Georgia investigates alleged opening of de facto South Ossetia Embassy in Rome, Italy

Georgia is investigating the legitimacy of a claim of the opening of an official embassy of Georgia’s de facto Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region in Italy’s capital Rome.

Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed Italy respected Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity but was checking comments made in a Russian news agency that a South Ossetia Embassy had opened.

The Ministry has spoken to Italian diplomats about the alleged information spread by Russia’s Sputnik  news agency yesterday. 

Sputnik quoted head of the Italy-South Ossetia Friendship Society Mauro Murga as saying the "representation of the Republic of South Ossetia in Italy has become a reality.” 

Murga added: "Now the citizens of South Ossetia, who are located in Italy, in case of need, can rely on the professional assistance and support.” 

Georgia’s State Minister of Reconciliation and Civic Equality Paata Zakareishvili  made a comment about the alleged fact. Photo by Ministry of Reconciliation and Civic Equality of Georgia. 

Georgia’s State Minister of Reconciliation and Civic Equality Paata Zakareishvili said opening official de facto Tskhinvali representation in Italy "has no legal and political basis”.

He stressed this was not the first time when individuals had unlawfully tried to open such offices, and he believed similar instances would continue to happen until Georgia’s territorial land dispute was solved.

The so-called representation is not registered and represents only an idea of an individual. … Georgia’s Foreign Ministry is engaged and is controlling the situation but it is impossible to stop individuals doing such things until the conflict is brought to an end,” Zakareishvili said. 

Russia recognized Georgia’s de facto regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent republics after the Russia-Georgia war in 2008. 

In the wake of the war only Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru recognise the "independence” of Georgia’s two occupied regions. The rest of the international community agree Abkhazia and Tskhinvali are integral parts of Georgia.