Loti Kobalia
Encyclopedia
Vakhtang "Loti" Kobalia (b. 1950) is a retired Georgian
colonel
involved in the civil war
of the early 1990s in which he commanded forces loyal to the ousted President
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
.
Kobalia was a commander of the Zugdidi
battalion of the National Guard of Georgia
at the time when the armed opposition groups launched a coup against President Gamsakhurdia in December 1991. After Gamsakhurdia’s fall in January 1992, Kobalia led resistance to the forces loyal to the new regime led, since March 1992, by Eduard Shevardnadze
in the western Georgian province of Mingrelia, Gamsakhurdia’s principal powerbase. During the War in Abkhazia in 1993, Kobalia’s force joined the government troops in fighting the Abkhaz
separatists and their allies from Russia
at some point. As the government forces’ defeat in Abkhazia was imminent, Gamsakhurdia returned to Georgia to reclaim power from his base in Zugdidi. Kobalia began disarming the Georgian troops retreating from Abkhazia
, blocked major roads in western Georgia and engaged with the government forces in a series of battles which eventually led to Gamsakhurdia's defeat at the end of 1993.
Kobalia was arrested by the Ukrainian
and Georgian security officers in Kiyv in July 1994. After a year-long trial, the Supreme Court of Georgia in 1996 found Kobalia guilty of treason, banditry, and execution of five captured soldiers and a TV journalist David Bolkvadze during the October 1993 hostilities, and sentenced him to death penalty
, which was changed for 20-year imprisonment in 1997. Kobalia denied the charges and accused Shevardnadze’s government of fabricating the case. In October 2000 Kobalia and several inmates from the civil war period escaped from the Prison Hospital in Tbilisi
, but were recaptured 10 days later in the mountains in the northwest of Georgia. In 2004, he was pardoned by Georgia’s newly sworn president Mikheil Saakashvili
and released from jail as part of the National Accord policy, leading to protests from Bolkvadze’s family and several journalists.
In October 2009, Kobalia joined the opposition party Movement for Fair Georgia, led by Georgia’s ex-Prime Minister
Zurab Noghaideli
.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
involved in the civil war
Georgian Civil War
The Georgian Civil War consisted of inter-ethnic and intranational conflicts in the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia , as well as the violent military coup d'etat of December 21, 1991 - January 6, 1992 against the first democratically elected President of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia and his...
of the early 1990s in which he commanded forces loyal to the ousted President
President of Georgia
The President of Georgia is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Government of Georgia. Executive power is split between the President and the Prime Minister, who is the head of government...
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era...
.
Kobalia was a commander of the Zugdidi
Zugdidi
Zugdidi is a city in the Western Georgian historical province of Samegrelo . It is situated in the north-west of that province. The city is located 318 kilometres west of Tbilisi, 30 km. from Black sea coast and 30 km. from Egrisi range. 100-110 metres above sea level. As of 2007, it had a...
battalion of the National Guard of Georgia
National Guard of Georgia
The National Guard of Georgia is a military structure within the Georgian Armed Forces and has a department status within the Ministry of Defense. It is tasked with responding to external threats, civil disturbances, and natural disasters...
at the time when the armed opposition groups launched a coup against President Gamsakhurdia in December 1991. After Gamsakhurdia’s fall in January 1992, Kobalia led resistance to the forces loyal to the new regime led, since March 1992, by Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...
in the western Georgian province of Mingrelia, Gamsakhurdia’s principal powerbase. During the War in Abkhazia in 1993, Kobalia’s force joined the government troops in fighting the Abkhaz
Abkhaz people
The Abkhaz or Abkhazians are a Caucasian ethnic group, mainly living in Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. A large Abkhazian diaspora population resides in Turkey, the origins of which lie in the emigration from the Caucasus in the late 19th century known as Muhajirism...
separatists and their allies from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
at some point. As the government forces’ defeat in Abkhazia was imminent, Gamsakhurdia returned to Georgia to reclaim power from his base in Zugdidi. Kobalia began disarming the Georgian troops retreating from Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
, blocked major roads in western Georgia and engaged with the government forces in a series of battles which eventually led to Gamsakhurdia's defeat at the end of 1993.
Kobalia was arrested by the Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and Georgian security officers in Kiyv in July 1994. After a year-long trial, the Supreme Court of Georgia in 1996 found Kobalia guilty of treason, banditry, and execution of five captured soldiers and a TV journalist David Bolkvadze during the October 1993 hostilities, and sentenced him to death penalty
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, which was changed for 20-year imprisonment in 1997. Kobalia denied the charges and accused Shevardnadze’s government of fabricating the case. In October 2000 Kobalia and several inmates from the civil war period escaped from the Prison Hospital in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, but were recaptured 10 days later in the mountains in the northwest of Georgia. In 2004, he was pardoned by Georgia’s newly sworn president Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...
and released from jail as part of the National Accord policy, leading to protests from Bolkvadze’s family and several journalists.
In October 2009, Kobalia joined the opposition party Movement for Fair Georgia, led by Georgia’s ex-Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Georgia
The Prime Minister of Georgia is the most senior minister within the Cabinet of Georgia, appointed by the President of Georgia. The official title of the Head of the Government of Georgia has varied throughout history, however, the duties and functions of the leader have changed only marginally....
Zurab Noghaideli
Zurab Noghaideli
Zurab Noghaideli is a Georgian businessman and a politician who served as the Prime Minister of Georgia from February 2005 until he resigned, citing health problems, on 16 November 2007...
.