Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the country’s third president, Mikheil Saakashvili, a “foreign agent” and once again accused him of unleashing a war in August 2008. Kobakhidze made this statement on the occasion of the 18th anniversary of the war with Russia.

“We accuse Saakashvili’s bloody regime of starting the war. At that time, this country formally had a traitorous commander-in-chief. Saakashvili is a shameful, dirty foreign agent,” he said, adding that the third president tried to “attribute to himself” the heroism of the Georgian soldiers who died while defending the homeland.

Responding to the journalists’ question whether the authorities’ statements do not discredit their own country and its defenders, Kobakhidze noted that it was the “Georgian Dream” government that defended the honor of the Georgian soldier in the international arena. According to him, the authorities managed to prove that “the Georgian soldier did not commit war crimes” at the international courts in The Hague and Strasbourg.

In addition to accusations of starting the war, Kobakhidze questioned the legitimacy of Saakashvili’s rule in 2008. According to his claim, the extraordinary presidential elections held in January 2008 were “completely falsified”, which became one of the main factors determining the tragic Escalation.

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