Georgia says temporary closure of so-called border by occupied Abkhazia hurts locals

 It is not known when the so-called border will reopen. The EUMM mission is informed regarding the closure.Photo: Erik Hoeg, EUMM mission head to Georgia.

Agenda.ge, 28 Jun 2019 - 11:11, Tbilisi,Georgia

The Georgian State Security says that the temporary closure of the so-called border between Georgia and the country’s occupied region of Abkhazia by de facto authorities is an illegal restriction of the right of movement of locals, which isolates them and complicates their livelihoods.

The step also threatens safety on the ground,” the statement reads.

Georgian Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili says that the Georgian government is taking all measures the so-called border to be reopened as soon as possible.

The utmost importance for me now is to care about the interests of locals, who are mostly affected by such decisions,” Tsikhelashvili said.

The de facto leadership of Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Abkhazia announced the closure of the so-called border yesterday amid the recent protest rallies throughout Georgia.

There are mass protest rallies of a provocative character underway in Georgia, which affect the statehood of the Republic of Abkhazia”, the local security service reported.

It said the demonstrations are underway in Zugdidi in Georgia’s western region of Samegrelo as well, which is close to the occupation line with Abkhazia.

The de facto leadership refuses to say when the so-called border will be reopened.

  • Russia recognised the two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as independent states after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
  • Only Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria have taken the same step of recognition so far.
  • The rest of the international community says that the regions are occupied by Russia and urge the country to withdraw its troops from Georgian territory.