Head of EU Monitoring Mission Briefs Brussels on Georgia

Head of the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) to Georgia, Erik Hoeg, has briefed the Political and Security Committee (PSC) envoys from EU member states in Brussels, on the latest developments at the occupation line with Georgia’s presently Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (so-called South Ossetia) region.

The EUMM is the only international mission in Georgia that is capable of monitoring the situation at the occupation lines with Georgia’s two occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. Yet, they are still not allowed by the Russian and de-facto authorities to enter the separatist regions.

“Good exchange in Brussels today with PSC Ambassadors about recent developments at the South Ossetian ABL and role of #EUMM in stabilizing the situation on the ground. Appreciate strong support expressed by EU member states for activities of Mission.” – Hoeg wrote on Twitter.

The situation escalated at the disputed zone near the end of August, when Russian-occupied Tskhinvali complained about the opening of a conventional police station in the village of Chorchana, Khashuri municipality, under Tbilisi administered territory. The de-facto region is citing ‘security threats to locals’ as an argument for the objection.  

After Tbilisi denied moving the Police Station, the occupying forces constructed two new “police posts” on Tbilisi-governed territory, near the village of Tsnelisi, Kareli municipality (neighboring village Chorchana) and closed the so-called border crossing point with Akhalgori district.

Two crossing points at the Tskhinvali Administrative Boundary Line (ABL), Odzisi and Sinaguri, have been closed since September 4, creating severe humanitarian conditions on the ground.

The Political and Security Committee (PSC) is responsible for the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CSFP) and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

By Beka Alexishvili