Estonian President calls Russian occupation line in Georgia “the line of evil”
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President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid, together with her Georgian counterpart Giorgi Margvelashvili, has visited the occupation line that divides Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) from the rest of Georgia.
She met Data Vanishvili, an elderly man from the occupied village of Khurvaleti whose house has been isolated from the rest of the village ever since the Russian forces erected barbed-wire fences in the village.
The occupation line prevents Vanishvili’s family from freely moving along the village, meeting his neighbours, reaching his agricultural lands and sometimes even from buying food.
On the line of evil - fence between #Georgia & occupied territory of South Ossetia. It can not and will not be accepted nor forgotten. pic.twitter.com/r9gygpgDGR
— Kersti Kaljulaid (@KerstiKaljulaid) November 2, 2017
President Kaljulaid said that the fence between the occupied territory and the rest of Georgia is "the line of evil”.
"It cannot and will not be accepted nor forgotten”, she said.
Kaljulaid added that international efforts are needed for these artificial obstacles to be removed peacefully one day just as has happened in many other European countries.
Prior to visiting the occupation line, she visited the Tserovani settlement where the people internally displaced following the occupation reside since 2008. She visited the school of the IDP settlement and witnessed how internally displaced families live far from their native homes.
The president of Estonia and Georgia looking at the occupation map. Photo: President Margvelashvili's press office.
Today is the last day of President Kaljulaid’s state visit to Georgia that started on October 31.
Her delegation also includes the minister of Economy and Infrastructure, Minister of Culture, chairman of the Committee of Foreign Affairs of the Estonian parliament, and the commander of the Estonian Defence Forces. They are accompanies also by a business delegation of 33 members.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili stated at today’s Georgia-Estonia business forum in Tbilisi that the country’s liberal trade regime, low taxes and strategic location made Georgia as a regional leader for investment opportunities.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has hosted President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid and discussed commercial-economic and political issues with her.
Georgia is a priority partner for Estonia, the latter will spare no efforts to contribute to advancing Georgia-EU relations as the EU Council presidency holder-country, says the President of Estonia. Kaljulaid is paying her first official visit to Tbilisi, Georgia.
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili will host Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid at an official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, which will be followed by a meeting between the two Presidents tomorrow.
The de-facto leadership of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) is planning to open a customs point between the region and the rest of Georgia. De-facto head of Tskhinvali’s so-called customs committee Murat Tskhovrebov announced the news today.
Tbilisi says that no customs crossing point can be opened at the occupation line between breakaway Tskhinvali region and the rest of Georgia because this kind of facility can only operate at a state border.
Georgian President Giorgi Margevlashvili went to the occupation line between Georgia and its Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) to send New Year wishes to a family living behind the barbed wire fence.
In anticipation Georgia's progress to be appropriately recognised at upcoming NATO summit in Brussels, President Margvelashvili has discussed steps made by the country towards Euro-Atlantic integration with Estonian leaders.
Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid has begun her working visit to Georgia by paying tribute to Archil Tatunashvili: a Georgian citizen who died in Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as a result of torture, in addition to the victims of the 2008 Russian-Georgian War, buried at the Mukhatgverdi Brotherhood Cemetery.
The occupying forces illegally detained a man and his wife living in the village of Khurvaleti near occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region. Malkhaz Vanishvili, 30, is the grandson of Davit Vanishvili, whose house and agricultural lands are divided in two by occupying forces for several years now.