Opposition claims Russia moves to use de facto Abkhazia as a transit route to bypass sanctions

The  chairman of the Georgian European Democrats party, Paata Davitaia, said Friday that Russia was taking steps to open a new transit route via Georgia’s currently occupied Abkhazia region to circumvent international sanctions imposed on it for its invasion of Ukraine. 

“As it is known, a working group has been set up in Abkhazia which has recommended the de facto President Aslan Bzhania to remove restrictions on the Enguri bridge, which will allow the region to receive various transit cargoes from Armenia and Turkey”, Davitaia said. 

The opposition politician suggested that on the one hand the de facto region would receive incomes and “strengthen its stance for independence” and on the other hand, Russia would benefit from the route on the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. 

“The development of this mechanism means the indirect recognition of Abkhazia’s independence. I call on the Georgian authorities not to go to this negotiation in any case, not to make any concessions with the separatists in this direction, because this step will be an actual recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and will damage to our partner countries in the light of the sanctions imposed against Russia for the ongoing brutal war in Ukraine”, Davitaia said. 

Only Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru  and Syria have recognized Georgia’s Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions as independent states since the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.