Georgia Scores Up Deportation to Russia
// Georgia threatens Russia with filing a lawsuit to Strasbourg court
Georgian parliament yesterday adopted a resolution which recommends to the country’s authorities to file a lawsuit against Russia to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, due to the violations during the deportation of Georgian citizens from Russia. The United National Movement, the party of President Mikhail Saakashvili, supported the resolution, so as to avoid accusations that the president “capitulated to Russia”. However, it does not necessarily mean that the president will implement the parliament’s recommendation.
The resolution reads: “Actions against Georgian citizens on Russian territory were taken on ethnic basis, in a legally groundless way, and with grave violation of universally acknowledged legal procedures. It led to collective expulsion of Georgian citizens from Russian territory, violation of their property rights, restraint of liberty, inhumane treatment, deprivation of medical aid, and death of four citizens”. Beside top Georgian officials, the resolution was sent to the OSCE, the UN, and Russia’s State Duma.
However, Georgian authorities were not very enthusiastic about adopting the document. Apparently, they do not want to exacerbate relations with Moscow now, for it is inevitable if Georgia files the lawsuit to Strasbourg court. Moreover, after Russian ambassador returned to Georgia, the talks on lifting sanctions imposed by Russia resumed. Thus, Tbilisi fears that filing the lawsuit will put the kibosh on improving bilateral relations.
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili never supported the idea of filing the lawsuit. Georgian opposition took advantage of it immediately, accusing the president and his party of “capitulating to Russia” and “reluctance to defend the rights of Georgian citizens”. Thus, the pro-president parliamentary majority was forced to support the draft resolution.
Yet, according to Georgia’s law, the adopted resolution is only a recommendation for the executive branch of power. Thus, the president of Georgia will have the final say in the matter.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Feb. 17, 2007
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