Tskhinvali said Georgian Dream’s statements accusing former President Mikheil Saakashvili of starting the August 2008 war mean that responsibility for the conflict “should be borne by the country.” When asked whether holding the former government responsible amounted to blaming Georgia, they, however, distinguished what they called the UNM “regime” from Georgia as a country. In an August 9 statement, the de facto foreign ministry of occupied Tskhinvali/South Ossetia cited recent statements by GD leaders, specifically Kobakhidze, accusing Saakashvili of being responsible for the “military aggression.” It then noted: “It is also absolutely obvious that Saakashvili is not the only one responsible. “Therefore, responsibility for the August 2008 war should be borne by the country as the subject of this policy, including figures from the Saakashvili regime who implemented his policies.”