Tbilisi, International Partners Condemn Russian Elections in Georgia’s Occupied Territories

Georgia and several other countries including Latvia, Austria, the United States, Sweden, Romania, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, the European Union, Estonia, Norway, France have condemned the illegal holding of the Russian presidential “elections” in the occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions of Georgia.

“Russia’s opening of polling stations in Georgia’s Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions is a blatant violation of Georgia’s sovereignty and international law. This blatant disregard for borders yet again exposes Russia’s imperial ambitions”, President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili tweeted on March 18, adding that “[We are] grateful to our international partners for standing with us to uphold Georgia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.”

The Georgian MFA condemned holding of the Russian elections in the occupied territories, saying “this act represents a step against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia by the Russian Federation, which grossly violates the fundamental principles and norms of international law, and completely disregards the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.”

The Georgian MFA calls on the international community “to give a due assessment and reaction to yet another illegal action of the Russian Federation directed towards infringement of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“The EU considers the Russian presidential election polling stations opened in occupied breakaway regions of Abkhazia & South Ossetia without consent of the Georgian Government illegal. The EU remains fully committed to Georgia’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity,” the EU Delegation in Georgia tweeted on March 18.

On March 14, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia said it would not recognize “the illegal holding of the Russian presidential “election” and their results in Moldova’s region of Transnistria and Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.”

Latvia reiterated its position on March 17 as well, condemning “in the strongest possible terms the illegal “election” and its results in the temporarily occupied and annexed territories of Ukraine and in the regions of Georgia.”

On March 15, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Austria tweeted that “we firmly condemn sham elections in the occupied regions Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol as well as in Transnistria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. These „elections” are illegal, their results lack any legitimacy!”

“We condemn Russia’s presidential polling stations in the Russia-occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and in the Moldovan territory of Transnistria. The Kremlin again tramples on these nations’ sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Jim O’Brien, the United States Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs tweeted on March 16.

“Sweden strongly condemns the illegal “elections” in areas of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia as well as the organization of polling stations in regions of Moldova and Georgia without the consent of authorities. Russia yet again acts in blatant violation of international law,” the Sweden‘s Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted on March 16.

The Foreign Ministry of Romania also “strongly” condemned “the opening of voting stations for Russian elections in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova, and in Georgia s regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, without the consent of authorities of Moldova and Georgia respectively.” “These are illegal and violate international law,” said the Romanian Foreign Ministry.

The Foreign Ministry of Lithuania quoted Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on March 16 according to whom “Russia organizes sham “elections” in occupied territories of Ukraine, also in Georgian regions of Tskhinvali and Abkhazia, Moldova‘s region of Transnistria, against the will of Georgian Moldovan governments. Another assault on the sovereignty of its neighbors and the UN Charter.”

Annalena Baerbock, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, said that “the election in Russia was an election without election” and “holding the so-called “elections” in parts of Ukraine, in parts of Moldova and in parts of Georgia is contrary to the international law.”

Peter Fischer, Ambassador of Germany to Georgia retweeted on March 17 the statement by the German Foreign Office which said that ” the “election“ in the occupied territories of Ukraine are null and void and another breach of international law.” “Same goes for Abkhazia and South Ossetia as well as Transnistria. No to the violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Ambassador wrote.

“Poland strongly condemns the organization of voting in Transnistria, Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, and Abkhazia without the consent of the authorities of the Republic of Moldova and Georgia respectively. In these cases, too, the ‘elections’ were conducted illegally and in violation of all standards of international law and democracy,” the Embassy of Poland in Tbilisi wrote on Facebook on March 18.

“Estonia strongly condemns the holding of Putin’s so-called “elections” in the Russian-occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia, Tskhinvali and Moldova’s region of Transnistria. Yet another assault on the sovereignty of its neighbors and international law,” the Foreign Ministry of Estonia tweeted.

“Estonia condemns Russia’s sham elections on Georgia’s territory. It is not in compliance with the commitments taken by RU under the 6-point-plan of 12 August 2008,” Estonian Ambassador to Georgia and Armenia Riina Kaljurand added.

“Russia’s polling stations in the occupied regions of Georgia are in violation of international law. Norway fully supports – and Russia must respect – Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Bergljot Hovland, the Ambassador of Norway to Georgia and Armenia tweeted on March 18.

On March 18, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France condemned “the fact that Russia set up polling stations in the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as the region of Transnistria in the Republic of Moldova, without the consent of the Georgian or Moldovan authorities.”

The article may be updated to reflect the statements of other countries…

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