Mikheil Kavelashvili: Heroes of the August War Are an Example of What a Georgian Citizen and Soldier Should Be

Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili on Saturday paid tribute to soldiers killed in the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, saying their sacrifice was an example to every Georgian and reaffirming that restoring the country’s territorial integrity remained a key national goal.

“There is no reality in which anyone can imagine Georgia existing without Abkhazia and Samachablo. Accepting such an idea is out of the question, and everyone in the world must understand this,” Kavelashvili said at the Mukhatgverdi military cemetery, where he joined the prime minister, parliament speaker, Tbilisi mayor and other senior officials in commemorating those killed in the war.

Kavelashvili said the sacrifice of Georgian servicemen who died defending the country’s freedom and independence 18 years ago formed an honourable part of Georgia’s centuries-old history and continued to shape the spirit of its armed forces.

“The heroic soldiers of the August War are an example to each of us of what a citizen of Georgia and a Georgian soldier should be. Glory and honour to their eternal memory,” Kavelashvili said.

Despite the consequences of the war, Kavelashvili said Georgia was today an independent and sovereign state that determined its own future by maintaining peace and stability, protecting its national interests and pursuing development.

He said restoring Georgia’s territorial integrity and reunifying the country remained its primary national objective, adding that Tbilisi would seek to achieve this through peaceful means, reconciliation and confidence-building.