The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ilia Darchiashvili, focused on the consequences of Russian aggression in his speech at the plenary session of the OSCE Council of Ministers.

“The fundamental principles and key provisions of the Helsinki Final Act are constantly and blatantly violated as the OSCE approaches its 50th anniversary.

Russia’s full-scale military aggression against my country in 2008, annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014, and the aggression ongoing against Ukraine threatened the rules-based international order and security in the region.

It cost thousands of lives and displaced millions of people. We continue to stand with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people and reiterate our unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders.

Russia’s war against Georgia was the first attempt to forcefully change the borders of a sovereign country after the Cold War. For more than 15 years, Russia has continued its illegal occupation of the indivisible regions of Georgia - Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region.

This is a gross violation of the principles and norms of international law.

People living in the occupied territories are victims of severe human rights violations. They are isolated by barbed wires from their agricultural lands, places of worship, they are deprived of the right to move or access basic needs.

Illegal detentions and abductions are a growing practice that puts their health and lives at risk.

Recently, the killing of Georgian civilian Tamaz Ginturi near his native village of Kirbali by the Russian occupying forces was another act of violence against ethnic Georgians”, - said Ilia Darchiashvili.