Georgia reacts to so-called parliamentary election in breakaway region Abkhazia

By David Kachkachishvili

TBILISI, Georgia (AA) - Georgia on Saturday reacted to so-called parliamentary elections that are underway in its breakaway region of Abkhazia.

The so-called election is a step against Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and violates principles of international law, said the Georgian Foreign Ministry in a statement.

The statement added that the elections aim to legitimatize the illegal occupation in Georgia's two regions (Abkhazia and South Ossetia).

Also underlining that the international community supports the country's territorial integrity, the ministry asserted that an ethnic cleansing campaign against Georgians has been underway in Abkhazia for decades.

Russia eventually wants to annex these two regions, the statement added.

Tbilisi fought a five-day war with Russia in 2008 over Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Georgia lost control of both areas and Russia later recognized both South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.

​​​​​​​*Writing by Ahmet Gencturk in Ankara