The Georgian opposition held on Sunday a demonstration in the eastern city Gori.

Thousands gathered outside the city’s House of Culture to participate in the event that had attracted the residents of almost all the neighboring regions.

Speaking at the meeting, the leader of the opposition coalition Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, addressed the possibility of re-establishing trust between the Georgians and Ossetians as well as settling the conflict between the two nations. He also called for an investigation into the causes of the August 2008 war.

Ivanishvili said there are no alternatives to Georgia’s EU integration and membership in Nato.

“But it is not up to us to choose neighbors, so we have to normalize the relations with Russia regardless of anything,” he said.

The Georgian opposition leader explained that such normalization could return Georgia to the Russian market, and he promised to ensure the process after coming to power.