EU not to recognize ‘elections’ in Georgia’s breakaway region
By Jamila Babayeva
The European Union (EU) does not recognize the constitutional and legislative framework of the 'parliamentary elections' in Georgia's breakaway South Ossetian region, EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton said in her statement on June 9.
"Regarding the reports about the elections in Georgia's breakaway South Ossetian region, we reiterate that the EU does not recognize the constitutional and legislative framework of these elections," the statement said.
Ashton underscored in her statement that the EU supports Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
So-called parliamentary elections were held in Georgia's Tskhinvali region on June 8.
Large scale military action was launched between Georgia and Russia in South Ossetia on August 8, 2008. Tbilisi broke off relations with Moscow in August 2008 when Moscow crushed a Georgian assault to reassert control over two rebel regions -South Ossetia and Abkhazia- and later recognized the regions. Georgia announced the two unrecognized republics as occupied territories in September 2008.