Prepared by Messenger Staff
Tskhinvali De Facto Leader Says Region Not Ready for Transit Traffic With Georgia
Marat Kambolov, a Russian citizen and acting de facto president of the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region, said 'South Ossetia' is not yet ready to open its territory to transit traffic with Georgia.
Speaking on September 12 at a meeting with residents of the Tskhinvali region living in North Ossetia, Kambolov was asked about the possibility of opening the border with Georgia and allowing transit traffic through the region.
"To put it bluntly: South Ossetia is not yet ready for this, neither psychologically nor in terms of the necessary legal framework," said Kambolov, who is also a candidate in the de facto presidential election.
Kambolov said any decision to allow transit would require security guarantees, citing the history of the conflict and casualties.
"Any decision taken in this regard requires reliable guarantees," he said, referring to "the security issue linked to war and casualties."
He said economic considerations should not outweigh security concerns.
"Economic benefits cannot take precedence over people's safety," Kambolov said.
Georgia Detains 59 Foreign Nationals Over Illegal Stay
Georgia's Migration Department detained 59 foreign nationals during special immigration control operations across the country, the Interior Ministry said.
The detainees, who include citizens of Kenya, Türkiye, Russia, India, Egypt, Ghana, Ethiopia, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, Sudan, Cameroon, China and Azerbaijan, were found to be staying in Georgia in violation of the country's Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons.
The ministry said officers inspected various locations and establishments to identify foreigners without a legal basis to remain in the country. The detainees are being held at the Migration Department's Temporary Accommodation Center, with deportation procedures underway.
Since recent legislative amendments took effect, authorities have conducted 160 special immigration control operations, checking 18,000 foreign nationals. According to the ministry, 1,000 people identified as illegal migrants have since been deported from Georgia.
