitimate concerns among Georgian authorities and society, adding that the decision was both incomprehensible and unacceptable, although reiterating her commitments to the strategic friendship and strong bilateral relations. (https://civil.ge/archives/349169)
  • She said the appointment would delay the submission of common proposals to Brussels
• On 12 June 2020, MS already in office said he would be at the forefront of bringing down GD's government. The MFA summoned the Ukrainian ambassador Ihor Dolhov, stating it was meddling in internal affairs. (https://civil.ge/archives/355683)
• On 10 February 2021, the Ukrainian MFA warned its public figures against calling for acts of disovedience in Georgia aftrer Saakashvili backed Georgian protesters defying COVID regulations (https://civil.ge/archives/396548)
  • MS accused Ambassador Dolhov of being deeply corrupt and accused him of being inactive in the release of two Ukrainian citizens and one Geogrian citizen.

Liens avec le groupe paramilitaire DBC

• Kavadze
  • MS made appeals for the active participation of Georgians in the conflict against Russian and separatist forces in Ukraine (164)

Retour en Géorgie et arrestation

Retour et détention

• On 28 September 2021, Saakashvili posted online a screenshot of his Kyiv-Tbilisi flight ticket scheduled for 2 October, the day of local elections (https://civil.ge/archives/443100)
  • He pledged he would return to participate in saving the country.
  • MP Tamar Charkviani had launched the United Popular Movement for the Return of Mikheil Saakashvili in September, which counted up to 80,000 online supporters.
• His decision was backed by MP Khatia Dekanoidze and Nino Burjanadze (https://civil.ge/archives/443272)
  • His decision was opposed by MP Giorgi Vashadze
  • His decision was seen with skepticism by MP Iago Khvichia
• On 1 October 2021, Saakashvili said on Facebook he had arrived in Georgia, posting on Facebook, "Good morning Georgia. From Georgia already after eight years" (https://civil.ge/archives/444396)
  • He posted a video of him at the port of Batumi online and announced would arrive in Tbilisi soon
  • The MIA denied MS had crossed the border
  • MS called on his supporters to vote for the UNM, or for other small parties except For Georgia.
  • His arrival was denied by Irakli Kobakhidze, who called him a clown, and Mamuka Mdinaradze, who said GD had exact information that he had not left Ukraine, calling the videos deepfakes.
• President Zourabichvili warned against unrests as reports of his arrival made the news, criticizing the opposition and the government for failing to maintain calm, but refused to state whether the information was true or false (https://civil.ge/archives/444754)
• On 3 October, two individuals who transported MS to Samegrelo were arrested (https://civil.ge/archives/446076)
  • He was transported in a vehicle
  • Saakashvili illegally crossed the border on 29 September.
• Gharibashvili was the first one to announce that Saakashvili had been arrested in the evening of 1 October (https://civil.ge/archives/444849)
  • He was detained in the Sanzona neighborhood
  • Footage showed him being taken into prison n12 in Rustavi
  • The PM said the authorities were aware of his arrival from Ukraine and chose an appropriate timing for the arrest to minimize hindrances to operation.
  • His last Facebook video showed him in Tbilisi and called on his supporters to remain calm and go vote.
  • The same evening, his first guest was Nino Lomjaria, who announced he was heading into a hunger strike and demanded to see the Ukrainian consul, denying all charges as political.
  • Tbilisi mayoral candidate Nika Melia linked his victory with the freeing of MS
• Late at night on 1 October, the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine summoned the Georgian ambassador in Kyiv over the detention. (https://civil.ge/archives/444899)
  • Zelensky expressed his concern about the news and the tone of statements bursting in Georgia about the possible development of the situation
  • Zelensky called on Tbilisi to clarify all circumstances and reasons for a such a step relative to a Ukrainian citizen
• UNM chair and mayoral candidate Nika Melia slammed the government and stressed that MS had the right to arrive in his own country (https://civil.ge/archives/445086)
  • Melia stated the government humiliated itself
  • According to Melia, MS knew he would be arrested when coming to Georgia, described as a self-sacrificing move, to give up his freedom to defeat the regime.
• Gharibashvili stated that MS had a thirs of power coming from egoism, healousy over other UNM leaders (https://civil.ge/archives/446493)
  • The PM stated that his hopes for a popular revolution could have been handled on October 3 as the gov could have dispersed with water cannons or asphyxiant gas his 5000 people rally
• SZ vowed to never pardon Saakashvili on 1 October because I'll never forget the eyes of Irina Enukidze or those people who waited for justice but could not live to this day (https://civil.ge/archives/444908)
• On 20 October, a fourth man was detained for helping the illegal crossing of MS (https://civil.ge/archives/449055)
• On 10 December, the POG launched criminal proceedings against Giorgi Lortkipanidze, former Deputy MIA, for helping him cross the border (https://civil.ge/archives/461227)
  • POG information stated that Lortkipanidze met with Elguja Tsomaia in April 2021 and agreed to give him some assistance in exchange for use of his cargo truck
  • Tsomaia arrived in Ukraine on 20 September at the request of Lortkipanidze.
  • On 26 September, MS was driven in Lortkipanidze's car to the port of Chernomorsk, where he hit in a pre-arranged hideout in the cabin of Tsomaia's truck, loaded on board of the ship Vilnius, whch arrived at the port of Poti on 28 September.
• Four accomplices were released on bail on 20 January 2022 (https://civil.ge/archives/467604)
  • The prosecutor in the case was Levan Vepkhvadze
  • Tsomaia transported MS from the port of Poti through customs clearance and later provided his flat in Tbilisi
  • Shalva and Zurab Tsotsoria assisted in traveling in Samegrelo
  • Giorgi Narimanidze accompanied MS to Tbilisi with Tsomaia.
• President Zelenskyy said his return to Georgia was “still wrong because he is in state power [in Ukraine]. But we need to understand all the details and risks,” (https://civil.ge/archives/445884)
• According to PM, MS planned on arriving at a rally on 3 October where he would have appeared as a Savior, mobilizing 10,000 persons. The police would have been forced to arrest him, to use special gear against protesters. MS may have planned for the killing of opposition leaders (https://civil.ge/archives/445838)

En prison

• On 3 October, Gharibashvili said in an interview on Imedi that MS should behave or face more charges. (https://civil.ge/archives/445838)
  • He called him a crazy and sick man and the arrival was a dirty provocation that may have involved several opposition leaders.
• Zelensky said on 4 October that he vowed to engage in returning MS to Ukraine (https://civil.ge/archives/445884)
  • He added he did the same with every Ukrainian citizen
  • The process involved the MFA of Ukraine, diplomatic missions in Georgia, the Embassy of Georgia to Ukraine and the PMs of both countries.
• 5 October: US DOS urges the Georgian government to ensure MS is afforded fair treatment per Georgian legilation and international human rights commitments and obligations, with Ned Price stating he was following developments very closely. (https://civil.ge/archives/446175)
• 8 October: Margvelashvili says that MS's imprisonment is on political grounds (https://civil.ge/archives/447517)
• 10 October: Personal doctor Nikoloz Kipshidze states his health is deteriorating as he continues his hunger strike. He has difficulty moving and speaking. (https://civil.ge/archives/447343)
  • MS's rare blood disorder thalassemia is made public. The disease made his health worse.
    • The Special Penitentiary Service (SPS) denied the reports, stating his condition is satisfactory
    • MS was taking prescribed medications and is monitored by medical staff
    • Following reports on his health, UNM activists gathered outside of the Rustavi prison
    • MP Tako Charkviani of Law and Justice organized a independent protest outide the prison
    • Small protests were held by the Georgian diaspora across Europe and the US
    • Defense attorney Nika Gvaramia said the President was outraged that information on his health was published without his consent, but confirmed that MS's health was satisfactory
    • MS called for UNM to focus on winning the runoffs.
    • Giuli, Eduard and Nikoloz visit him
• 14 October:
  • Thousands protest in Tbilisi in support of MS (https://civil.ge/archives/447953)
    • Nika Gvaramia read his letter to the crowd, in which he expressed hope for a European state, says his purpose here is to contribute to the defeat of the regime, to have his share in the fight against poverty, corruption, injustice and destruction, accuses Ivanishvili of dragging Georgia toward Putin's Russia, called for the return of Georgia to the path of the West and turn it into the lighthouse of democracy, reforms and development.
    • MS calls for a great reconciliation without revanche and revenge.
    • Melia said MS cracked the regime and the government is afraid.
  • Polish MFA and several MPs raise concerns about the deteriorating health of MS (https://civil.ge/archives/448170)
    • Deputy Sejm Speaker Malgorzata Gosiewska called a meeting of Polish lawmakers over the health situation
    • MPs urged Dunja Mijatovic and Eamon Gilmore to take action and convince Tbilisi to release MS immediately
• 18 October: 26 MEPs, 27 Lithuanian MPs, 1 Polish, Estoninan and Czech MP sign a joint letter addressed to Michel and von der Leyen and Sassoli calling for the release of Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/448455)
• 19 October: 5 MEPs condemn the arrest as political and his arrest while the ECHR considers his case (https://civil.ge/archives/448997)
• 24 October: Government says he will be taken to N18 Prison if his condition worsens, which is opposed by his personal doctor, defense lawyers and the PD who recommend his transfer to a private hospital (https://civil.ge/archives/450218)
  • The council of doctors had recommended his transfer to a multi-profile clinic, although the gov said it did not mean a civilian hospital
  • PM Gharibashvili stated that moving to a private clinic was part of a plan that would lead to his liberation at the hands of protesters on 30 October
  • His lawyers opposed his transfer to Gldani because of the presence of criminal gangs there
  • Gvaramia stated that the government planned a prison riot to liquidate him
  • Several members of the doctors' council individually called for his transfer to a private clinic
  • The Public Defender also called for his transfer to a private clinic
• 27 October:
  • Ukrainian Ombudswoman Lyudmuyla Denisova visits MS in prison and raises concern about his right to a fair trial and his treatment (https://civil.ge/archives/450394)
  • EPP and ECR call for his transfer to a civilian clinic (https://civil.ge/archives/450588)
• 28 October: In an interview with Imedi, Gharibashvili states that Saakashvili has the right to suicide theoretically, but added that the authorities are doing everything to make sure he is treated and monitored accordingly by doctors in prison. (https://civil.ge/archives/451001)
• 1 November: MS declares the local elections stolen and calls on protesters to take back power from the government while urging the opposition to leave Parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/452232)
• 3 November: MP Khoshatria launches hunger strike to demand the transfer of MS to a civilian hospital (https://civil.ge/archives/452774)
  • SZ reiterates she would never pardon MS
• 4 November: Ilia II calls on MS to end his hunger strike (https://civil.ge/archives/452970)
• 5 November: The State Inspector Service states that the state has an obligation to protect the life and health of the prisoner (https://civil.ge/archives/453329)
  • She warns against improper measures taken by authorities during a hunger strike
  • She called for the protection of the confidentiality of his health
• 6 November: Authorities release footage showing MS taking in sustenance in the prison medical facility. The PD condemns the release of the footage by the SPS (https://civil.ge/archives/453478)
  • She warned that portraying his sustenance as breaking the hunger strike would lead to refusing his receiving of medicines and fluids.
  • MS started taking it sustenance on 30 October at the conviction of the head of the medical dept of the prison
  • In response, MS said he would no longer receive any supplements
  • GD leaders stated his hunger strike was fake
  • Levan Khabeishvili stated that the release of the footage was torture and psychological pressure
• 8 November: MS is transferred to the Gldani Prison n18 (https://civil.ge/archives/453633)
  • He was helicoptered out of Rustavi
  • It happened after the council of doctors' unanimous recommendation to immediately transfer him to multi-profile high-tech hospital
  • At night, video footage shot from outside the Gldani prison showed inmates shouting swearwords and insults at MS (https://civil.ge/archives/453709)
    • He was transferred to Gldani despite his, his lawyers', and his doctor's vocal opposition
    • The Gldani prison housed many criminals that were arrested during MS's war on criminal networks.
    • This caused his supporters to call this psychological pressure and causing risks of physical violence
  • 89 MPs from the Rada called on Gharibashvili and Zourabichvili to ensure MS be provided with highlevel medicare care, his access to consular and legal protection be unhindered, and his immediate return to Ukraine (https://civil.ge/archives/453775)
  • The MFA of Ukraine demands Tbilisi transport immediately MS to a civilian hospital (https://civil.ge/archives/453785)
• 9 November: The PDO says that the transfer clearly violates the state's obligation to respect human dignity and calls on Justice Minister Rati Bregadze and the SPS to transfer him immediatrely to an alternative medical facility (https://civil.ge/archives/453840)
  • In his first post-transfer message, MS says the prison administration lied to him about being transfered to Gldani, claims having been physically abused after having refused to leave the ambulance and enter the prison hospital. He admits having damaged the analyzer after a vaguely criminal-looking medical staff to inject something without his permission (https://civil.ge/archives/453874)
    • MS was detained in Rustavi for 39 days
    • He backed Nika Melia's plans to protest outside of the Gldani prison
  • US Ambassador Kelly Degnan urges the government to ensure MS is immediately provided with medical care that he needs in a fully equipped medical facility, but called on him to accept the recommendation of his doctors to accept medical care he needs as MS said he would refuse medical care (https://civil.ge/archives/454031)
  • EU Ambassador Hartzell says his dignity and privacy and healthcare must be protected in prison (https://civil.ge/archives/454045)
  • Ned Price calls on the Gov to take immediate steps to ensure that MS's metan health and medical needs are addressed, to treat MS fairly and with dignity in accordance with international standards and Georgian law" (https://civil.ge/archives/454102)
  • Amnesty International states that MS's treatment amounts to political revenge aimed at denying him dignity, privacy and healthcare (https://civil.ge/archives/454144)
• 10 November:
  • 10 CSOs call for his immediate transfer to civilian hospital (https://civil.ge/archives/454223)
  • UNM pledges not to hold any demonstration outside a theoretical civilian facility in case of transfer (https://civil.ge/archives/454282)
  • ECHR calls on Saakashvili to call off his hunger strike and orders the Government to update it on his state of health and the treatment used (https://civil.ge/archives/454297)
• 11 November
  • SPS releases footage showing the process of transfer (https://civil.ge/archives/454374)
  • In new footage, it is seen that MS refuses transfer and calls penitentiary staff killers, executioners, servants of the dictator, carrying out the orders of Putin (https://civil.ge/archives/454450)
  • MS says he will end his hunger strike per demanded by the ECHR if moved to a civilian facility (https://civil.ge/archives/454491)
  • The release of the footage was condemned by the State Inspector's Service, GYLA, Open Society Georgia Foundation, Nika Melia, Zurab Japaridze, Giga Bokeria, Giorgi Gakharia (https://civil.ge/archives/454454)
    • The release of the video was defended by Volski, who emphasized that it was needed to show that the medical staff did not act out of bonds
  • The PDO says that his right to honor, dignity and privacy are violated (https://civil.ge/archives/454515)
• 12 November:
  • Zelensky talks with Gharibashvili on the phone. Kyiv calls for the guarantee of MS's rights, calls for the admission into the prison clinic of Giuli, his relatives and Ukrainian doctors, condemns the disporportionate coercive measures (https://civil.ge/archives/454625)
    • PM responded that it was unacceptable for Ukrainian citizens to meddle in Georgia's internal affairs, refused the Ukrainian doctor request
    • By that time, he had received over 100 visits
  • EU Ambassador Hartzell calls the MS video footage release 'questionable and regretable' (https://civil.ge/archives/454652)
  • MEP Anna Fotyga is refused access to the prison hospital, citing COVID (https://civil.ge/archives/454919)
  • 20 NGOs call for the COE Anti-Torture Committee to do an ad hoc visit to the Georgian prison system to monitor the rights of MS (https://civil.ge/archives/454933)
  • The PDO says that MS is treated worse than other inmates (https://civil.ge/archives/455011)
• 14 November:
  • MPs Akaki Minashvili, Temur Janashia, Bachuki Kardava, Nika Machutadze, Levan Bezhsashvili, Giorgi Godabrelidze, Abdula Ismailov, Davit Kirkitadze, Silkhan Sibashvili announce hunger strike in parliament (https://civil.ge/archives/455004)
  • Kvirikashvili condemns the government over the release of the footage, condemning the fact that the gov allowed this footage to be used on Russian TV (https://civil.ge/archives/455025)
• 15 November: MS makes an appeal, urging my friends all around the world who care about freedom to raise their voices against lawlessness and the emergence of Putin-style practices in Georgia, a country where people are fighting for democracy and which was once hailed as a beacon of freedom. (https://civil.ge/archives/455569)
• 16 November:
  • Ukrainian PD Lyudmyla Denisova is rejected from visiting the Gldani facility (https://civil.ge/archives/455428)
  • PDO assembles a group of nine experts to monitor the medical services provided to MS, and issues them credentials to allow them to visit the prisoner, just as Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia announces that the government-sanctioned Council is disbanded (https://civil.ge/archives/455564)
  • Doctor Grigolia of the new council confirms that MS is not severe yet but is very close to getting worse in a few days and recommends transfer (https://civil.ge/archives/455794)
• 17 November:
  • Salome Zourabichvili condemns the release of the footage as an insult to the dignity of the former president, but rejects calls for his transfer (https://civil.ge/archives/455951)
  • The alternate council calls for MS's immediate transfer to a muilti-profile hospital (https://civil.ge/archives/456056)
• 18 November: At 1820, MS looses conscriousness temporarly (https://civil.ge/archives/456320)
  • Because of Wernicke encephalopathy (https://civil.ge/archives/457976)
• 19 November
  • Kyiv expresses concern about the deteriorating health and reiterates calls for his transfer to a multiprofile clinic (https://civil.ge/archives/456645)
  • GD MPs consult to see about the transfer of MS to a civilian clinic (https://civil.ge/archives/456468)
  • The State Inspector Service urges the government to take all necessary measures to protect the health, life, honor, dignity and safety of MS (https://civil.ge/archives/456528)
  • EU and US Ambassadors urge the government to transfer MS to a civilian hospital (https://civil.ge/archives/456580)
  • Justice Ministry opffers Saakashvili to be transferred to military hospital in Gori, which MS criticizes because of the close proximity of Russian special forces (https://civil.ge/archives/456600)
  • 23 MEPs address a letter to von der Leyen and Michel and Borrell to seriously consider sanctions against individuals who enabled the inhuman and degrading treatment of MS (https://civil.ge/archives/456812)
  • Senators Shaheen, Ron Johnson, Jim Risch and Ben Cardin are concerned that MS is not trated fairly (https://civil.ge/archives/456954)
  • In the evening, MS agrees to be transferred to Gori (https://civil.ge/archives/456819)
  • ECHR issues a new ruling reiterating that MS needs to immediately call off his hunger strike and the government should obey the PDO's council of doctors (https://civil.ge/archives/457195)
• 26 November: MS's health is reported to be stable but continues to suffer from general weakness and imbalance. (https://civil.ge/archives/457976)

• Full timeline: https://civil.ge/archives/455765

• 7 December: the State Inspector Service fines the MOJ 50o GEL and the SPS 2000 GEL over the release of the footage (https://civil.ge/archives/460291)
• 26 December: An attempt to move MS out of Gori back to prison fails (https://civil.ge/archives/464654)
  • In response, the MFA of Ukraine calls on Tbilisi to treat him with respect and not to allow actions that endanger his life and health (https://civil.ge/archives/464894)
• 30 December: MS is transferred back to Rustavi, at the protestation of his lawyers, who claim doctors gave him a fake diagnosis (https://civil.ge/archives/465150)
• 1 January: UNM supporters that had been on hunger strike for 12 days over MS end their hunger strike (https://civil.ge/archives/465950)
• 12 January: Tbilisi City Court overturns the State Inspector's fine on the MOJ (https://civil.ge/archives/466265)
• 20 January: The PDO Council of doctors states that his health condition is not improving (https://civil.ge/archives/467734)

Procès

• His in absentia conviction added up to a total of 6 years in prison while other cases were still pending in court because of the SG case and the Gelashvili attack. While his total sentence was 9 years, the law on cumulative sentences meant that he only had to serve time for the longest sentence (Gelashvili) - 6 years. (https://civil.ge/archives/448673)
  • On top of these, he is also facing charges on the November 7 protest dispersal and the raid of Imedi TV
  • Embezzlement of up to 9 million GEL, nicknamed the "Suit Case", along with former SPSS head Temur Janashia
  • Illegal crossing of the border
  • The entire case was controversial for several reasons, incluidng a perception of political motives behind the proceedings (see Gharibashvili's call for MS to behave or face more charges), concerns about the lack of judicial independence, fears of confrontation that may lead to injury or killing of MS in prison
• On 18 October 2021, Shio Mujiri called against reconciliation, stating that Christian teaching did not preach that you should forgive everyone for everything, always reconcile with anyone. (https://civil.ge/archives/448373)
  • MS nonetheless calls himself publicly a spiritual son of Ilia II (https://civil.ge/archives/449031)
  • On 11 November, Bishop Nikoloz of Akhalkalaki, Kumordo and Kars states that his imprisonment is politically motivated, praises the hunger strike as fasting and repentance, and the Church scolds him (https://civil.ge/archives/454335)
• 20 October: Charges on illegal border crossing were filed (https://civil.ge/archives/449120)
• 10 November: MS is refused the right to attend his own trial, partly for health concerns and partly because of the risks of conspiracy by his supporters to obstruct the convoy (https://civil.ge/archives/454156)
  • The Tbilisi City Court, at the request of prosecutor Jarji Tsiklauri, removes the pre-trial detention order issued in 2014 because he was already sentenced to prison (https://civil.ge/archives/454503)
    • According to the POG, the prosecutors claim they offered alternative settings for MS to attend the trial, including remote participation or holding the trial in prison, but the defense turned him down
• 15 November: Citing an ongoing coup plot investigation by the State Security Service, the SPS again refuses to transfer MS for his trial (https://civil.ge/archives/455057)

• The 10 November trial was about exceeding official auhthority. The 14 November trial was about the misappropriation of public funds. The 16 November trial was baout border crossing, for which he was again barred (https://civil.ge/archives/455589)
• The US DOS urged the Government to allow MS's court attended on 18 Nov (https://civil.ge/archives/456427)
• Judge Liana Orkodashvili, one of the three judges hearing his case, says her panel will refuse to hear cases if MS is not allowed on the 29 November trial (https://civil.ge/archives/458177)
• MS is allowed court hearing on 29 November (https://civil.ge/archives/458180)
  • Heavy police presence on site, including the use of pepper spray
  • His speech: https://civil.ge/archives/458322
    • Reactions to his speech: https://civil.ge/archives/458849
  • During the trial, Gvaramia insults the prosecutor and the POG probes into the case, seeking to bar him from the hearings (https://civil.ge/archives/458884)
• MS appeared again before the court on 2 December for the misappropriation case (https://civil.ge/archives/459230)
  • His address reactions and more details
  • 4 pro-Saakashvili protesters nearby the court were detained (https://civil.ge/archives/459201)

Vie privée

• Apart from his native Georgian, Saakashvili speaks fluent English, French, Russian and Ukrainian,[149][150] and has some command of Ossetian and Spanish.[151][152]
• Some non-Georgian sources spell Saakashvili's first name via the Russian version of the name Mikhail. In Georgia, he is commonly known as Misha, a hypocorism for Mikheil.[153]
• Saakashvili enjoys exercise and is often seen in public on his bicycle.[154]
• Il maîtrise également l'abkhaze et l'ossète (ces deux langues étant parlées par des minorités en Géorgie).

• In 2019, it was revealed that he owned an apartment, gifted by TA, in Miami Beach for 1.5 million USD (https://imedinews.ge/ge/politika/106265/temur-alasania-shemidzlia-tavs-upleba-mivtse-mqondes-bina-iq-sadats-minda)
  • It is believed he has difficult relations with his wife Sandra.

• Zourabichvili
  • He was used to working late at night, often summoning ministers in the middle of the night at his Shavnabada residence. (160)
  • He made most of his decisions at night. (160)
  • He had an inner circle of men in his government (Okruashvili, Merabishvili, etc.) with whom he would often party at night (161)
  • He loved clubs and parties, even during his presidency (164)

• He often used SSPS confidential funding to pay for his lavish vacations in Thailand, Italy, Dubai, Austria (https://civil.ge/archives/122775)
  • He gave in December 2011 a 3,500 GEL bracelet to MP Mariam Sajaia, at the time 20 years old

• The Force Awakens
  • He considers himself as Georgian as Ukrainian (16)

• He's called Judge Thomas Burgenthal and Ataturk his main inspirers (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/Georgia/GeorgiainWorldMedia?p=6885&i=1)
  • He's also said he'd be an architect if he wasn't a politician

Saakachvili dans la culture populaire

• Saakashvili was portrayed by Cuban-American Hollywood actor Andy García in the 2010 Hollywood film 5 Days of War by Finnish-American film director Renny Harlin.[163] The film tells the story of Saakashvili and the events during the Russo-Georgian War.

• Zourabichvili
• The SAS Printemps a Tbilissi describes a case similar to what can be construed to be the Badri Patarkatsishvili murder (256)

• In 2005, Russia's Liberal Democratic Party sponsored an erotic movie called Yulia which featured parodic representations of MS and Yulia Timoshenko. When Russian journalists tried to get comments from Georgian villagers, villagers attacked them, an attack that was hailed by Saakashvili (https://civil.ge/archives/185436)

• One of the co-producers of the Andy Garcia movie was UNM Papuna Mirza Davitaia (https://civil.ge/archives/119490)

• Glucksmann
  • He has been called the Napoleon of the Caucasus, not always in a bad way (148)
  • He personally preferred being compared to Churchill than Napoleon (149)

Popularité

• While receiving 96% of the votes in January 2004, his popularity stood at 58% in November 2004 according to GORBI, making him the most popular and trusted politician in Georgia (https://civil.ge/archives/106635)
• Tbilisi-based GORBI poll in December 2005 showed that if the presidential elections were held then, MS would receive 60%, which made him far more popular than any other politician in the country (next being Koba Davitashvili at 5%) (https://civil.ge/archives/109441)
• Immediatelt after the war, the Georgian government commissioned a poll with Greenberg Quinlan Rosner that gave MS an approval rating of 76% (https://civil.ge/archives/117503)
• A January 2010 NDI poll obtained by Imedi alleged that 60% wanted to see Saakashvili in office for a third term. The survey was criticized (https://civil.ge/archives/119756)

Décorations

• Received the Armenian Medal of Honor in June 2009
• Athens Medal of Honor
• Order of the Three Stars of Latvia (http://www.saakashviliarchive.info/en/PressOffice/News/MeetingsAndVisits?p=7579&i=3)