Parliament Human Rights Committee Chair: actions of de facto Tskhinvali president have “no international legal significance”

The actions of Anatoly Bibilov, the de facto president of the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region of Georgia, and his group have “no international legal significance”, Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights of the Georgian Parliament, said on Friday in response to the information on the de facto authorities in the occupied region planning to hold a referendum on joining the Russian Federation.

Sarjveladze underlined the position of the “entire civilised world” over the status of the Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region was of recognising the Russian Federation as the actual occupier of Georgian territories.

Anatoly Bibilov and members of his group are de facto, not de jure, authorities. Their de jure statements, actions, acts and activities have no international legal significance. This is a continuation of a wrong line, which started a long time ago and continues with the actual occupation and annexation of the territories of Georgia. Naturally, we oppose this,” the ruling Georgian Dream party MP said.

The United States Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price on Thursday said the US would not recognise the results of any effort by “Russia or its proxies” to “divide sovereign Georgian territory.”