Occupied Tskhinvali region plans to open customs crossing point in Akhalgori
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The de-facto leadership of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region (often referred to as 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.
He said that a customs point will open in the municipality of Akhalgori – a district in Georgia currently occupied by Russia.
Tskhovrebov added that the idea of opening a customs crossing point comes from the fact that goods "coming from Georgia” have never before been subject to taxation.
"The opening of a customs crossing point is needed to monitor the amount and quality of goods coming to [the region]. All goods coming from Georgia have been free from taxes for years”, he said.
He added that documentation needed for the opening of a crossing point have already been sent to the de-facto government.
Two of Russian-occupied regions of Georgia – Tskhinvali and Abkhazia – have their own de-facto governments, supported by Russia. These territories are internationally recognised as part of Georgia but Tbilisi has no factual control over them.
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The Charge d’Affaires of the United States Missions to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Harry Kamian summed up the recent Geneva International Discussions today.
Georgian officials, representatives of international organisations and the de-facto authorities from Georgia’s Russian-occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) have gathered around the table in Ergneti to discuss issues that concern people living along the occupation line 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.
Russia and Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) – a Georgian territory occupied by Russia – are preparing a deal to simplify the process of obtaining Russian citizenship for the people of the region.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry condemns the opening of customs points in Georgia’s Russian occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). The Russian occupation forces have opened an illegal customs point in Akhalgori and created a specialized customs post in Sokhumi.
The de facto leadership of Georgia’s eastern occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region has made Russian and Ossetian languages mandatory for teachers of kindergartens in Georgia’s occupied Akhalgori area, which is mostly resided by ethnic Georgians.
Russian helicopters flew over several village of Gori municipality today, in eastern Georgia, near the occupation line between Georgia and its occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.