Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream, stated during a meeting with supporters in Gori that, once the United National Movement is convicted of "inciting" the August 2008 war, "we will certainly find the strength within ourselves to apologize." He added that in 2008, this party "set fire to our Ossetian brothers and sisters."
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As Ivanishvili stated, acknowledging "one's own mistakes" will serve as a reminder of the ancient brotherhood and friendship between Georgians and Ossetians.
"Today, we fully understand that the August 2008 war was not desired by either the Georgian or Ossetian people. Therefore, once we identify the instigators of the bloody conflict between brothers and hold them legally accountable for this heinous crime, the issue of restoring relations will inevitably arise. I promise you that a Georgian Nuremberg process will take place soon, and it will surely become a prerequisite for our reconciliation.
One of the enduring virtues of Georgians has always been their ability to face reality, no matter how harsh it may be. After 12 years of uninterrupted peace in Georgia, I am more convinced than ever that recognizing one's mistakes and remembering the centuries-old brotherhood and friendship between Georgians and Ossetians will pave the way for restoring trust between the people on both sides of the dividing line.
As soon as the October 26 elections are over, when the instigators of the war are put on trial and when all criminals receive the strictest legal verdict for the destruction of the Georgian-Ossetian brotherhood and coexistence, we will surely find the strength within ourselves to apologize for the fact that the treacherous National Movement, under the mandate, burned our Ossetian brothers and sisters in 2008.
Since one of the most important pillars of our Christian faith, for both Georgians and Ossetians, is forgiveness, I am confident that the fratricidal conflict, instigated by the enemies of Georgia, will end in historical mutual forgiveness and genuine reconciliation," Bidzina Ivanishvili said.
Kremlin propagandist Margarita Simonyan responded to the Georgian ruling party leader's statement by sharing Ivanishvili's quote on social media, commenting: "Georgia is behaving incredibly rationally. It's as if it has emerged from years of alcoholism ('zapoi') or psychosis. In short, we warmly welcome you!"
On the 12th anniversary of its time in power, Georgian Dream has promised its supporters that after the elections, it will initiate a public legal process regarding the August War, where it will act as the plaintiff and the National Movement will be held accountable for its "treasonous crime."
