Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, has expressed his firm belief that it is crucial to prevent further bloodshed between Georgians and Abkhazians, as well as Georgians and Ossetians.

In a social media post, he emphasized that such violence would be a grave crime against future generations.

Kobakhidze reassessed the opposition’s reaction to Prigozhin’s riots over a week ago.

“I would like to review the opposition’s response to what is called the one-day gamble of the individual responsible for the Bakhmut massacre. On that day, we appealed to the opposition to observe the unfolding events calmly. Unfortunately, the radical opposition chose not to heed our advice.

We all remember how the collective United National Movement cheered and praised Prigozhin. They planned to enter Abkhazia, Tskhinvali, and even Sochi if he succeeded.

However, the main thing is neither solely about the UNM’s failure to analyze the events properly nor their coordinated actions and unreasonable demands placed upon the authorities. Furthermore, it is not about the morality of their rhetoric or the fact that they saw a chance in the success of the author of the massacre in Ukraine. The most significant aspect of the radical opposition’s reaction to Prigozhin’s rebellion was their longing for a second front. They could not hide their willingness to seize the first opportunity to enter Abkhazia and Tskhinvali with tanks.

Once again, it has become evident that the collective UNM is a party of war and treason. Naturally, it is obvious UNM did not make these statements by chance; they acted on specific instructions. Their patrons aim to establish a second front, also to undermine any efforts towards rebuilding trust between Georgians and Abkhazians, Georgians and Ossetians,” Kobakhidze says.

According to him, Georgia’s territorial integrity should be restored peacefully.

“On behalf of the ruling party, we reiterate our unequivocal stance: Georgia’s territorial integrity must be restored through peaceful means alone. Our objective is not only to reclaim Abkhazia and Samachablo and reunite them with a unified Georgia, but also to foster trust and reconciliation with our Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers and sisters. The true value of restoring territorial integrity lies in this approach.

We would emphasize that in the event of a second front, we would be compelled to engage in conflict with the Abkhazians and Ossetians, not just to combat the occupying forces. Georgians and Abkhazians, Georgians and Ossetians should never spill each other’s blood again. Such actions would be a crime against future generations.

I firmly believe that Georgia will ultimately unite. To accomplish this, our country requires a pragmatic and rational peace policy, not one that jeopardizes trust between Georgians and Abkhazians, Georgians and Ossetians, but one that seeks to restore it,” Kobakhidze stated.