The Polish Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the 9th anniversary of Russian-Georgian war, in which it strongly condemned the militarization and ‘borderization’ of Georgia’s occupied territories and called upon Russia to refrain from “provocative steps against Georgia.”

“We strongly oppose the militarization and the ‘borderization’ of the occupied territories, which are carried out with Russia’s active participation. We note with increasing concern the deteriorating humanitarian, economic and welfare situation of the inhabitants of the occupied part of Georgia, for which the Russian Federation and the de facto governing authorities in Sukhumi and Tskhinvali bear full responsibility,” the Polish Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on August 8.

“We call for an end to human rights violations such as imposing illegal regulations discriminating against Georgians living in the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia region and depriving civilians of the right to move freely throughout the whole territory of Georgia,” it said.

The Polish MFA reiterated its position that Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia region remain integral parts of Georgia, adding that “any actions undertaken by Russia and the de facto authorities in Sokhumi and Tskhinvali on the territories of Georgia that are temporarily not controlled by Tbilisi without the permission of Georgian institutions should be condemned, because they violate the Georgian authorities’ sovereign right to implement their constitutional powers and obligations in the territory of Georgia within the borders recognized by the international community.”

The Polish Foreign Ministry reiterated the Polish government’s support to Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. “We recognize that the mobilization of efforts by the international community has helped to contain the aggressive policy of the Russian Federation towards Georgia,” it noted.

The Ministry called upon Russia to implement ceasefire agreement, which “along with the continuation of the Geneva talks and the full exercise of the EU Monitoring Mission’s (EUMM Georgia) mandate in Georgia should set the peace process on the right course.”

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry also released a statement on the 9th anniversary of Russian-Georgian war, urging the Russian Federation “to implement its commitments undertaken in the ‘six-point peace plan’, to stop violating the sovereignty of Georgia, and to respect its territorial integrity.”

It also called on the international community “to continue to actively pursue a peaceful resolution of the conflict and restoration of Georgia’s territorial integrity.”

“Nine years after the war, Russia has still not implemented the so-called ‘six-point peace plan’. The Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali are still de facto occupied by the Russian Federation today and the creeping annexation of these regions continues,” the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said adding that “there is a systematic violation of human rights in these regions of Georgia and it is impossible to ensure international monitoring of the situation.”

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius also commented on the 9th anniversary of the Russo-Georgian war in his Twitter post on August 8. “9 years since the pre-meditated Russian war against Georgia. Sadly lessons not learned.”