Reconciliation Minister Claims Closure of So-Called Borders Creates Severe Problems
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, January 24
Georgian Reconciliation Minister Ketevan Tsikhelashvili says that the closure of so-called borders by de facto authorities of two occupied regions of Georgia Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) has created “severe humanitarian problems,” as many locals have no access to food and every-day items.
Tsikhelashvili says that the closure of the so-called borders is an “inhumane act” which has “no justification.”
"It has been 12 days since the residents of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali are in isolation. The population of Tskhinvali is in a particularly difficult and catastrophic situation; traffic is halted due to heavy snowfall and consequently, there is a problem of access to food.
“We are in 24-hour contact with our foreign partners to settle the problem,” Tsikhelashvili says.
She stated that the reason which was named by the de facto authorities for the closure of the so-called borders, the threat of the swine flu, is an “absurd” as there is no risk of an epidemic in the country.
Despite the fact the acute respiratory illness, which is also known as the H1N1 virus, has claimed 18 lives in Georgia, Georgian Health Ministry says that there has not been the risk of epidemic.
Responding to the statement of Tsikhelashvili several locals told the Netgazeti media that there are no particular problems in terms of food in the occupied regions.
They said that due to the heavy snow there was the lack of milk products and infants’ food in markets, which, as they said, used to come from Russia.
Abkhazia and Tskhinvali have been recognized as independent republics only by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria since the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
The rest of the international community says that the regions are occupied by Russia.
