Reconciliation minister, EU ambassador review “severe” legal, humanitarian situation in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions

The “severe” legal and humanitarian situation in the Russian-occupied regions of Georgia was discussed on Tuesday in a meeting between Tea Akhvlediani, the Georgian state minister for reconciliation and civil equality, and Pawel Herczynski, the European Union ambassador to Georgia. 

Akhvlediani thanked the ambassador for the EU's “strong support” for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders, the minister’s office said. 

She also emphasised the “special role” of the EU in the peaceful resolution of the conflict, including in the process of restoring relations and trust between “artificially divided societies”, and noted the importance of EU structures granting Georgia the European perspective in June.

The meeting reviewed the “gross violations” of fundamental rights of the local population in the occupied territories, ethnic discrimination, restrictions on free movement, illegal construction of barbed wire and other artificial barriers along the occupation line by de facto authorities and bans on education in native language.

Akhvlediani stressed cases of illegal detention of Georgian citizens and the importance of consolidated action by international partners to ensure the “unconditional and immediate release” of every detained individual “based on a humanitarian approach”.

On his part, Herczynski once again confirmed the “strong support” of the European Union for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and expressed his “full readiness” for a further close cooperation with the state minister's office.