Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili visited the August 2008 Ergneti Museum, describing her visit as both impressive and painful.

“Visiting this museum is very impressive and painful. It is a completely private initiative that speaks volumes about our history. This is a memory that none of us have the right to forget, and we are very grateful that such a museum was created here. It is a memory that cannot be forgotten or tolerated.

As I have said before, this is not just a fact, as the Prime Minister said. It is something we will never get used to. Not getting used to it means that we have to think every day about what can be done, not to take back these territories by war or force.

The return of these areas, or rather the reunification of the population here and there, begins here, with the strengthening of this village. It begins with the people who still live here and need support, programs, and young people to stay in place.

For the people living there, it doesn’t matter if they are Georgians or Ossetians. We should convey that their future, like our future, is in Europe and that will be the final unifier. Once again, neither war, nor conflict, but our identity and the protection of churches. I wonder when our Minister of Culture appealed to UNESCO to protect our churches in Abkhazia and Ossetia for the last time. What is being done in this direction? What is being done for the Georgian language? What is being done to arrange transportation from here? Simple things—are they so difficult? Do they require some effort that we cannot make? Where is the Minister of Reconciliation and Civil Equality? What is being done daily? What strategy do we have to strengthen this region?

One more thing, we cannot forget that this village has been completely restored with foreign money, and thanks to them,” said Zourabichvili.