Abkhazia’s reaction to Ivanishvili’s apology

Inal Khashig, editor of ‘Chegemskaya Pravda’ newspaper in Abkhazia, asserts that if Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the ruling party “Georgian Dream,” sincerely intends to apologize to the Ossetians for the August 2008 war, he should also extend an apology to the Abkhazians.

On behalf of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili has pledged to apologize to the Ossetian people for the 2008 conflict. Ivanishvili has even promised to hold a Georgian “Nuremberg process.”

This is a bold statement. However, it’s just words, especially since it was made during the pre-election period when promises are often abundant.

However, considering that Ivanishvili, the spiritual leader of “Georgian Dream,” has taken an unpopular stance among Georgians by blaming the previous government for the events of August 2008, this seems to be a serious agenda for him.

One hopes that this repentance is not merely a tactic for Ivanishvili and “Georgian Dream” to permanently deal with their main political opponent, the “National Movement,” but rather a genuine acknowledgment of the mistakes made by Georgians.

“United National Movement” is currently the main opposition party in Georgia, which was in power in 2008. The party was founded by former president Mikheil Saakashvili.

According to Ivanishvili, the August war was a “provocation planned from outside,” initiated by Saakashvili and his party.

If this is truly about rectifying historical wrongs and not just settling scores with Mikheil Saakashvili and his party, it would be logical for Ivanishvili to also apologize to the Abkhazians for the war in August 1992.

Additionally, if this logic is followed, the Georgian parliament should consider repealing the “Law on Occupation.”