Forza Italia party distances itself from member-initiated conference on self-determination of Russian-occupied Abkhazia
In the statement, Valentino Valentini, the vice president of Forza Italia’s parliamentary group also said the party “firmly supports” Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty in accordance with the country’s foreign policy, adding “[we] do not recognise the de facto authorities of the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, nor their representatives, with whom we do not consider it advisable to have contacts.” Photo: IPN.
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Italian political party Forza Italia released a statement on Wednesday in response to its member Matteo Dall'Osso’s initiating a press conference around “self-determination” of the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia, saying the event had been a “strictly personal initiative” of the MP and noting it “reflects neither the position of Italy nor of Forza Italia.”
In the statement, Valentino Valentini, the vice president of Forza Italia’s parliamentary group also said the party “firmly supports” Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty in accordance with the country’s foreign policy, adding “[we] do not recognise the de facto authorities of the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, nor their representatives, with whom we do not consider it advisable to have contacts.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia also responded to the issue, affirming Italy “strongly supports” Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and adding “the official Rome has repeatedly issued an official statement condemning the illegal activities of the occupation regimes on Italian territory.”
The ministry also highlighted the Dall'Osso’s known close contacts with representatives of the occupation regime, noting “he has so far actively participated in the provocative actions of the regime.”
This step of the politician will be followed by a corresponding reaction from the official Rome,” Georgian MFA added.
The online press conference yesterday featured Aslan Bzhania, the de-facto president of the Russian-occupied Abkhazia, who delivered a speech for the event.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has begun considering a total of 59 individual complaints against Russia over the Russia-Georgia 2008 war, which left tens of thousands displaced from their homes in the now-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, the Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) announced on Tuesday.
Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi Di Maio has said that NATO cannot renege on the 'Open Door' policy and its commitments towards Georgia and Ukraine.
Di Maio noted the 2008 Bucharest Summit declaration supports Georgia and Ukraine's bid to become members of the alliance "at a time in the future."
Recognition of independence of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), two Russian-occupied Georgian regions, by Belarus is not on the agenda, Georgian foreign ministry spokesperson Mari Narchemashvili said on Monday, following comments made by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia has responded to a request by Inal Ardzinba, the de-facto foreign minister of the Russian-occupied Abkhazia region, for the status of an observer in the United Nations for the region by calling it a “propaganda move doomed to collapse."
Carl Hartzell, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, said the EU did not recognise the legal framework of the so-called parliamentary elections that took place in Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region on March 12.
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