Georgia’s President Pays Tribute to Fallen Heroes on 2008 War Anniversary
On August 7, Georgia’s President, Salome Zurabishvili, was the only Government representative to visit the Mukhatgverdi brothers-in-arms cemetery.
There, she paid homage to the Georgian heroes who lost their lives in the 2008 Russia-Georgia war. Prior to that she had attended a memorial service at the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral dedicated to the victims of the landslide in Shovi on August 3.
The date of the start of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war is a controversial issue. Most Georgian Dream politicians and government officials commemorate August 8 as the start of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war. Others, see this as following the Russian narrative, and commemorate August 7, when the first signs of Russian troops entering Georgia appeared, as the start of the war.
Speaking to journalists, President Zurabishvili noted the symbolism of the coincidence of the national day of mourning for the Shovi tragedy and the 2008 war anniversary She remarked: “The enemy is fighting us, sometimes with war and sometimes with soft power, which has been very visible lately and which requires our unity, and the angry nature is also fighting us and we need to unite [in the face of this as well]”.
In addition, the President noted that in recent days such statements have been heard and written on social networks, which she finds unacceptable: “I am sure that all this is unacceptable for Georgians and Georgia. If we want the independence, for which the people who are resting here fought, if we really want this independence, if we want a state, we must come to our senses, see where our common cause is and fight together against the common enemy, not against each other”.
Also Read:
- 07/08/2023 – Ombudsman Issues Statement on 2008 War Anniversary
- 07/08/2023 – Georgia’s International Partners React to the Anniversary of the Russia-Georgia 2008 War
- 07/08/2023 – 15 Years Since Russia-Georgia 2008 War
- 08/08/2023 – Landslide in Racha: Live Blog
- 03/08/2023 – Deadly Landslide in Racha Kills at Least Two
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
