No referendum will be legally valid under the conditions of occupation - Davit Zalkaliani

Georgian Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani reacted to the scheduling of a referendum on joining Russia in occupied Tskhinvali.

He said that it is unacceptable to talk about any referendum in conditions when the territory is occupied.

"Unfortunately, even in today's difficult situation, we still hear different appeals, which completely contradict the norms of international law and fundamental principles, valuable to both the EU and us. Of course, it is unacceptable for us to speak of any referendums in circumstances where the territory is occupied. The occupation of these territories has not only a political but also a legal assessment. This legal assessment is the decision of the Strasbourg Court that the occupation continues. Under occupation, no referendum would be legally valid, especially since hundreds of thousands of our citizens have been expelled from their homes and are unable to return to their homes as a result of ethnic cleansing. Here we also have very strong support from the international community and our friends," Davit Zalkaliani said in a briefing with his Danish colleague Iepe Kofod.