Government Rejects Opposition-Initiated Draft Resolution Against Russian Naval Base in Ochamchire
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Deputy Teona Akubardia, along with members of the political group "For Georgia" including Ana Buchukuri and Mikheil Daushvili, are calling for the adoption of a resolution addressing the establishment of a permanent Russian naval base in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia.
According to the project, "Parliament unanimously and firmly condemns Russia's occupation, militarization, and aggressive actions aimed at annexing the sovereign regions of Georgia, including Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. A new expression of this aggression is the decision to open a permanent Russian military naval base in the port of Ochamchire in Abkhazia, as well as the attempt to integrate Abkhazia into the Russia-Belarus Union."
The project asserts that the decision constitutes a direct threat to Georgia's national security, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. It also presents a substantial challenge to the security of the broader Black Sea region and the Euro-Atlantic space in its entirety.
The resolution "calls on the Russian Federation, in its capacity as the occupying power, to immediately, fully, and unconditionally withdraw all its military and security forces from Georgian territory and to de-occupy the regions of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.
Calls on the Government of Georgia to take timely and effective steps to reduce the increased risks arising from the decision to permanently locate the Russian military naval base in Abkhazia occupied by Russia, in particular Ochamchire, and to respond to Russia's aggressive actions, both inside the country and in the foreign political arena.
Appeals to the international community, Georgia's strategic partners, and friendly states to take a firm, united position against the policy of occupation, militarization, and annexation carried out by Russia, which is the only way for the democratic, safe, and peaceful development of Georgia and will also contribute to the strengthening of the common Euro-Atlantic security," the resolution reads.
The first vice-speaker of the parliament, Gia Volski, responded to the opposition's initiative by stating that the parliamentary majority on the opposition side would not only refrain from supporting such resolutions but also insist that these resolutions should not be discussed at all.
Volsky added "In this context, such claims are not appropriate. I'd like to remind you of one crucial point: in 2009, the Russian Federation explicitly and unequivocally expressed its intention to establish a military base in Ochamchire. This process entails many years of work, starting from addressing sea depth issues and ending with infrastructure development. However, since then, no progress in this direction has been observed".
