50 opposition MPs address the NATO and EU member states with a special statement relating to the opening of a permanent Russian naval base in the Ochamchire port and demand a firm position against Russia's continued occupation.
According to the parliamentary opposition, after the ruling party refused to adopt a joint parliamentary resolution, they decided to address their partners in the form of a joint statement of the opposition.
"We unanimously and firmly condemn Russia's occupation, militarization and other actions aimed at annexation of the occupied regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region, a new expression of which is the opening of a permanent Russian naval base in the Ochamchire port in occupied Abkhazia, as well as the attempts to integrate Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region into the Russian-Belarus union.
We believe that the mentioned decision of the Russian Federation is an additional challenge not only for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia, but also for the security of the wider Black Sea region and the Euro-Atlantic space as a whole. We believe that the deployment of Russia's permanent military fleet in Ochamchiri port of occupied Abkhazia is also an additional threat to the implementation of the Middle Corridor project initiated by the European Union, especially at a time when 90% of the Georgian population supports Georgia's accession to the European Union and when the country is waiting for the political decision of the European Union to grant Georgia candidate status.
Russia's annexation of Crimea and the fight ongoing against Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty is a continuation of the August 2008 war against Georgia. Accordingly, the civilized West must restrain the manifestation of Russia's revisionist policy both in Ukraine and in Georgia.
We call and appeal to the international community, Georgia's allies and strategic partners to take a firm and united position against Russia's continued occupation and annexation policy, which is the only way for Georgia's democracy, security, prosperity and long-term peaceful development.
We call on the international community to confirm and effectively use the decision of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the August 2008 war between the Russian Federation and Georgia and its consequences, as an international legal instrument to fight against Russia's administrative practice of occupation and human rights violations in the occupied regions of Georgia - Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia.
We confirm our readiness to continue intensive and proactive cooperation with legislative bodies and parliamentary assemblies to coordinate efforts to protect the rules-based international system and the fundamental norms of international law.
Since the ruling party refused to adopt a joint parliamentary resolution in the Parliament of Georgia, we are sharing with you the united position of the parliamentary opposition," reads the statement signed by 50 opposition Members of Parliament.