President Margvelashvili condemns Abkhazia elections
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Holding presidential elections on Georgia’s territory represents harsh neglect of international law and an attempt to legitimize the existing occupation, says the Georgian President.
Giorgi Margvelashvili released a special statement regarding the August 24 elections in Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia.
"Georgia’s territorial integrity has been violated. Armed forces of another country are still on [Georgia’s] occupied territories and human rights are constantly violated,” Margvelashvili said.
He noted many Georgian civilians were still internally displaced because of the ethnic cleansing implemented within the occupied territories – Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
"Russia has not completed its commitments according to the Ceasefire Agreement and other international acts. International organisations including the EU monitoring mission are not allowed to enter the occupied territories,” the President said.
"In such a situation, any attempt aiming to legitimise this reality is shocking.”
Margvelashvili thanked the international community for condemning the so-called elections and supporting Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
International society says it did not recognise the "presidential elections” in Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia and assessed the event as "non-constitutional and illegal”.
The European Union (EU) has assessed the "presidential elections” in Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia as non-constitutional and illegal.
The United States (US) says it does not recognise the legitimacy of the recent elections in Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia, held on August 24.
"We are ready to talk to anyone who holds the position of de-facto leader of Abkhazia,” said Georgian Dream Member of Parliament and Council of Europe representative Tinatin Khidasheli, despite Georgia not recognising last weekend's election.
The newly-elected president of Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia wants Georgia to "finally realise Abkhazia’s existence as an independent state is a reality”.
A ceremony was held yesterday, September 25, that declared Raul Khajimba as the region’s president for the next five years.
Beslan Butba has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Georgia’s breakaway region Abkhazia.
Today the President of Georgia released a decree which reads snap elections for several Governors and Mayors are scheduled on October 8, 2016 - the same day as Georgia’s Parliamentary Elections.
It's been 21 years since the capital city of Georgia's breakaway region Abkhazia fell as a result of a war that lasted for 13 months and 13 days.