Ruling party head: Russia-Belarus delegation visit to occupied Abkhazia “disturbing”

Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the visit of a delegation of the parliamentary assembly of Belarus and Russia to Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region was “disturbing”.

The delegation arrived in the occupied region on Wednesday under the leadership of Artyom Turov, the chairman of the youth policy, sports and tourism commission of the parliamentary assembly of the union of Belarus and Russia.

In his remarks over the matter, Kobakhidze noted the Georgian government’s response would need to involve “pragmatic steps” to ensure that the non-recognition of the occupied territories by Belarus continued. 

Any such so-called visit is a disturbing event. We have a very clear goal and task, which is to maintain the successful non-recognition policy. Therefore, any response will be carried out precisely in the context of this goal”, the GD official said.