Bidzina Ivanishvili, leader of Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party, declared that the country must apologise for the actions of the previous United National Movement (UNM) government during the 2008 Russo-Georgian war.

Speaking at a campaign event on September 14, Ivanishvili blamed the UNM and "external forces" for "igniting" the conflict and said that once they are held accountable, Georgia should formally apologise for dragging "our Ossetian brothers and sisters" into the war.

The 2008 Russo-Georgian War was a five-day conflict over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, both internationally recognised as part of Georgia. It began when Georgia attempted to retake South Ossetia, prompting a swift Russian invasion. The war ended with Russian occupation of both regions, which remain internationally unrecognised as independent.

Ivanishvili’s speech, delivered to a crowd in Gori, a city near the 2008 war’s front lines, centred on the need for accountability and reconciliation. He framed the war as a tragedy not desired by the Georgian or Ossetian people but rather instigated by political actors, particularly the UNM, led at the time by then-President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is now in jail for abuse of power.

He promised a “Georgian Nuremberg” trial to bring those responsible to justice, calling it a crucial step towards healing.

“I guarantee you that the Georgian Nuremberg process will happen very soon, and it will pave the way for reconciliation,” Ivanishvili said.

He further added that after the trial, it would be necessary for Georgians to apologise for the actions of the government during the conflict.

“We will find the strength to apologise for dragging our Ossetian brothers and sisters into the flames of war in 2008,” he said.

Ivanishvili’s comments sparked a backlash from opposition parties and public figures, who accused him of pandering to Russian interests and distorting historical events.

The UNM issued a statement condemning Ivanishvili’s remarks as "national shame," accusing him of undermining Georgia’s policy of non-recognition of its occupied territories and harming the country’s national interest.

“Bidzina Ivanishvili’s statement today in Gori is a national disgrace. This statement serves only Russia’s interests, undermines the non-recognition policy of occupied territories and damages Georgia’s national interest,” the UNM’s statement read.

Other opposition figures further accused Ivanishvili of betraying the memory of those who died in the 2008 war. Kaha Kemoklidze of the For Georgia party said Ivanishvili’s comments amounted to a betrayal of the country’s heroes: “This statement spits in the face of the heroes who died defending Georgia in 2008. It’s disgraceful to hear such things from someone who claims to lead the country.”

Families of fallen soldiers also expressed their dismay.

“Apologies to our heroes. We didn’t deserve their sacrifice, nor did we deserve such disrespect from our leaders”, wrote Valeri Elizbarashvili, the son of a Georgian colonel killed in the 2008 war.

In contrast, Russian propagandists welcomed Ivanishvili’s statement. Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Kremlin-backed RT, praised Ivanishvili’s words on social media, stating: “Georgia is acting incredibly sensibly, as if it has come out of years of drunkenness or psychosis.” 

Ivanishvili’s remarks have added fuel to the already contentious political climate in Georgia, with critics accusing him of distorting history and serving Russian interests at the expense of Georgia’s sovereignty and dignity.