CoE Condemns Elections in Breakaway Abkhazia

(Tbilisi, March 5, Civil Georgia) – Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of Council of Europe condemned the “Parliamentary elections” in unrecognized Abkhazian Republic held on March 2.

“A ballot cannot be legitimate as long as tens and hundreds of thousands of people who cannot return to their homes in Abkhazia are deprived of these human rights,” CoE Secretary General stated after the meeting with the Chairman of the Abkhazian Supreme Council Tamaz Nadareishvil on March 5, CoE Press Division reports.

“Dialogue and compromise will bring solutions, respectful of the human rights of all concerned, both Abkhaz and Georgians”, Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of Council of Europe [CoE] stated.

Walter Schwimmer reiterated the Council of Europe’s full support for the UN Security Council resolution of 31 January.

“Basic principles of the distribution of competences between Tbilisi and Sukhumi” (the capitals of Georgia and the breakaway Abkhazia region) must be used as a stepping-stone for rapid progress towards an early and comprehensive settlement of the conflict by peaceful political means,” Walter Schwimmer stated.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)