Today Georgia marks the 31st anniversary of the launch of the armed conflict in the country’s currently Russian-occupied, north-western Abkhazia region. 

In his comments on the day, Prime Minister Garibashvili praised the “peaceful stance” of his office to resolve the conflicts. 

He noted the “unjustifiable confrontation” had claimed the lives of many, both servicemembers and civilians. 

Garibashvili stressed the occupation could “only be responded to by unwavering protection of peace, restoration of trust, and overall development of the country”. 

Shalva Papuashvili, the Parliament Speaker, also stressed the importance of peace and said Georgia was “developing” to achieve its “ultimate goal” to build a “strong and a united country” along with the citizens living in the currently Russian-controlled Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions. 

The conflict in Abkhazia in 1992 lasted for 13 months and 13 days, killing between 13,000 to 20,000 ethnic Georgians and approximately 3,000 Abkhaz, with more than 250,000 becoming internally displaced.