Georgia: The Office of the Minister of State for Reconciliation and Civil Equality posted on its official Facebook page about the 16th anniversary of the 2008 Russia-Georgian war.
As a result of the large-scale military aggression against Georgia 16 years ago, the Russian Federation has committed illegal occupation of Georgia’s undivided territories – Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions.
The Office of the Minister of State for Reconciliation and Civil Equality of Georgia honors the memory and sympathy of the heroes, fighters, and civilians who died in the fight for Georgian independence and territorial integrity in Georgia.
In gross violation of the basic principles of international law and the ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008, Russia continues to occupy Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions and expand the process of creating a military, political, and common socio-economic space to strengthen illegal control on the spot; the rough, systematic and fundamental rights of the local population continues Violations, including ethnic discrimination, divisive Along the lines of lifting wire and other artificial barriers, strict restrictions on free movement, illegal arrests, prohibition of native language education, restriction of access to property and livelihoods. In addition, in several waves of ethnic cleansing, hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons are still unable to return home safely and with dignity.
In addition, illegal actions by the occupation regime against the reconciliation process and growing connections between people continue to create artificial isolation of the occupied regions and the local population from the rest of Georgia. The EU Monitoring Mission cannot fully fulfill its mandate and monitor occupied areas.
Illegal occupation of Georgian territories until today and the August war started. The process of “modernization” has claimed the lives of several citizens, including Tamaz Ginturi, a native of Kirbal village in Gori municipality, who was killed by the occupation forces in the fall of 2023; those who participated and were responsible for the lives of David Basharuli, Giga Otkhozoria, Archil Tatunashvili, and Irakli Kvaratskhelia, remain unpunished.
The Georgian Government, using all the brackets in its hands and coordinating with international partners, continues to make its best efforts to tackle the dire consequences of the occupation.
According to several international court decisions, the Russian Federation is fully responsible for the current situation and the illegal acts in the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions.
Amidst the complex legal, security, and socio-economic situation and challenges in the occupied regions, the main aim of the Georgian Government is to resolve the conflict peacefully, which has no alternative.
Even with limited access to the mentioned regions, the Government of Georgia continues implementing the state policy of reconciliation and inclusion. This policy and efforts towards de-occupation aim to promote dialogue, cooperation, and trust-building among members of an artificially divided society and those affected by the conflict.
The offered included information in the context of Georgia’s Eurointegration process. To achieve the goals of the policy of reconciliation and inclusion, the Georgian Government leads a status-neutral and humanitarian approach whose principal value is human dignity and well-being.
The Office of the Minister of State appreciates the unwavering support of the international community and the continuation of consolidated efforts to further establish Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity at the internationally recognized borders. It also appreciates the role of international partners in peaceful conflict resolution, including reconciliation and trust restoration.
