Tbilisi: Opening customs crossing point in occupied Tskhinvali is legally and politically impossible
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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.
Tbilisi’s statement came a day after the de-facto leadership of occupied Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) announced that it plans open a customs point in Akhalgori to monitor goods coming from Georgia.
The State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili said today that the only state border between Georgia and Russia lies at Caucasus Ridge, thus no customs crossing point can be opened at another location.
"This would be legally and politically impossible”, she said.
Tsikhelashvili said that for Georgia it is important not to limit but further simplify goods turnover between the occupied region and the rest of Georgia.
Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said that the initiative of opening a customs crossing point in occupied Akhalgori poses a threat to the fundamental rights of the people living there.
"This is yet another attempt by the Russian federation to put the occupied regions in its sphere of economic influence. We want for movement [in these areas] to be as free as possible and we will do our best to achieve this”, he said.
Zalkaliani added that the Foreign Ministry will use all opportunities to bring this issue to the interest of the international community.
Yesterday, the de-facto head of Tskhinvali’s so-called customs committee Murat Tskhovrebov said that a customs point will open in the municipality of Akhalgori to monitor the amount and quality of goods coming to the region from Georgia.
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.
Russian-controlled guards patrolling the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) between the occupied Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) and the rest of Georgia have illegally detained a Georgian citizen for the third time for allegedly crossing the so-called "border”.
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.
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.
The security situation on the administrative boundary line (ABL) between Georgia and its Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) was assessed as relatively stable, European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) said.
A Georgian citizen has been released from illegal detention near the occupation line separating the Russian occupied region of Georgia - Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) from the rest of Georgia.
Georgian officials, representatives of international organisations and de-facto authorities from Georgia’s Russian-occupied region of Tskhinvali have gathered around the table in Ergneti to discuss issues that concern people living along the occupation line today.
People living near the Russian occupation line in Georgia will receive 200 lari vouchers to cover heating costs during the winter months. The money will be allocated from the Government Reserve Fund, said the Office of Georgia’s Minister of Reconciliation and Civil Equality today.