"Statement about new Russian base in Ochamchire is alarming" - Georgian Foreign Ministry

Russian base in Ochamchire

The Georgian Foreign Ministry published a statement on the interview of the leader of occupied Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, in which he said that in the near future a permanent base of the Russian Navy will be built in Ochamchire.

According to Aslan Bzhania, a permanent Russian naval base will be established in Ochamchire. Bzhania said in an interview with the Russian media outlet Izvestia.

“On the day of our holiday [in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Day of Victory in the Georgian-Abkhazian war of 1992-1993 and Abkhazia’s independence day, which was celebrated on September 30] a small missile ship came to us, we went aboard – a very modern vessel with serious combat capabilities. We signed an agreement, and in the near future there will be a permanent stationing point for the Russian Navy in the Ochamchire district.

All this is aimed at increasing the level of defense capability of both Russia and Abkhazia, and serves the interests of Russia and Abkhazia, and security in this regard is the most important factor.”

Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Abkhazia Sergei Shamba reacted to the statement of Aslan Bzhania and noted that this agreement “was not reached today” and the decision was made at previous joint meetings.

According to Shamba, for Abkhazia this is an example of realization of union agreements with the Russian Federation.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry expressed “concern” about this and noted that such actions are a violation of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“The international community strongly supports Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

We call on the Russian Federation to abide by its international obligations, implement the ceasefire agreement brokered by the European Union on August 12, 2008, and end the illegal occupation of Georgia’s indivisible regions.”

• “Why Abkhazia does not face the fate of Nagorno-Karabakh?” Opinion
• Putin meets with President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania

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Former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia: “Russia’s decision to establish a permanent naval base in occupied Abkhazia shows the complete failure of Ivanishvili’s policy of intimidation of the Kremlin.

Georgia’s ruling party refuses to react or even notice Russia’s ongoing meetings with the occupation regime in Abkhazia, culminating in the announcement of a new Russian military base.

Instead, Georgian Dream is preoccupied with the infamous process of impeaching the president and further restricting freedom of speech. The aim of all this is to destroy independent democratic institutions, intimidate civil society and sabotage EU integration, which is significantly harming national security.”

Mayor of Tbilisi, Kakha Kaladze: “I am not aware of this statement; however, if it is true, it is extremely alarming and serious. You know that most of the territory of our country is occupied by Russia. The main thing is that the international community, the modern world supports the territorial integrity of our country.”

Chairman of the European Georgia Party, Giga Bokeria: “The occupation regime, that is the same Russia, praises our current government. We should all ask ourselves a question – why should the enemy praise the government if it does not agree with what this government is doing?

The government wants to leave us in international isolation from the West, and we learn that a new military base is being opened in occupied territory. We must draw conclusions, this traitorous lie, as if we will survive, we must all reject and replace this regime with a democratic one. Only by integrating into NATO and increasing defense capabilities at home can we defend ourselves from the Russian threat and restore our territorial integrity.”