“There is no reality in which anyone could imagine Georgia existing without Abkhazia and Samachablo. Coming to terms with this idea is out of the question, and the whole world must understand this,” Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili said while honoring the memory of fallen heroes at the Mukhatgverdi Brothers’ Cemetery together with the Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament, Mayor of Tbilisi, and representatives of the executive and legislative branches, marking the 18th anniversary of the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war.
Speaking to the media, the president noted that the self-sacrifice of the servicemen who died 18 years ago for Georgia’s freedom and independence is a worthy part of the country’s centuries-old history, and that their example continues to shape the spirit of the Georgian Defense Forces today.
“The heroes of the August War are an example to each of us, an example of what a Georgian citizen and a Georgian soldier should be. Glory and honor to their eternal memory,” Mikheil Kavelashvili said.
The President of Georgia also honored the memory of civilians who died during the war and expressed his condolences to their families.
According to Mikheil Kavelashvili, despite the war’s devastating consequences, Georgia is today an independent and sovereign state that determines its own future by maintaining peace and stability, defending its national interests, and pursuing a development-oriented policy.
According to the president, Georgia’s main national objective remains the restoration of its territorial integrity and the reunification of the country. Georgia seeks to achieve this goal through peaceful means, reconciliation, and the restoration of trust.