“The times will come when the scraps of the barbed wires will become an exhibit of your museum.” The State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili made this statement at the opening of the "August 2008 War Museum" in the village of Ergneti, close to occupied Tskhinvali Region.

The museum was opened in the basement of the local resident Lia Chlachidze's house, which was completely destroyed during the war.

"Today more than 20 percent of Georgia’s territories surrounded by kilometers of barbed wire fences is turned into a living museum of occupation. People - isolated by these barbed wire fences became the hostages of occupation policy. The times will come when the scraps of these barbed wire fences become an exhibit of your museum. We will definitely leave behind the legacy of the war to the past, because we are moving forward to the future and this future is of a peaceful, developed, united and European Georgia, where the rights and identity of every citizen are protected" - said Ketevan Tsikhelashvili.

She also underlined that Georgian society not only remembers the graveness of the war and occupation, but live it through on daily basis as occupation continues, especially in Ergneti and nearby villages that lay adjacent to artificial divides.

"We will stand beside you. This museum is very important. Foreign guests will have the opportunity to see what kind of trouble we experienced 9 years ago and what kind of pain we live with, until we achieve the peaceful reunification of our country. These exhibits will once again remind everyone that war and bloodshed should not be allowed. Our main task is to maintain peace and move towards the peaceful resolution of the conflict", - she said.

The State Minister also left an inscription in the book of records and signed a banner standing for No to Occupation!.

The head of the museum Lia Chlachidze talked about the museum.

"We opened this museum in the basement of the house, which was burned completely during the war. There was a terrible fire during the War in the cellar. The exhibits are also collected from the damaged homes in the neighbourhood. Many people helped me with brining this initiative to life and I thank them for the support", - said Lia Chlachidze.

Earlier the day State Minister Tsikhelashvili has laid a wreath at the memorial of the victims of the August 2008 war in Gori.