Georgia’s de facto Tskhinvali discusses creating aviation ties with Russia

De facto leadership from Georgia's occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region are reportedly discussing the possibility of creating aviation ties with Russia.

Russian news agency TASS quoted de facto president of Tskhinvali region Leonid Tibilov as saying: 

We are working with Russia about the issue to have our own aviation” in a news piece published earlier today. 

Tibilov said one of the key reasons why the region needed to have aviation ties with Russia was to prevent residents of the breakaway region from having to travel to Georgia to access medical treatment, which often happened in winter months when a road to Russia was typically closed due to snow and bad weather.

Tibolov said currently the authorities of Tskhinvali permitted the region's citizens to go to Georgia for medical treatment as it was the fastest way to receive the right medical support. 

The de facto president noted there were significant health programs in Georgia open to people living in Georgia's two breakaway regions, supported by "powerful western countries”.

It turns out the programs serve as a forced measure for us. It is one of the reasons why we need aviation [with Russia],” Tibilov said. 

Georgia and the majority of the western world do not recognise the region’s independence but say Tskhinvali  and western Abkhazia are integral parts of Georgia.

Russia and Nicaragua recognised the independence of Georgia’s two occupied regions in 2008 following the brief but violent Russia-Georgia war.

In 2009 Venezuela, Vanuatu, Nauru and Tuvalu took the same step, however several years’ later Vanuatu and Tuvalu in the Pacific Islands revoked their recognition and now declare Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as integral parts of Georgia.