President’s Administration Denies Kitsmarishvili’s Allegations

The Georgian President’s administration released a statement strongly denying accusations leveled by Erosi Kitsmarishvili, Georgia’s former ambassador to Russia, during the hearings of the parliamentary commission studying the August war on November 25.

“Although Mr. Kitsmarishvili has served the government in the past, none of his service was in areas involving military or strategic affairs, and so his claims that he was part of such discussions are simply untrue,” the statement reads.

Kitsmarishvili, who was President Saakashvili’s administration’s insider, told the commission that the Georgian top leadership was considering military option to regain control over the breakaway regions and he personally was present at several meetings with President and other senior officials during which such options were discussed.

“His criticism of the government came long after he was relieved all duties at diplomatic service,” the President’s administration said in the statement, which was distributed through e-mail overnight on November 26. “It is important for this commission to develop a full and factual body of evidence on this crucial set of questions.  That is why it was so disappointing to hear a series of inaccurate statements in Mr. Kitsmarishvili’s testimony today.”

“The fact that his testimony before the commission, as every other testimony, is shown live on public television underlines Georgia’s commitment to build a robust and transparent democracy.”
 
The commission with an official name Temporary Commission to Study Russia’s Military Aggression and Other Actions Undertaken with the Aim to Infringe Georgia’s Territorial Integrity, is expected to listen to the testimonies by Defense and Interior Ministers and then by President Saakashvili on November 28.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)