De-facto Abkhaz president vows to fortify so-called border with Georgia

The newly elected de-facto president of Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia region is planning to fortify its so-called administrative border with Georgia, restrict access between the two areas and reduce the number of checkpoints from five to one.

Raul Khajimba’s ambitious plan was announced by Russian news agency Ria Novosti.

"Only one checkpoint should operate on the state border with Georgia, along the river Enguri. Taking into account the security of our state, all other checkpoints should be closed,” Khajimba said.

Khajimba announced his decision to reinforce Abkhazia’s separation from Georgia at his party’s political council session, where he promised his colleagues he would "fortify the border with Georgia”.

State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Paata Zakareishvili believed "fortify the border with Georgia” would deteriorate the situation among the people across the so called administrative border.

"The checkpoints supported the developing the human rights and security along the so-called administrative border. Only one checkpoint’s operation will not be enough for people crossing the line,” Zakareishvili said.

He believed the de-facto Abkhaz government’s decision would be revised. Government of Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia’s representative in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Jemal Gogokhia said that daily more than10000 people cross the so called border,”

"If de-facto government close the checkpoints it will negatively effect on relations of people, Gogokhia said.

Currently, one central and four surrounding checkpoints function along the so-called administrative border of Abkhazia including Khurcha, Orsantia, Saberio and Rukhi Bridge.

The five additional checkpoints opened in May 2013 in the Gali district. Resident of the Gali region can only pass through the so-called border if they used Abkhazian and former Soviet passports. Khajimba won Presidential Elections in Abkhazia on August 24.

Georgian authorities condemned the elections and called it an "illegal act.” The de-facto elections were not recognised by the international community either.