De facto authorities open crossing to occupied Akhalgori for Easter for first time since 2019
The entrance to the Russian-occupied Akhalgori has been closed since September 5, 2019, with the de facto authorities preventing locals from moving between the town and the Georgian-controlled territory. Agenda archive.
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The de facto authorities of the Russian-occupied Akhalgori municipality in central Georgia have opened crossings to the location over the administrative boundary line separating Georgian-controlled territory from the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, Interpressnews reported on Thursday.
The agency quoted Nugzar Tinikashvili, the Governor of the municipality, saying those with permits issued by the de facto authorities would be allowed to cross the checkpoints to the occupied areas.
Set to run until Monday, the opening comes ahead of this weekend’s Orthodox celebrations, during which civilians across Georgia often travel back to their homes in the countryside to visit relatives and local cemeteries.
The entrance to the Russian-occupied Akhalgori has been closed since September 5, 2019, with the de facto authorities preventing locals from moving between the town and the Georgian-controlled territory.
The Georgian Government, the US Embassy to Georgia and the European Union Monitoring mission have said closures of crossing points over the administrative boundary line create severe humanitarian problems.
The Russian-controlled Tskhinvali leadership has allowed pensioners living in the occupied Akhalgori district to visit the rest of Georgia once in two months, to receive their pensions, REC news agency reports.Humanitarian situation in Akhalgori is severe as the de facto authorities of Georgia's occupied region closed crossing points with the rest of Georgia in early September 2019, depriving locals from receiving timely and quality medical treatment or buy everyday items they need.
40-year old Gela Gariev has died in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, as local doctors could not diagnose his medical problem and offer him appropriate care, reports RFE/RL.
Residents of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Akhalgori district have to receive Ossetian passports in order to get pensions, reports the Democracy Research Institute (DRI) NGO. Several pensioners have already been granted Ossetian citizenship under a simplified procedure in Akhalgori district.
A mother living in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Akhalgori district was not allowed to leave the territory for several days to mourn her son who died in the Tserovani settlement, on Tbilisi-administered territory. The story caused public turmoil on social media, with the mother permitted to leave Akhalgori only late yesterday [while the young man died on September 22], Radio Liberty reports.
Marek Szczygieł, the Head of the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia, on Thursday welcomed the temporary opening of the Odzisi crossing point into central Georgia's Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region by the de facto authorities for the Orthodox Easter celebrations.