Office of State Minister of Georgia condemns so-called “runoff of presidential elections” held in Russian-occupied Abkhazia region

The Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality on Saturday strongly condemned the so-called “runoff of presidential elections” held in the Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia, calling it a blatant violation of international law and Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.

In a statement, the Office underscored that the so-called elections in Abkhazia were illegitimate and lacked any legal basis.

“Amid the ongoing occupation, and under conditions when internally displaced persons and refugees from the Abkhazia region are still denied the opportunity to return to their homes safely and with dignity, and when the fundamental rights and freedoms of the local indigenous population are systematically and grossly violated, the so-called elections cannot reflect the will of the people and, therefore, lack any legal basis”, the statement said.

The Office further reiterated the Georgian Government’s unwavering commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“The Government of Georgia consistently and steadfastly pursues its firmly declared peace policy, one of its strategic priorities - alongside de-occupation - is the implementation and further enhancement of the reconciliation and engagement process concerning the regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. This initiative aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of conflict-affected populations and to deepen cooperation and trust-building between artificially divided communities based on shared interests”, the Office concluded.