Georgian’s living in breakaway regions forbidden to vote

Hundreds of Georgian’s living in Gali district of occupied Abkhazia are being prevented from voting in Georgia’s 2014 municipal elections.

The boundary separating Georgia with its breakaway regions has been blocked since this morning, preventing Georgian’s from travelling into Georgian-controlled territory and voting in the 2014 municipal elections

About 700 Gali residents were expected to vote at the Tsalenjikha district polling station in Georgia today but were unable to travel to the polling booth as occupant forces prevented them from travelling through the administrative boundary line.

About 1,120 registered voters were expected to cast their vote at the polling station today however officials at the site said voter turnout had been extremely low as Gali residents were prevented from accessing the official election voting station.

Georgia’s State Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Paata Zakareishvili said he was not surprised to learn of this situation.

"Every time Georgia holds elections, there are always some kind of problems in Gali and Akhalgori [a district in another breakaway region],” he said.

Two Georgian regions – Abkazia and Tkinvali (also called South Ossetia) are currently occupied by Russia.