PM highlights “peaceful, prudent” policy to restore territorial integrity on Russian invasion anniversary
In his remarks over the matter the head of the Government said he “bowed before the memory of our heroic soldiers and civilians” who died in the conflict that claimed the lives of 169 Georgian servicemembers and 11 Interior Ministry professionals, as well as 224 civilians. Photo: Government Administration
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The Georgian Government has chosen a “peaceful, prudent” policy as the way to restore territorial integrity and unify the country and believes it will definitely achieve the goal, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Monday in connection with the 14th anniversary of the Russian invasion that sparked the five-day war between the two states in 2008 and the ongoing Russian occupation of two Georgian regions.
Fourteen years have passed since the beginning of the August 2008 war, which claimed the lives of many of our fellow citizens. For 14 years, the heart of our country - Samachablo, Tskhinvali region [South Ossetia] and Abkhazia - have been occupied by Russia”, Garibashvili said.
In his remarks over the matter the head of the Government said he “bowed before the memory of our heroic soldiers and civilians” who died in the conflict that claimed the lives of 169 Georgian servicemembers and 11 Interior Ministry professionals, as well as 224 civilians.
We have chosen a peaceful, prudent policy as the way to restore territorial integrity and unify the country, and we believe that we will definitely achieve our goal - Georgia will be united!”, the PM concluded in his statement on the date.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Sunday paid tribute to the servicemembers who had lost their lives in the Battle of Shindisi during the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, as part of events marking the 14th anniversary of the conflict.
Foreign embassies and dignitaries on Sunday issued condemnations of Russia's ongoing occupation of Georgia's regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and called on the Kremlin to fulfil its obligations under the European Union-mediated ceasefire agreement by withdrawing forces from the occupied regions on the 14th anniversary of the 2008 war between the two countries.
The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday released a statement on the 14th anniversary of the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, calling on Russia to “cease illegal and provocative steps” against Georgia, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, fulfil its obligations under the European Union-mediated ceasefire agreement by withdrawing its forces from the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), and reverse its illegal decision on recognising their independence.
The 2008 war between Russia and Georgia showed “we cannot rely on negotiations with the Kremlin”, Anna Fotyga, a Member of the European Parliament, said ahead of the upcoming 14th anniversary of the Russian invasion that sparked the five-day war between the two states.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė on Monday said the approach of appeasement "only nourishes the aggressor's appetite", in remarks on the 14th anniversary of the Russian invasion of Georgia that sparked a five-day war between the two states in 2008 and the ongoing Russian occupation of two Georgian regions.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday criticised the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili for transferring “strategic facilities” to Russian state-run enterprises and unilaterally cancelling visa requirements for Russian citizens “a few months” after the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said the Government would “do its best” to ensure "peace, stability and development" of the country's economy.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said Russia's aggression against Georgia in 2008 and in Ukraine in 2014 and again this year were “part of one, large-scale aggression”, in comments on the 14th anniversary of 2008 conflict.
Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri on Monday laid wreaths at the memorial of police officers killed in the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, as part of events commemorating the 14th anniversary of the conflict.
Javier Colomina, the NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, on Monday called on Russia to meet its international obligations and commitments and withdraw its forces from Georgia’s occupied regions.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday laid wreaths at the memorial for the servicemembers killed in the 2008 war with Russia and reiterated the country and its citizens had experienced “greatest tragedy” in the conflict.
The International community realised this year that it should have shown a "principled" reaction to Russia’s 2008 war in Georgia, Georgian Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze said on Monday at the Mukhatgverdi Fraternal Cemetery outside Tbilisi, reiterating the messages of Georgian top officials that a more robust position against Russia’s aggression 14 years ago could have prevented the current hostilities in Ukraine.
Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday addressed the United Nations general assembly, raising the ongoing occupation of 20 percent of his country’s territory by Russia and calling on the world’s democracies to “act as one to ensure that freedom and peace prevail”.
Georgian Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze on Wednesday extended holiday season greetings to children of the country’s servicemembers who have died in service during conflicts or peacekeeping missions, in an event hosted by the Ministry.
Georgia has been pursuing a peaceful resolution policy to restore its sovereignty and territorial integrity and there is no alternative to peace, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Saturday at the thematic panel discussion on Building Security in the South Caucasus, held within the scope of the Munich Security Conference, with the participation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.