118th Ergneti IPRM Meeting

On March 20, the 118th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meeting was held in Ergneti. The meeting was co-facilitated by the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

SSSG Statement

The Deputy Director of the Analytical Department of the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG), Irakli Antadze, said before the meeting that the Georgian side planned to raise the issues of illegal acts of “borderization,” the continued illegal detention of six Georgian citizens, and the investigation into the murder of Tamaz Ginturi.

Antadze noted that since January 1, 2024, five cases of illegal acts of “borderization” have been detected, three of which occurred in Gori and Kareli municipalities after the February IPRM meeting.

After the 118th meeting of the IPRM, Antadze stated that the position of the Russian occupation forces remains “cynical” when it comes to the demands of the Georgian side to investigate the case of Tamaz Ginturi’s killing and to prosecute the perpetrators. “Unfortunately, even today we heard the same narrative regarding the killing of Tamaz Ginturi by the representatives of the Russian occupation forces, that the so-called border guards “acted in full compliance with the regulations,” – Irakli Antadze noted.

Regarding the illegal “borderization,” Antadze stated that the Russian occupation forces “are trying to legalize this extremely destructive process with absurd arguments.” According to Antadze, the Georgian side continues to reiterate demands for the release of all unlawfully detained Georgian citizens.

EUMM Statement

During the meeting, the EUMM and OSCE co-facilitators welcomed the participants’ commitment to the IPRM format and urged practical solutions for human security across the occupation line. They called for the easing of movement restrictions over the upcoming Orthodox Easter celebrations and the full reopening of crossing points. They also urged an end to illegal detentions by the occupation regime and emphasized a humanitarian approach to resolving ongoing cases.

According to the EUMM press release, discussions highlighted recent security developments, including the installation of physical barriers along the occupation line. All parties recognized the importance of continued dialogue for the upcoming agricultural season and the usefulness of technical meetings on water irrigation.

In addition, participants commended the EUMM-managed hotline for its role in information exchange and tension management.

Statement by Tskhinvali representative

Egor Kochiev, representing the de facto authorities of the occupied Tskhinvali region, spoke to journalists after the meeting. He noted that the representatives of Tskhinvali once again “demanded the demarcation of a border line”, but the Georgian side blocked the issue. He complained that “the Georgian side keeps blocking this issue, saying that we are politicizing it.”

In addition, Kochiev said that the region’s representatives once again raised the issue of the “illegal” Georgian police post on the territory of the village of Tsnelisi/Uista.

The next IPRM meeting will be held on May 16, 2024, and a technical meeting on irrigation issues will be held on April 26, 2024.

Also Read:

• 14/02/2024 – 117th Ergneti IPRM Meeting
• 14/12/2023 – 116th Ergneti IPRM Meeting
• 06/11/2023 – Technical Meeting in Ergneti Following the Killing of Georgian Citizen by Russian Occupying Forces
• 13/09/2023 – 114th Ergneti IPRM Meeting

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