The ruling “Georgian Dream” party has decided to abolish the administration of the administrative-territorial unit created on the territory of the former South Ossetian Autonomous Region, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili announced at today’s briefing.
Papuashvili underlined that this step will not affect the municipalities of Akhalgori, Kurt, Tighvi, and Eredvi, which will continue to operate. These municipalities, he noted, were elected “in full compliance with the Constitution” in 2006 and remain the only legitimate Georgian authorities in the Tskhinvali region.
In his statement, Papuashvili recalled that in November 2006, during the United National Movement (UNM) government, “unconstitutional elections” were held in the Tskhinvali region, producing a so-called “President of South Ossetia” and an “alternative government.” He said this process indirectly legitimized separatism and constituted “a serious betrayal of Georgia’s national interests.”
He added that in 2007, again “in violation of the Constitution,” a “Temporary Administration of the Administrative-Territorial Unit” was created on the basis of that “alternative government,” effectively recreating the administrative borders of the South Ossetian Autonomous Region — abolished in 1990. According to Papuashvili, this decision later became “one of the contributing factors” to the 2008 Russian military aggression and the occupation of Samachablo.
Papuashvili linked these developments to “a geopolitical game by external forces,” saying Georgia had been treated as “a sacrificial pawn,” while the policies of the Saakashvili government escalated tensions and pushed the country toward war.
He noted that Parliament members have assessed these actions as “a gross betrayal of national interests,” which is reflected in a constitutional claim seeking to declare the UNM unconstitutional. He stressed that Georgia’s non-recognition policy remains firm, and even the indirect use of the term “South Ossetia” by the former government was “a violation of the Constitution and national interests.”
“Following consultations with the government, we decided to abolish the Administration of the Administrative-Territorial Unit established on the territory of the former South Ossetian Autonomous Region,” Papuashvili said.
He reiterated that the municipalities of Akhalgori, Kurt, Tighvi, and Eredvi — elected in 2006 — will continue to function and remain the only legitimate continuation of Georgia’s constitutional order in the region.
