29 March 2024, Friday, 18:51
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Belarusian MFA explained the order of trips to South Ossetia and Abkhazia

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus strongly recommends the citizens of the country to obey Georgian laws for visiting Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Alyaksandr Lukashevich, the deputy head of the MFA main consular department, told journalists on Wednesday.

“The Georgian laws have imposed restrictions on free movement of foreign citizens in the territories of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and the adjacent territorial waters,” Lukashevich said. “Foreigners can enter Abkhazia and South Ossetia exclusively from two directions - the Zugdidi and Gori municipalities, respectively,” he emphasized.

The MFA representative also added that “Crossing into Abkhazia or South Ossetia from any other direction without special permission from the Georgian authorities is forbidden and will be punished in accordance with the Criminal Code of Georgia.”

Lukashevich reminded that the citizens of Belarus don’t need a visa to visit Georgia.

We remind that only Russia has recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia so far. The president of Nicaragua brought the point of recognition for discussion, but the parliament denied this proposal. The rest countries consider Abkhazia and South Ossetia to be parts of Georgia.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka said in September last year that Belarus would recognize independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. President of unrecognized South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity told later the Belarusian ruler has promised him to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia. But the political situation changed, and Lukashenka declared he wouldn’t hurry to recognize independence.

In May, president of Abkhazia Sergei Bagapsh accept head of Lukashenka’s Administration Uladzimir Makei and first deputy head of presidential affairs department . The Administration of Lukashenka and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus refused to say the aim of the visit of the Belarusian officials to the unrecognized republic.

Speaker of the State Duma of Russia Boris Gryzlov said on May 18 that the Belarusian authorities promised to recognize independence of the Georgian territories in April.

Lukashenka told in an interview to the Russian mass media that Russia demanded him to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia in exchange for loans. However, a lot of independent experts regard this statement as flirting with the European Union to get money from it.

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