Tbilisi says 'elections' in occupied Tskhinvali illegal

The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced today’s “parliamentary elections” in occupied Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia), which “blatantly violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders”.

Any so-called elections held in the occupied territories are illegal and cannot have any legal effect, as they are in contradiction with the fundamental norms and principles of international law”, the Ministry stated.

It further underscored that the above “elections” represent yet another futile attempt by Russia and its occupation regime in Tskhinvali to legitimise the ethnic cleansing of Georgians in the region, Georgia’s illegal occupation and forceful change of its sovereign borders.

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The Ministry also urged that the so-called parliamentary elections are taking place in the context, when internally displaced persons and refuges, forcibly expelled from the occupied territories, continue to be deprived of the possibility to return to their homes, and while the people on the ground are forced to live under violations of basic human rights and freedoms.

At the same time, the Russian Federation continues its military build-up, control and de-facto annexation of the occupied territories, in full disregard of the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement”, the ministry further noted.

Georgian Foreign Ministry calls on the international community “to give a due assessment” to the ongoing “parliamentary elections” in Tskhinvali region as well as calls upon the Russian Federation to fulfil its international obligations and withdraw its military forces from Georgia.