Reconciliation minister says spreading false info during occupation is provocation
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, August 14
Georgian Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili says that spreading false information during the time of ongoing occupation equals provocation.
Tsikhelashvili made the statement in response to media reports that the Georgian government members refused to appear at the Gugutiantkari village in the Gori Municipality last week where occupying forces were erecting new barbed-wire-fences.
She said that manipulating with occupation topics harms the state interests and the locals living in and near the occupation line, urging everyone to treat the issue with “big responsibility.”
“Our goal is to stop the illegal process of borderisation and assist the population [living in and near the line]. For achieving the goal, we work on a daily basis. As for the August 7 episode, state agencies responded immediately and used all the levers available,” Tsikhelashvili said.
She stated that Tbilisi promptly reacted on the illegality and activated a hotline to inform the international community about the installation of additional artificial barriers at the village.
“This process was suspended. We live under ongoing occupation and in the situation dissemination of incorrect information is nothing more than a provocation,” Tsikhelashvili said.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry wrote on August 8, on the 11th anniversary of the Russia-Georgia war, that “besides having a negative impact on the peace negotiations, the aforementioned illegal activities across the occupation line further aggravate the already difficult humanitarian situation of the conflict-affected population and the security climate on the ground.”
Russia recognized two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent states in the wake of the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
Only Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria have joined the stance so far. The rest of the international community says that the regions are occupied by Russia.
The occupying forces continue creeping occupation on the Georgian territory, erecting new barbed-wire-fences and so-called border signs.
