Georgia’s Leader Bidzina Ivanishvili Suggests Apology for 2008 War

Georgia’s top leader, Bidzina Ivanishvili, hints that the country might apologize for the 2008 war with Russia, which led to Russia recognizing two breakaway regions.

Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia’s most important leader, has suggested that the country might apologize for the 2008 war with Russia. Ivanishvili is a rich businessman and former prime minister. He talked about this idea at a campaign event in Gori, a town that was occupied by Russia during the war.

The 2008 war started when Russia recognized two regions in Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as independent. This happened after Russian soldiers fought against Georgian forces trying to take back South Ossetia. Most countries still see these regions as part of Georgia.

Ivanishvili, who is running for election on October 26 with the ruling Georgian Dream party, said that the war was started by former President Mikheil Saakashvili. Ivanishvili believes Saakashvili was following orders from other countries. He promised that after the election, those responsible for the war would face justice. He also said that Georgians might apologize for the conflict.

Mikheil Saakashvili, who is now in prison for six years because of abuse of power, could not comment on Ivanishvili’s statement right away.

Saakashvili’s party, the United National Movement (UNM), was very upset by Ivanishvili’s comments. They called his words a shame for the country and said they helped Russia. The UNM accused Ivanishvili of betraying Georgia.

Georgia is a small country in the South Caucasus region. It became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Since then, it has been trying to build good relationships with the West, Russia, and China. As the elections approach, many Georgians feel their country is at an important moment in its history.

South Ossetia, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, broke away from Georgia during a war in 1991-92. This war caused many ethnic Georgians to leave the region. Today, the people living in South Ossetia are mostly not ethnically Georgian and say they were forced into Georgia when it was part of the Soviet Union.

A report from the EU in 2009 said that Georgia started the 2008 war by attacking South Ossetia’s capital, Tskhinvali, with heavy artillery. Russia then responded with strong military force, which the report said was too much.

As Georgia gets ready for its elections next month, the country faces big questions about its past and future. Ivanishvili’s comments add a new twist to the debate about how to deal with the 2008 war.