Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland released a special statement on the 10th anniversary of Russia’s aggression against Georgia.

“Ten years ago, as a result of the Russian Federation’s military aggression against Georgia, Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia found themselves under a separatist rule established and supported by Moscow that is not recognised by the international community. Since 2008, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland has been monitoring the situation in the two regions and has supported the international community’s efforts to restore Georgia’s integrity.

Our position is clear that, in the light of international law, Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia are integral parts of the Georgian state. We oppose all efforts that interfere with the sovereign right of the Tbilisi authorities to exercise dominion over the territory of Georgia within its internationally recognised boundaries.

We condemn actions aimed at actually integrating the separatists regions of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region with the Russian Federation in the political, economic, military, infrastructural and social areas.

We are greatly concerned with the worsening humanitarian situation and cases of human rights violations in Georgia’s occupied territories. We oppose actions related to progressing “borderization,” limiting the movement of the civilian population, preventing Georgian citizens from participating in political life or making it difficult for them to exercise their right to education in their mother tongue.

We express our full solidarity with the Tbilisi authorities regarding their policy of non-recognition of the separatist regimes of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia.

We would like to recall that Poland supported Georgia during the Russian military aggression in August 2008, as evidenced by the late President of Poland Lech Kaczyński’s historic visit to Tbilisi.

The authorities of the Republic of Poland once again call on the Russian Federation to abandon its aggressive and provocative policy towards the Georgian State and to implement commitments under the Sarkozy-Medvedev agreements. We appeal for a continuation of a real dialogue in the framework of the Geneva International Discussions that, together with the full exercise of the mandate of the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM Georgia), should contribute to achieving faster results of the peace process.

Ten years after the Russian aggression against Georgia, Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko and chiefs of diplomacy of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius and of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs are paying a joint visit to Georgia on 6 and 7 of August”, – the statement released by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland reads.