De-facto Tskhinvali government to close crossing-point for illegal elections
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Locals of the Russian occupied Georgian region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) cannot use the crossing-point between the breakaway region and the rest of Georgia for three days.
The de-facto administration of Tskhinvali is closing the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) today due to so-called "presidential elections” held this Sunday, April 9.
Tskhinvali's de-facto security committee said that from this evening till Monday, people will be temporarily deprived of the right to use the crossing-point "due to strengthened security measures".
On the so-called presidential elections, a referendum is also planned on changing Tskhinvali region’s name to 'the Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania'.
The second part of the name would sound just like North Ossetia-Alania, which is under Russian control.
Tbilisi and its international partners have been denouncing these illegal steps carried out by the de-facto governments.
- President of Georgia: Proposed name change for breakaway Tskhinvali is annexation attempt
- OSCE Permanent Council rules referendum in breakaway Tskhinvali illegal
- US will not recognise results of illegitimate referendum in breakaway Tskhinvali
Russia recognised Tskhinvali region and the other Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia as independent countries after a military armed conflict with Georgia in 2008.
As of today, only four countries recognise Georgia’s breakaway regions as independent republics; these are Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru
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.