US condemns opening of polling stations in Georgia’s occupied regions for Russian elections
The US has responded to recent parliamentary elections in Russia. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The United States has condemned the opening of polling stations in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions for the September 19 Duma elections of Russia, Spokesperson of the US Department of State Ned Price has tweeted.
The United States regrets Russia’s repressive actions that undermined the freeness, fairness, and credibility of its Duma elections, and we condemn Russia’s organization of polling stations on the territories of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine without their consent. https://t.co/NRkNRvsE64
— Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) September 23, 2021
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has also condemned the move, stating that Russia ‘once again violated the international law’ and urged the international community to give a ‘due response’ to the country’s illegal activities in Georgia.
According to preliminary reports more than 25,000 individuals participated in Russian elections from Georgian Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions.
Russia recognised Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent states after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
Since then only Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria have joined Russia in the recognition, while the rest of the international community call upon the country to leave the Georgian territory.
The United States Embassy in Georgia extends ‘heartfelt condolences’ to the family and friends of the Georgians who died yesterday attempting to cross the Enguri River to get from the Russian-occupied Abkhazia region to the Tbilisi-controlled territory.
Georgian Prime Minister Minister Irakli Garibashvili has responded to the recent death of four individuals from the country’s Russian-occupied Gali district and stated that the ‘occupation regime will definitely be held accountable for all its illegal actions in Georgia.’
Tbilisi has strongly condemned the opening of about 20 polling stations in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region for the September 19 Duma elections of Russia, stating that the step is an ‘obvious example’ of annexation. The Georgian Foreign Ministry says that Russia ‘once again violated the international law’ and urged the international community to give a ‘due response’ to the country’s illegal activities in Georgia.
The US Department of State has called on Russia to withdraw its forces from the occupied regions of Georgia and fulfil obligations of the 2008 ceasefire agreement it signed to end the conflict.