EUMM welcomes opening Akhalgori crossing point, calls for it to remain open
EUMM said there should be no restriction on freedom of movement, especially on the vulnerable conflict-affected population. Photo: EUMM Head of MIssion/Twitter
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The European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) has welcomed the decision of the de facto authorities of the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Tskhinvali to temporarily reopen a crossing point between its Akhalgori district and the rest of Georgia for pensioners only after an almost five-month closure.
However, the Mission calls for it to remain open permanently, Acting Head of EUMM Kate Fearon tweeted yesterday.
At @EUMMGeorgia we are pleased that the Odzisi crossing point is open today. We call for it to be opened every day. There should be no restriction on freedom of movement, especially on the vulnerable conflict-affected population. #HumanRights #Freedomofmovement #ABL pic.twitter.com/6h6cxf6Ch1
— EUMM Head of Mission (@EUMMGeorgia_HoM) January 24, 2020
State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality of Georgia Ketevan Tsikhelashvili also noted that everyone should enjoy the freedom of movement along the occupation line without any delays.
Tsikhelashvili spoke about the humanitarian crisis in occupied regions with with the European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar yesterday as well, who is on a one-week visit to Georgia.
Toivo Klaar and Ketevan Tsikhelashvili met in Tbilisi on January 24. Photo: smr.gov.ge
De facto authorities of Tskhinvali closed crossing points with the rest of Georgia on September 4, 2019, shortly after the central Georgian government opened a police post in the village of Chorchana, Khashuri municipality, on the Tbilisi-controlled territory at the end of August 2019.
Tskhinvali says that the police post “is too close to South Ossetia, creating security threats for our population,” demanding its removal.
De facto president of Tskhinvali said in early January 2020 that the crossing points will reopen only after Tbilisi removes the police post. The crossing points have deprived locals of the right to movement to other areas of the country, to receive needed medical care or buy vitally important everyday items.
De facto authorities of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region has temporarily opened the crossing point between occupied Akhalgori district and the rest of Georgia for pensioners only after an almost five-month closure, which has created a severe humanitarian situation on the ground. Local civic activist Tamar Mearakishvili reports that the crossing point opened earlier today for pensioners “whose only income is the pension issued by the central government” of Georgia.
Georgian Minister of Reconciliation and Civil Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili has delivered a speech in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament yesterday, speaking ‘on behalf of the Georgian people living in the Russian-occupied Akhalgori district, where the humanitarian situation is particularly severe due to the closure of the crossing point with the rest of Georgia,’ in September 2019.
Civic activist Tamar Mearakishvili, who lives in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Akhalgori district, says that up to 10 people in the area have died due to delayed medical aid or other reasons related to the illegal closure of crossing points between breakaway Tskhinvali and the rest of Georgia 131 days ago.
The de facto government of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region is clearing a road to a new ‘police checkpoint’ in the village of Tsnelisi, Kareli municipality of Georgia, at an altitude of 944 meters.
The Russian-controlled de facto leadership of Tskhinvali has closed the Razdakhani crossing point for Akhalgori population, which was opened for pensioners only on January 24, 2020, after almost a five-month illegal closure.Local civic activists say that a small portion of those who were allowed to leave the Russian-occupied district decided to stay on the Tbilisi-administered territory either for treatment or to spend the winter with relatives.
EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar says that important discussions have been held with the involvement of the UN and OSCE regarding the current security situation at the occupation lines in Georgia. Crossing points between Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region and the rest of Georgia have been closed for more than six month, since September 4, 2019.
Russian-controlled occupation forces have allegedly shot a Georgian citizen yesterday who was trying to cross the occupation line between Georgia and its western occupied Abkhazia region.
Zamira Chochieva, a teacher living in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Akhalgori district, has died of a heart attack due to delayed medical aid, local civic activist Tamar Mearakishvili reported yesterday.