The political party For Georgia has described the appointment of Russian official Marat Kambolov as the so-called Prime Minister of the occupied Tskhinvali region as a new stage in the de facto annexation of Georgian territory.

The party is calling on the authorities to end their silence, restore active engagement with international partners, and support an anti-annexation resolution.

“We would like to respond to yet another step taken by the Russian Federation in the occupied Tskhinvali region that undermines Georgia’s sovereignty and aims at the de facto annexation of Georgia’s integral territories.

The so-called President of the Tskhinvali regime, Alan Gagloev, has signed a decree appointing Russian official Marat Kambolov as the so-called Chairman of the Government.

The so-called ‘governmental changes’ carried out by the occupation regime and the direct transfer of a serving Russian federal official from Moscow to key positions within the puppet regime are not merely routine personnel reshuffles. The Russian Federation has launched a new stage of annexing Georgian territory in the occupied Tskhinvali region. This is the practical implementation of the so-called ‘Treaty on Deepening Allied Cooperation’ signed between Moscow and the Tskhinvali regime in May of this year.

For our team, the de-occupation of the country and halting Russian annexation remain the highest national priorities. We will not allow the normalization of this grave process directed against Georgian statehood and will continue to fight for the protection of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity both domestically and on every international platform.

Once again, we call on the Parliament and the Government of Georgia: stop remaining silent, return to the constitutional framework, restore active cooperation with international partners, and support the anti-annexation resolution!” the party said in a statement.