01 November 2019, 14:39
EU observers report about installation of a barrier near Georgian village
In Georgia, a barbed wire installation has been under way near the border village of Atotsi for several days, the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) reports. The border near the South-Ossetian village of Akhalgori should be opened, since its closure creates problems for the villagers, the Georgian side believes.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Georgia accused Russian border guards of installing a barbed wire fence near the village of Atotsi on October 19, and EU observers and the police arrived at the place.
The situation on the demarcation line between Georgia and South Ossetia escalated in September, when the Georgian forces erected a checkpoint in the vicinity of the Tsnelis village. On September 9, the KGB of South Ossetia announced the closure of the border with Georgia.
Near the village of Atotsi, the installation of new barbed-wire fences has been observed, and that fact "creates additional barriers to the freedom of movement for the population," the EUMM reports.
"Immediate opening of the border checkpoint is vital," emphasized Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality in Georgia, on her Facebook page.
According to the Ketevan Tsikhelashvili's report, a difficult situation has developed in the village: the rights of the people living there are violated, and the population is on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 1, 2019 at 00:33 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Galina Gotua Source: CK correspondent
