Occupied Abkhazia re-opens so-called border after about a month
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, February 7
Georgian occupied Abkhazia region, in western Georgia, re-opened so called border with the rest of Georgia on Tuesday, the European Union Monitoring Mission said.
Two Georgian occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) closed so-called borders on 11 January because of the H1N1 respiratory virus spread in Georgia, claiming up to 18 lives.
The de facto government of Tskhinvali continues to preserve the ban.
Georgian Reconciliation Minister, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili and the central Georgian government have been trying to achieve the reopen of so-called borders since the day of its closure.
“The situation in Georgia is not an epidemic and on the other hand, this flu is spreading in many other countries including Russia. We always care about our citizens in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali and we could help them as well in case of a spread of the flu with necessary medication.
“Closing the so-called border does not have any justification. This will serve as an additional restriction for people to whom moving around the so-called border is vitally important,” Tsikhelashvili stated in January.
She stated yesterday that works are continue to make Tskhinvali re-open the so-called border.
“The closure is absolutely unacceptable, creating huge humanitarian problems for locals, keeping them in slavery,” Tsikhelashvili said.
Two Georgian occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali have been recognized as independent states by only Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria so far.
Venezuela may revoke its decision if the interim government manages to preserve power.
The rest of the international community says that the regions are now occupied by Russia.
