Georgia praises ECHR rulings over war with Russia
Georgian officials have praised the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for declaring "inadmissible" on two cases against Georgia over the August 2008 Russo-Georgian war filed by two individuals living in Georgia's Russia-backed breakaway region of South Ossetia.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze said that Georgia could not be held responsible for any violations, as separatist South Ossetia was bombed by the Russian Federation and Georgia had no control over Tskhinvali and surrounding areas. He said that the ECHR's decision was "yet another victory of Georgia against Russia."
"The Strasbourg court agreed with evidence submitted by the Georgian side that Russia actively bombed Tskhinvali and that the Georgian side had no control over the Tskhinvali region and surrounding areas. Therefore, it is impossible to hold Georgia accountable for any violations. The court also agreed with arguments submitted by the Georgian side that the aforementioned (South Ossetian) appeals were unsubstantiated, as they failed to produce evidence that could meet the lowest standard to substantiate their claims," Bregadze said on 21 October.
“Today's rulings are yet another victory of Georgia against Russia at the international court. These rulings proved once again that Georgia won yet another victory against the Russian Federation. These rulings show that Georgia successfully defended the interests of the state and of the Georgian Army at the international court. I congratulate everybody and thank everyone involved in these cases," Bregadze added.
President Salome Zourabichvili tweeted in English that the ruling was "a new judicial important victory" on Georgia's path to "peaceful de-occupation."
Earlier in January 2021, the European Court delivered its ruling on the case of Georgia v. Russia about the 2008 war and its consequences.
Georgia declared South Ossetia and Abkhazia occupied by Russia after Moscow recognised the independence of the breakaway regions following the 2008 war.