"Borderisation" of occupied regions “legacy of past crimes" by previous Gov’t - PM

Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday claimed "borderisation” - the construction and shifting of illegal barriers by forces controlled by the Russian occupation of the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions of the country - was a "legacy of past crimes committed” by the previous United National Movement Government.

Speaking at a briefing in his office, Kobakhidze asserted UNM had "restored” the boundaries that had been removed under the rule of the country’s first President Zviad Gamsakhurdia in the 1990s, providing Russia with a “pretext” for starting borderisation activities following its illegal recognition of the regions as independent states after the 2008 Russia-Georgia war.

Borderisation is a direct consequence of the crimes committed before 2012 [when the Georgian Dream party defeated UNM]”, the PM said. "During that period, the UNM regime ceded 20 percent of our territory. The current borderisation is a result of those actions”. 

The official assured the current authorities were "effectively managing" the situation despite this "concerning legacy”, and noted there had been "no instances of borderisation exceeding the boundaries set by UNM, except for one case under the former Prime Minister [Giorgi] Gakharia”.

The PM also highlighted a "decrease in kidnapping and murder" of Georgian citizens by occupation forces since the current Government took office, attributing it to "effective work” of the State Security Service, while criticising the previous administration for "concealing" such information.