Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia imposes temporary restrictions on crossing ‘state border’
Russia recognised the two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as independent states after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The de facto leadership of Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Abkhazia has announced a temporary closure of the so-called border between the region and the rest of the country amid recent protest rallies throughout Georgia.
There are mass protest rallies of a provocative character underway in Georgia, which affect the statehood of the Republic of Abkhazia”, the local security service reported earlier today.
It said the demonstrations are underway in Zugdidi in Georgia’s western region of Samegrelo as well, which is close to the occupation line with Abkhazia.
South Caucasus analyst of the independent non-profit NGO Crisis Group Olesya Vartanyan responded to the announcement on her Twitter account:
New restrictions for crossings to #Abkhazia due to #TbilisiProtests.
— Olesya Vartanyan (@Olesya_vArt) June 27, 2019
If lasts for too long, expect incidents with the local ethnic Georgians, who will be trying to find alternative ways to get into the region for the hazelnuts season. https://t.co/Ocf6XgVDgr
In particular, the “entry of foreign citizens from the territory of Georgia, as well as the departure of citizens of the Republic of Abkhazia to the territory of Georgia” will be restricted for an undefined period of time.
Russia recognised the two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as independent states after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
Only Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria have taken the same step of recognition so far.
The rest of the international community says that the regions are occupied by Russia and urge the country to withdraw its troops from Georgian territory.
Georgian Reconciliation Minister Ketevan Tsikhelashvili has presented a report on peace initiative ‘Step to Better Future’ of the Georgian government when meeting with delegates of the Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CIVCOM) and the EU monitoring mission June 26 in Tbilisi. The presented report aimed to show the Georgian government’s position regarding the conflict resolution in Russia-occupied regions of Georgia.
The de facto leadership of Georgia’s eastern occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region says that ‘illegal border crossings’ between Georgia and the region have increased more than two times in the first half of 2019 compared to the same period of the last year.
Members of the Georgian delegation and six other countries left a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) yesterday in protest as Russia regained its voting right after having lost it in 2014 following its annexation of the Crimea.
A peaceful demonstration in front of the parliament of Georgia has resumed on the eighth consecutive day demanding again the resignation of the Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia. The rally will resume at 7 p.m. tomorrow and will last until Gakharia's resignation, organisers say.
The Georgian State Security says that the temporary closure of the so-called border between Georgia and the country’s occupied region of Abkhazia by de facto authorities is an illegal restriction of the right of movement of locals, which isolates them and complicates their livelihoods.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said the issue of closing the occupation line between the Russian occupied region of Abkhazia and the rest of the country will be raised at the next round of the Geneva International Discussions on July 2-3.
Carl Bildt, who is the co-chair of a pan-European think-tank European Council on Foreign Relations, responded to the Russia’s recent calls for boycotting tourism and trade goods with Georgia, as well as the closing of Enguri Bridge crossing-point connecting the occupied Abkhazia with the rest of the country, amid protest rallies in Tbilisi.
A number of university entrants from Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Abkhazia were unable to sit today’s Unified National Examinations in Georgian language and literature as the de facto leadership of Abkhazia closed the Enguri Bridge crossing-point connecting the region with the rest of Georgia.
University applicants living in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia will be able to cross over onto Tbilisi-administered territory to sit exams, Georgian Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili says.
Georgia is a safe and popular tourist country, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia David Zalkaliani at a meeting with the diplomatic corps today in Tbilisi. "Georgia is recognised as a safe country by the European Union and despite the recent situation, no incident has been observed [of assault on] foreign citizens or tourists [visiting our country]”, Zalkaliani said.
A 28-year-old Georgian citizen, Zakaria Butkhuzi, has been allegedly detained for “illegally crossing the border” near the Russian-occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).