“ECHR judgment in the Russia-Georgia war case is a result of the great work, dedication, and professionalism of the Georgian state, its government, and public officials,” the Minister of Justice of Georgia, Gocha Lortkipanidze said at the briefing.

Gocha Lortkipanidze thanked each agency and employee who worked on the case.

“First of all, gratitude to the justice team and Tea Tsulukiani, who has led the work on the substantive review stage since 2013. Today we have settled the legal dispute over the 2008 war. I would commend the Georgian witnesses, whose dignity and civic courage was contagious. Appreciation for the efforts of the investigative agencies and their staff, the Georgian military, who fought with dignity in 2008 and made it possible to continue the fight for the independence and sovereignty of this country by legal means, as well as military experts involved in the case. It was a matter of dignity, and this victory belongs to the whole country,” said Gocha Lortkipanidze.

Earlier today, the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) delivered its judgment in the inter-State case of Georgia v. Russia (II) concerning the August War 2008. The Grand Chamber judgment reads, “the Russian Federation had exercised “effective control” over South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and the “buffer zone” during the period from 12 August to 10 October 2008, the date of the official withdrawal of the Russian troops.”