The Diplomat
The Spanish government yesterday rejected the legitimacy of the “alleged presidential elections” organized by “separatist authorities in the Georgian region South Ossetia.”
“Spain does not recognize the alleged ‘presidential elections’ organized by the separatist authorities in the Georgian region of Tskhinvali/South Ossetia on April 10, 2022,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Spain reiterates and reaffirms its firm support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within the framework of its internationally recognized borders,” it concluded.
South Ossetia’s separatist president, Anatoli Biboliv, recently announced that the region’s “longing” is to “join Russia” and, therefore, “will shortly take the corresponding legal steps” to become part of its “historic homeland.” Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia in 2008, after a short war with Georgia. For his part, Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani yesterday described as “unacceptable and illegitimate” the possible referendum in South Ossetia, a territory “occupied” by Russia and from which “thousands of Georgians have been expelled as a result of ethnic cleansing”.
