Georgian PM expresses hope for peaceful reunification with Abkhazia and South Ossetia

The Georgian government hopes for the country’s peaceful reunification with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said in his circulation on Facebook (owned by Meta, recognized as extremist and banned in the Russian Federation).

“Our government remains committed to the peaceful path of restoring the territorial integrity and unification of the country,” the prime minister wrote. He added that “we are driven by an unshakable belief that a peaceful, united, strong, developed Georgia is the best course for Georgians, Ossetians, Abkhazians, all people living on our Earth.”

On the night of August 8, 2008, 15 years ago, an armed conflict took place on the territory of South Ossetia. Georgia attacked the capital city of Tskhinvali in order to establish control over the self-proclaimed republic. The then President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, announced the start of a peacekeeping mission in South Ossetia and the transfer of Russian forces to the conflict zone.

The “operation to force the Georgian authorities to peace” ended on August 12 of the same year. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili accused Russia of occupying the territories of the republics and announced his withdrawal from the CIS, and Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in the same month.

Formerly Medvedev declaredthat the United States and its allies “obviously lacked experience” in 2008. According to him, now the West is “again waging a criminal war by proxy,” and Russia is actually opposed by the entire NATO system. Comparing with current events, he said that the Russian Federation would achieve peace in Ukraine on its own terms, as it was with Georgia in 2008.