The fifth sitting of the Interim Parliamentary Investigative Commission, established to examine the activities of the regime and political officeholders in power between 2003 and 2012, was held.

The session focused on the situation in Georgia’s occupied territories from 2004 to 2008 and the August 2008 war.

Paata Davitaia, who chaired the Parliament's iinterim commission investigating the 2008 Russian aggression against Georgia and related actions, provided explanations to the Commission. He outlined the commission’s objectives, operational principles, final conclusions, and responded to members’ questions.

Mikheil Kareli, who served as State Representative in the Shida Kartli region from 2004 to 2007, participated in the hearing via phone. He spoke about the role of public diplomacy and the socio-economic importance of the so-called Ergneti Market, as well as the challenges it posed.

According to Kareli, the market was closed in 2004, after which defence and armed forces were stationed in the region, leading to a deterioration in the local situation.

“In our region, a large-scale war was expected. What happened in 2008 could very well have occurred in 2004, had it not been for the strong resistance of then Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania to President Saakashvili. It was he who ensured de-escalation in the conflict zone", - M. Kareli remarked.

He further noted that Saakashvili’s rhetoric suggested intergovernmental agreements were already in place, and that only a small push was needed to dismantle the de facto South Ossetian authorities. According to M. Kareli, Saakashvili’s remark that “the Americans would handle the Russians” implied that the US and Russia were either negotiating or had already reached an agreement.

M. Kareli also spoke of his own arrest, the poor conditions in detention facilities, inhumane treatment, and pressure exerted on his family members.

Grigol Vashadze, who served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs during the pre-war period and as Minister of Foreign Affairs after the August 2008 war, also appeared before the Commission.

He answered questions on several topics, including the 21 February 2008 meeting between Saakashvili and Putin, the delivery of a letter from the Georgian President to Russian authorities in June 2008, and his involvement in Georgia-Russia relations during that period. Certain questions were addressed during a closed session.

Tamaz Bestaev, who served as Minister of Health and Social Affairs of the South Ossetian Temporary Administration during the August 2008 war and now leads the Administration, also addressed the Commission.

Bestaev detailed the region’s healthcare initiatives from 2007 to 2008, humanitarian activities, and the conditions leading up to the war. He noted that the authorities did not take any steps to evacuate civilians in the days before or during the war.

Zurab Nogaideli, who was Minister of Finance in 2003–2004 and Prime Minister until 16 November 2007, also appeared before the Commission. Speaking on the role of the Ergneti Market in the reconciliation process, he acknowledged responsibility for its closure, citing it as a major source of contraband and a fiscal “black hole".

Nogaideli explained that reconciliation would have benefited from an alternative project to replace the market, which ultimately did not materialise. He also commented on the Cabinet of Ministers’ operations and statements by individual ministers that undermined the peace process, but stressed that neither these statements nor the market closure were sufficient causes for the war.

Irakli Okruashvili, who had also been summoned, did not attend the session.

Commission Chair Tea Tsulukiani stated that non-compliance with a summons constitutes a criminal offence under the Criminal Code, and the Commission will decide tomorrow whether to forward Okruashvili’s case to the Prosecutor’s Office.

On the same day, the Commission resolved to refer Badri Japaridze’s case to the Prosecutor’s Office, following his absence from the previous session on the "Magnat Ltd" case.