Georgia v. Russia: Local Authorities Call ECHR Decision 'Historic'
Georgian state officials have responded to today's decision made by the European Court of Human Rights into the case "Georgia v. Russia," through which the Court has upheld Georgia's claim that Russia violated a number of articles of the European Convention on Human Rights during the August 2008 war, assessing it as 'historic.'
"For the first time in history, Georgia is legally justified, the state is recognized as a victim of this war, and this is a great achievement for our country," President Salome Zurabishvili stated. She made the corresponding statement from Brussels, where she is currently paying a working visit.
"Today is a very symbolic day that I meet from Brussels. Very high-level meetings are held here. It is very important that Strasbourg made this historic decision today. It is historical and nothing happens accidentally, it happens 100 years after our occupation, 30 years after we regained our independence, and 12 years since the 2008 war. It is very important that for the first time in history and for the first time in the history of other countries Georgia is legally justified. The state is recognized as a victim of this war and it is a great achievement for our country, society, history and future because it is the foundation on which we must build our future and unity. I would like to thank the Ministry of Justice and Tea Tsulukiani for their great contribution to this victory. I will say once again that this is a victory for the whole of Georgia, but we should know how to say thank you," Zurabishvili said.
"Today is the most important day in the recent history of Georgia! The dispute, Georgia against Russia, ended with the victory of Georgia in the European Court of Human Rights! This is a common victory!”, said Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.
"Georgia has won a 12-year-old dispute with Russia. Strasbourg court ruled that Russia carried out ethnic cleansing of Georgians during the 2008 war, and Russia violated several articles of the Convention on Human Rights during the war," the Minister of Justice Gocha Lortkipanidze stated.
"During the last hearing in the Strasbourg court, we promised that this would be a fight for truth and justice and there would be no compromise in this fight. Today I can say that this promise has been fulfilled, Georgia won the 12-year dispute between Georgia and Russia. Strasbourg court ruled that Russia violated a number of articles of the Convention during the 2008 war. A decision made by 17 judges of the Grand Chamber ruled that Russia had effective control over the Tskhinvali region and Abkhazia. Accordingly, Russia will be held responsible for violating the rights of the population of Georgia.
"The court upheld Georgia's claim that the Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions are an integral part of Georgia and are occupied by Russia. In addition, which is very important, the court found that during the 2008 war, Russia carried out ethnic cleansing of Georgians," the Justice Minister pointed out.
“The decision of the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is an important tool for the de-occupation of Georgia,” Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said.
He noted that this decision is a breakthrough for Georgia’s position in the international arena, and the country has never had such a document against Russia yet.