PM Irakli Garibashvili said on May 12 that Georgia became “dragged into” war with Russia in August, 2008 because of “reckless policies” of Georgia’s previous authorities.

Speaking at an outdoor election campaign rally in Gori, PM Garibashvili, who is the leader of ruling Georgian Dream coalition, told the supporters in this town of Shida Kartli region: “You have experienced firsthand horror that was the August war, wounds of which are not yet healed.”

“The fact that Georgia became dragged into this war and our territories are now temporarily lost and occupied, the fact that thousands of people became displaced in their own homeland is the result of reckless policy of the previous authorities,” he said.

“We try to overcome grave consequences of the war through balanced and well-calculated steps with the use of all the available international mechanisms,” Garibashvili added.

When Defense Minister Irakli Alasania was asked during an interview with the Maestro TV on May 7 if the issue of “who started the war is closed for the government”, he responded: “The issue of ‘who started the war’ is closed not only for Georgia, but for the international community as well. This war was started by the Russian Federation, when it encouraged shelling of our villages by the separatist militias. So there is no question about who started the war. The Russian Federation started the war and occupation of our territories still continues. Full stop.”

During his trip to the Shida Kartli region on May 12, PM Garibashvili, accompanied by Defense Minister Alasania, also visited a military base in Gori.