Reconciliation Minister: Russification Process underway in Georgia’s Occupied Territories

TBILISI – Georgia’s Minister of Reconciliation and Civil Equality, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, says that a “Russification process” is actively underway in Georgia’s occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The minister said that despite the many obstacles created by the occupant neighbor, Georgia’s government will continue peaceful political process and strengthening of ties with the populations of the breakaway regions.

Ms. Tsikhelashvili believes that Russia is doing its best to prevent normalization of relations between Georgians and residents of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. She underlined that the living conditions at the occupied regions are extremely poor.

“We are not interested in confrontation and large-scale conflict; we are doing everything in order to avoid this. We actively work on dialogue, reconciliation and on strengthening ties between the nations, because Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Regions are not only territories for us, they are our people and reunion of our peoples means reunion of our state,” said the minister.

Moreover, Tsikhelashvili said that after completion of technical procedures, when Georgia enjoys visa free regime with the European Union (EU), those benefits should affect the population of the occupied regions as well.

“When visa liberalization is available for citizens of Georgia, we will also offer it to the residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” she said.

The Minister added that one of the priorities of the government was to offer residents of the breakaway regions all state services and all benefits received by Georgia through its cooperation with the EU and other partner states.

By Thea Morrison