On September 14, during a campaign rally in the town of Gori, Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream, attributed the 2008 war to external forces and the Georgian government at the time. 

He emphasized that the Georgian people will find it in themselves to apologize. However, he did not acknowledge Russia's responsibility for the military invasion and ongoing occupation.

Ivanishvili stated: "Today, we are well aware that the August War of 2008 was not the wish of either the Georgian or the Ossetian people. So, when we unmask those who have ordered the bloody conflict between the brothers and bring to legal account those who have committed this gravest crime, a necessity of restoring relations would necessarily emerge on the agenda. I promise you that the Georgian Nuremberg Process [against the United National Movement officials] will be held very soon and will become one of the preconditions of reconciliation."

He further remarked, "Being able to look reality—however harsh it might have been—in the eye was always one of Georgians' strong points. Against the background of twelve years of uninterrupted peace, I believe even more strongly that admitting our own mistakes and remembering the centuries-old brotherhood and friendship between Georgians and Ossetians will become the opening steps of the road that would give people living on both sides of the dividing line a determination to restore trust."

Ivanishvili concluded by stating that immediately after the October 26 elections, those responsible for instigating the war would face justice. He emphasized that those guilty of undermining the Georgian-Ossetian brotherhood would receive the "harshest legal verdict." He added, "We will find it in ourselves to apologize that acting upon orders, the treasonous 'National Movement' put our Ossetian sisters and brothers up in flames. And since forgiveness is one of the keystones of our shared – Georgian and Ossetian–Christian faith, I am confident that the fratricidal confrontation instigated by Georgia’s enemies will end with mutual forgiveness and sincere reconciliation."

After Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, blamed Tbilisi for the 2008 Russo-Georgian War and promised to apologize to "Ossetian brothers and sisters," protests erupted in various Georgian cities under the slogan "No to the Kremlin's dictates!" Demonstrations took place in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi and in the city of Kutaisi.

Zviad Tsketladze, a leader of the "Dapioni" youth movement and a participant in the protests, stated, "Our collaborationist oligarch spat on the souls of our fallen heroes fighting for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. At the same time, he insulted our living veterans, our living heroes—people who risked their health and lives for the sake of the Motherland. We could not sit quietly at home and not react to this. Protest, we could not do it. Everyone must go to the streets. This will not be a protest of any specific group; it will be a protest of a decent society and a decent nation."

Levan Tsutskiridze, a leader of the "Strong Georgia" coalition, remarked, "I don't know a single real citizen who wants to applaud him (Ivanishvili-ed). I came here as an angry citizen. Georgia should have a government that serves the interests of the people, not the interests of Russia."