A number of high-placed Georgian politicians simultaneously denounced the war in South Ossetia. Leader of the Georgian Dream Party which has a majority in parliament David Saganelidze told reporters on Wednesday that the parliamentarians planned to launch a new probe into the cause of the war in South Ossetia.
"The details of the form of the commission's functioning are still unknown, but it will be set up for sure. The public should know about the event that preceded the war, what happened and what mounted tensions," a leading Georgian politician told reporters, according to the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda.
Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, too, reminded about the 08.08.08 war on Wednesday, accusing Mikhail Saakashvili of inadequacy: "I believe that Georgian authorities led by the president did not act quite adequately in that situation." That Georgian military units were placed in operational readiness before Russia crossed the border was not justified. "I was closely watching the events; indeed, there were tensions, but nothing special was happening: a shell flew into a house and damaged a wall; it was sufficient to evacuate 100 residents from the conflict zone, deploy army units and invite international observers, and it would have been the only correct move," he said.
The prime minister confirmed in his speech that the Georgian Justice Ministry planned to investigate the August armed conflict, too, and even question Saakashvili.
Political scientists have been reserved in their comments on Georgia's self-flagellation and self-exposure, the Komsomolskaya Pravda underlined. However, the options are scarce: either Georgia is in earnest in its bid to improve relations with Russia and give a fair evaluation to its actions or the new political elite found a convenient pretext to mop up Saakashvili's associates.
It is not the first time Ivanishvili blames president Mikhail Saakashvili and the then authorities for the events that occurred five years ago, yet it is the first time he did it in such a harsh manner, noting that "Saakashvili should not be surprised at a summons," the Nezavisimaya Gazeta notes.
That "Georgian Dream" is preparing a powerful punch at the old government became obvious last weekend, when Justice Minister Teya Tsulukiani told a local television channel that it was expedient to have a more detailed research into the circumstances of the war of 2008. Shortly thereafter, the parliamentary majority made similar statements. They said they doubt the assessment of the previous commission of lawmakers according to which Georgia had to defend itself from Russian aggression.
Therefore, heavy clouds are piling up over Saakashivi and leaders of his Party, the newspaper believes. The probe into the war of 2008 will be conducted from several directions. The events of that period will be under the scrutiny of not only the new commission which has not been established yet, but also prosecutors and the Defense Ministry.