"Perhaps he resolved it and I missed something" - with this remark, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze responded to a statement regarding David Gareji made by former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili in a recently published letter, in which Garibashvili outlines steps taken to address the issue.

Furthermore, Kobakhidze noted that everyone is doing everything possible to ensure that such significant issues are resolved. The Prime Minister believes that Garibashvili’s statements are no longer of interest to anyone.

"We are in constant dialogue with our friends—both our Azerbaijani and Armenian friends—regarding the demarcation and delimitation of borders. This is a significant issue. In our relations with both Azerbaijan and Armenia, we agree that this process must be actively pursued, and we are hopeful that we will achieve substantial progress in this regard. Active work is underway. We hope to resolve the matters that remained unsettled," stated Kobakhidze.

Notably, former Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili released another statement. A portion of the text addresses the David Gareji issue, with the former Prime Minister detailing the steps taken during his tenures as Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. " Here I would also like to recall the issue of David Gareja. During my time as Minister of Defense, we resumed work in this direction. I want the public to know that years ago, during my first premiership, we attempted to obtain original maps, which were necessary to strengthen Georgia's positions in negotiations. Until 2020, three prime ministers, two defense ministers, and three ministers of internal affairs changed in the country. Unfortunately, nothing was done regarding David Gareja. On the contrary, the situation worsened. Under my coordination, a working group was created at the Ministry of Defense. We restored the full picture and studied the criminal acts committed in the past. It turned out that the individuals who attempted to distort Georgia's border using incorrect maps based on decisions made during Saakashvili's rule were still members of the state commission. Soon, a specific vision, opinions, and ways forward prepared by professionals from the Cartography Department of the Ministry of Defense were presented by me to the founder of the party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, through whose efforts it became possible for David Khidasheli to bring the original maps to Tbilisi. Legal measures were also taken—an investigation was launched. As a result, the state's positions were significantly strengthened. The Patriarchate of Georgia was fully informed about this, and from day one, Archimandrite Kirion of the David Gareja Monastery was involved in the process (it was at his initiative and inspiration that I began working on the David Gareja issue during my first premiership and resumed the process with him upon returning as Minister of Defense). By my decision, the state commission was also renewed, into which we introduced new members—patriotic professionals. The court process continued until the end of 2023. We had also selected international consulting companies to assist us with legal issues. Azerbaijan is our friend, strategic partner, and neighboring state. I hope that negotiations will continue in this very spirit and the David Gareja issue will be resolved justly," stated Garibashvili.