Tbilisi, 26 May 2021—The President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, visited today parts of the South Ossetian Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) near Odzisi, with the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM).
Upon arrival to the location, Head of EUMM, Ambassador Marek Szczygieł, provided an assessment of the current situation in the area of the main controlled crossing point at the South Ossetian ABL, which has now been closed for regular traffic since September 2019 or for over 620 days.
The Head of Mission underlined the negative impact that ‘borderisation’ activities, such as the installation of fences or observation posts, have on the humanitarian and human rights situation of the local communities affected by the conflict, including on their freedom of movement.
The Head of Mission also stressed the negative consequences that the prolonged closure of the Odzisi controlled crossing point has on conflict-affected population in terms of their access to medical care, education or agricultural land and other human rights.
The President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, used the opportunity to thank the Mission for its contribution to stability and confidence building throughout Georgia. He also expressed his gratitude for the informative field visit, while reiterating Poland’s unwavering support and appreciation for the Mission’s work.
Seventeen Polish nationals are currently serving in the Mission, including the Head of EUMM and the Deputy Head of Field Office Mtskheta.
The last high-level Polish visits to EUMM took place in May 2017 when President Duda visited the Mission Headquarters, and in November 2017 when the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Witold Waszczykowski, visited EUMM Field Office in Mtskheta. See respectively:
https://eumm.eu/en/press_and_public_information/features/5879/?year=2017&month=9 and https://eumm.eu/en/press_and_public_information/features/6054/
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