President Mikheil Saakashvili commented on the recent developments in Tskhinvali, South Ossetia including the parade dedicated to the independence day of the unrecognized republic stressing that it was a provocation and a brutal challenge against the Georgian state.

President Saakashvili also criticized Russia saying that every Russian citizen who attended the parade violated the Georgian legislation. "The Georgian government will have an appropriate reaction on this fact," he said.

"Every person living in the Tskhinvali region is the Georgian citizen, therefore protection of their security is an issue of my personal honor. The Georgian government is ready to involve the OSCE for a thorough and detailed investigation of the yesterday's incident in Tskhinvali. However, those people who in response to our peaceful initiatives were permanently declining even our offer to meet, not to mention the negotiations, are responsible for every incident and provocation," President Saakashvili said.

Communications Office
of the President of Georgia