Latvian President meets with family behind barbed wire fence

Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis visited a family living behind a barbed wire fence near Russian-occupied region of Georgia - Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) today.

The occupation line isolates the house of Davit Vanishvili and his family from the rest of Khurvaleti village, preventing them from freely moving along the village and sometimes even from buying some food.

Feeling sorry for the families divided by the barbed wire fence, President Vejonis said Latvia supports Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and will never recognise Russia’s aggressive policy against Georgia.

The isolated family, who is always eager to receive guests behind the barbed wire fence, also feels pressure from Russian military forces responsible for what they call "border security.” Photo by President's press office

Vejonis said sovereignty and independence are important for every country and hoped "we will find the solution to fix this situation together.”

Europe knows such artificial walls, but none of them have remained forever and this injustice that is happening here now will be of course overcome by a strong European Georgia and unification of Georgian people,” President Margvelashvili said, thanking the Latvian President for accompanying him to Khurvaleti village, which is located close to Tskhinvali region and was the epicenter of the short but deadly Russia-Georgia war in August 2008.

Following the war Russian border guards set a new Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) between Georgia and Tskhinvali region, erected a barbed wire fence spanning 50km along this arbitrary line through Georgian villages and announced it was the new "state border.”

Any attempt Georgian villagers make to cross the new "state border” is treated as a violation and the so-called offenders are arrested and taken to Tskhinvali prison.

The isolated family, who is always eager to receive guests behind the barbed wire fence, also feels pressure from Russian military forces responsible for what they call "border security.”