“ Saakashvili Prevented from Making War … If Georgia was Democratic Country!!!

Are Georgian Leaders in London Accountable?

Saba Tsitsikashvili, London

“Would Saakashvili have started a war if there had been democracy in Georgia?” asked Lord William Walas, Member of UK Parliament at the meeting in “Chatham House”, Royal Institute of International Relations. This question was very impressive for listeners from Georgia. People are deeply interested in Georgian-Russian conflict met Georgian journalists and NGO representatives in Chatham House; they inquired the details about the conflict.

Five Georgian journalists were invited by the Georgian-British Organization “UGPN” in London and British Organization “ADAM SMITH INTERNAITONAL” to participate in the project “Accountable Leaders.” Five Georgian “leaders” introduced representatives of the British Parliament, media-organizations and international organizations about the current situation in Georgia.

First meeting took place in Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Relations. Nikoloz Loladze, founder of the Georgian-British Organization “UGPN”, made a speech about what all was happening in Georgia. The main topics of his speech were freedom of Georgian media, independence of judiciary system, election system, and problems of political repression.

The meeting continued with dialogue session following the speech. Those represented from the English representatives mentioned the BBC documentary film, which almost everybody had seen this film, which covered many issues about Russia. 

In terms of the current situation, such questions were asked: “How does your country intend to overcome current problem? What have you gained from Rose Revolution and what have you lost since the revolution?”  Journalists for influential British newspaper “Guardian” and TV Company BBC were present to hear the responses.

British journalists were the most interested in only wanting more about details of Georgian-Russian war. Lord William Wolas asked: “Let’s say that your country is democratic and for now that many people call your president an “inadequate person” (here British have lots of crude words are used the Georgian president, “stupid”) but was it possible that Saakashvili was able to start a war?”

 “If there is independent media, court and government elected through fair elections than Georgian authority will have sense of accountability to its people. Such government will never take a step that will lead the entire country to an unresolved crisis situation,” and in the UK the leadership is answerable to the people.

Meeting with the representatives of the British Organization “ARTICLE 19” proved to be very important for me as well as Nino Zuriashvili, a journalist. The organization hosting the event has a track record and has come out with strong statements in the past in protecting Nino Zuriashvili back in 2003 when she worked for TV Program “60 Minutes” – an investigative program for TV Company “Rustavi2”. Then, “ARTICLE 19” condemned the terror carried out at the time against journalists from then governmental power ministries. However, since 2006 ‘ARTICLE 19” has confirmed that they have not been interested in the Georgian media situation.

“Then we actively cooperated with Liberty Institute but afterwards this NGO became part of the government. In addition, some amendments were introduced to the Georgian legislation based on our suggestions; they adopted the law on the right of expression; they also established public broadcasting. We then considered that your government was taking steps towards democratic developments of your country and we stopped our activities in Georgia,” said representative of the international organization.

‘We want to restore old cooperation of your organization and Georgian journalists; here we are two Georgian journalists, Saba and I, who have experienced your support and assistance. Pay least attention to us. There is one TV Company “Rustavi 2” in Georgia that is controlled by the authority and that’s why they canceled my program “60 Minutes”. Other TV Stations are pseudo Rustavi 1, Rustavi 2 and Rustavi 3… TV Company “Kavkasia” is the only independent company but only has a small coverage area, and does not broadcast on a national level.  Recently TV Company “Maestro” was granted a license and now they need assistance to obtain a license to allow them to cover all of Georgia,” told Nino Zuriashvili to the representatives of ARTICLE 19.

Other meetings were held with governmental representatives, like UK Parliament. We told all the details about the current situation in Georgia. Most of the officials who met us had been to Georgia, mostly during the war. Next day we met a person in BBC office who had prepared “Film about Russia” in his studio. In this film, the Georgian government is blamed for not taking preventive measures to avoid the Georgian-Russian war back in August.

All in all, Georgian accountable leaders arrived from London with some new ideas. We took internship course at London Internal Audit (similar to Georgian Chamber of Control), Ministry of Finances, budget monitoring organizations, Adam Smith Institute and at the editorial-board of “Financial Times.”

On our return to Georgia, I met Georgian politicians and famous journalists of almost every Georgian TV Companies on the Georgian air carrier and they were flying to Geneva. I just thought how much money Georgian government wastes on the journalists of “Rustavi 1,” “Rustavi 2”, “Rustavi 3” and “Adjara” and paying for all these foreign trips.

On the next day news programs of all TV Companies started their time with the same text “Georgians held demonstration in Geneva”… If all Georgian TV Companies release one and the same information, and that begs the question as why budgetary money should be wasted. Untold amounts of GEL are spent on journalists from various companies for such trips.  Under such circumstances, I thought that if this was in the UK, the London Audit Chamber should have prepared conclusion to Prime-Minister Gordon Braun about the unreasonable and inefficient expenditure of the budget.