Georgian government and international partners provide GEL4 million assistance for the Abkhazia region during the pandemic
By Khatia Bzhalava
Thursday, December 31
Georgian Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Tea Akhvlediani has presented a report for 2020. she stated yesterday that this year, via the status-neutral coordinating mechanism, the central Georgian government and international partners have ensured up to GEL4 million worth of financial assistance for the occupied region of Abkhazia. According to the minister, dialogue and rebuilding of trust between divided communities are the key priorities of reconciliation policy. Akhvlediani stated that the ministry is ready to expand informal dialogues and cooperation based on common interests with the Abkhaz and Ossetian communities. She added that even though pandemic somewhat hindered meetings aimed at rebuilding trust outside the country, there have been recent successful examples of informal communication with the Abkhaz community and positive experience gained through cooperation in areas of common interests. According to the minister, through such dialogues and constructive attitude, in September, more than 1000 students, schoolchildren, and their families were transferred from Abkhazia to Georgian controlled territories for educational purposes. Akhvlediani noted that with the Georgian side’s consent, international partners have launched 36 new Projects directed at trust-building.
According to Akhvlediani, as soon as the pandemic started, the ministry declared that the people living in the occupied territories and near dividing lines would not be left alone facing this challenge. She said that stated that during the pandemic, the government assured translation of information about coronavirus in Abkhazian and Ossetian languages, sharing experience between physicians through online consultations and visits of WHO experts to the Abkhaz region, provision of medical supplies by both government and international partners, transfer and treatment of patients in a controlled area. The minister noted that 250 Covid-19 patients have been transported from the Abkhazia region for treatment so far, however, she stressed that due to the destructive approach of the occupation regime. Unfortunately, no similar assistance could be provided to the Tskhinvali region.
According to the minister, people living in the occupied territories continue to receive free healthcare services in the controlled territory, which has been used by 900 patients this year. This year, the assistance provided by the government of Georgia to the healthcare segment amounted to more than GEL5 million.
