PM: Population of occupied Abkhazia, both Georgian and Abkhazian, is our population, we solved serious humanitarian problem

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the government’s decision to allow fuel supplies to occupied Abkhazia had helped resolve an important humanitarian problem in the occupied region and would ultimately contribute to restoring trust.

“We can have absolute confidence that such steps contribute to restoring trust,” Kobakhidze said in response to a question about the supply of fuel to occupied Abkhazia.

According to the Prime Minister, the initiative came from the occupied territories, with businesses approaching the Georgian authorities, who subsequently made a decision to support the initiative.

“The only motive for making this supportive decision was precisely the vision aimed at restoring trust. Everything was done within the Law on Occupied Territories,” Kobakhidze said.

He criticized what he described as a “hysterical campaign” surrounding the issue, arguing that Georgia’s political opponents oppose efforts aimed at restoring trust.

Addressing claims that the fuel supplies amounted to “supplying Russia,” Kobakhidze dismissed the allegations as “absolutely unserious,” saying the amount of fuel entering Abkhazia represented only 0.001% of Russia’s overall fuel consumption.

“It is absolutely irrelevant for Russia what volume of fuel entered our region, Abkhazia,” he said.

Kobakhidze also criticized opposition figures who, he said, had shifted their argument from claims that Russia was being supplied with fuel to claims that a Russian military base was being supplied.

“When people do not have access to fuel and gas stations are empty, this has a direct negative humanitarian effect on the population. Even in this case, they managed to speculate. Thanks to us, an important humanitarian problem in Abkhazia has been resolved, which will ultimately become evident to everyone. Accordingly, we can have absolute confidence that such steps contribute to restoring trust,” Kobakhidze concluded.