11:28, 10 October 2020

Activists see political background in Georgian-Azerbaijani border demarcation

Participants of a protest action in the territory of the "David Gareja" Monastery Complex which has become a matter of a territorial dispute between Georgia and Azerbaijan. May 28, 2019. Photo by Beslan Kmuzov for the "Caucasian Knot"

Two Georgian officials have been arrested on charges of using incorrect maps while delimiting the Georgian-Azerbaijani border. Their defence intends to appeal against the arrest; and public organizations have linked their persecution with the upcoming elections.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the two experts who took part in the border delimitation were detained for using maps of the wrong scale when defining the border with Azerbaijan. According to investigators, due to their actions, Georgia has lost more than 3500 hectares of its territory.

Georgian NGOs have seen political motives in the case initiated against the experts, since it was opened on the eve of parliamentary elections.

The issue of the Georgian-Azerbaijani border concerns the "David Gareja" Monastery Complex, which is to be divided by the border, said Ekaterina Gigauri, the head of the "International Transparency-Georgia".

"The topic of 'David Gareja' is sensitive for Georgians; and the authorities are trying to play on this," she said.

Let us note here that the Georgian-Azerbaijani border dispute escalated in April 2019, when Azerbaijani border guards blocked the road to the Udabno Monastery for monks and tourists. In October 2019, the Georgian Church announced its ownership over the Udabno and Chichkhituri Monasteries.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 9, 2020 at 02:59 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Inna Kukudjanova

Source: CK correspondent