“In 2008, we had a puppet regime led by the United National Movement and Mikheil Saakashvili. Of course, this regime was fully controlled to serve the interests of others, not those of Georgia,” said Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, addressing journalists at the Mukhatgverdi Brothers’ Cemetery.

Parliament Speaker has claimed that the 2008 Russo-Georgian War would never have occurred if Georgia had been governed by a “patriotic government” like Georgian Dream rather than what he described as the “puppet regime” of the United National Movement.

“In 2008, we had a puppet regime led by the United National Movement and Mikheil Saakashvili. Of course, this regime was fully controlled to serve the interests of others, not those of Georgia. The result of this was the August War. The result was subsequent decisions where, on one hand, they spoke about occupation whilst, on the other hand, they supported Russia’s membership in the World Trade Organisation. Whatever orders they received, whatever interests they had to serve, that’s how they behaved. This is the fundamental difference between a puppet regime and a patriotic one,” he continued.

Papuashvili insisted that the crucial question was not who started the war, but why it began in the first place.

“In truth, the question is not simply about when the war began or who was responsible for starting it. The real issue, the question the criminal regime of the United National Movement is desperately trying to evade, is “why did the war start?” The answer already exists. It was provided in 2022, when a new war did not start. That is the true answer,” Shalva Papuashvili stated.

“War could have started in exactly the same way in 2022 as well. This is precisely why, whenever such a threat arises, the state and government must prioritise the national interests above all, rather than serving the agendas of other countries.

Had there been a patriotic government like Georgian Dream in power in 2008 instead of the United National Movement’s puppet regime, there would have been no war. There would not have been more than 400 dead, more than 1,700 wounded, and we would not have lost control over 125 populated areas,” the Speaker stated.

Papuashvili concluded his remarks by posing what he presented as the defining question: “Why did war start in 2008 and why did war not start in Georgia in 2022?”

The Parliament Speaker laid flowers at the heroes’ memorial and offered condolences to the families of military personnel killed in the conflict.

It has been 17 years since the 2008 Russo-Georgian war. On August 7, 2008, separatist forces commenced intense shelling of Georgian villages, prompting a response from Georgian forces. The following day, Russian occupation troops entered the region. As a result of Russia’s military aggression against Georgia, 411 people lost their lives, approximately 130,000 citizens became IDPs in their own country, numerous villages were destroyed, and the city of Gori, along with strategic facilities, were heavily bombed. Russia continues to occupy 20 per cent of Georgia’s territory to this day.