Ruling party MP slams ex-PM Gakharia over Chorchana checkpoint decision at party ban trial

Georgian Dream MP Archil Gorduladze has criticised former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia over the establishment of a police checkpoint near the village of Chorchana, claiming the decision resulted in the temporary loss of effective Georgian control over around one million square metres of territory.

Speaking at a Constitutional Court hearing on Wednesday, Gorduladze, chairman of parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, said the decision to establish the checkpoint near the Russian-controlled Tskhinvali region should have been coordinated with the State Security Service, the prime minister and other relevant state agencies. He also questioned whether the move had been coordinated with the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM).

Gorduladze described the Chorchana incident as one of the alleged unconstitutional actions for which Gakharia and his party, For Georgia, should be held responsible.

“The key issue is whether Giorgi Gakharia coordinated his decisions, particularly the decision to establish the checkpoint. The most important fact is that the Georgian authorities can no longer exercise effective control over one million square metres of territory,” Gorduladze said.

He argued that the loss of access to the area had also affected local residents, who could no longer use the land for everyday purposes as they had before the checkpoint was established. He criticised members of Gakharia’s party for continuing to defend the decision and describing it as a step towards protecting Georgia’s territorial integrity.

Gorduladze said decisions concerning areas along the occupation line were particularly sensitive and required coordination with the country’s security services, the prime minister and the EU monitoring mission.

He added that the government would seek to restore effective control over the territory through peaceful means.

During the same hearing, Gorduladze also addressed opposition demands following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Responding to a question from Constitutional Court judge Eva Gotsiridze, he said opposition parties had called on the government to authorise a charter flight to transport Georgian volunteers to Ukraine and to impose financial sanctions on Russia.

Gorduladze argued that sending volunteers with government approval could have been interpreted as Georgia becoming a party to the conflict, creating additional security risks for a country whose territory is partly occupied by Russia.

He also claimed that imposing financial sanctions on Moscow could have led to an approximately 11% contraction of Georgia’s economy and provided Russia with grounds for further provocation against the country.

Gorduladze claimed the risks were not hypothetical and could emerge again if similar demands were made. He also cited Ukraine’s decision to recall its ambassador from Georgia, linking it to disagreements over Tbilisi’s refusal to send volunteers, impose sanctions on Russia or provide military equipment to Ukraine.