Tbilisi condemns referendums in Eastern Ukraine

The Georgian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned referendums on joining Russia in Ukraine’s  Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye districts, which ended on Tuesday. 

“Georgia condemns the illegal referendums staged by Russia in the occupied territories of Ukraine. These attempts for annexation of Ukraine’s territories are unacceptable. Georgia firmly supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, said the Foreign Ministry. 

Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili on Tuesday also  condemned the “referendums” and stressed the move was an “extremely cynical” action on the part of Russia. 

Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili also tweeted on Wednesday that “we condemn and do not recognise any pseudo referenda conducted across Ukraine’s Eastern regions occupied by Russia. Borders cannot be changed by force. Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders must be respected”.