Fuel supplies to occupied Abkhazia can lead to renewed Russia ties and railway, opposition

Coalition for Change leader Tengo Tevzade has warned that recent developments, including fuel supplies to occupied Abkhazia, could eventually lead to the restoration of diplomatic relations with Russia and even the reopening of the railway connection.

Tevzade said the government's current course would likely result in additional international sanctions against Georgia.

"Where these steps will ultimately take this country is easy to predict, because there will clearly be even more sanctions," Tevzade said.

He accused the ruling party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili and the Georgian government of cooperating with separatists and Russia and said Georgia risked becoming a major route for sanctions evasion.

Tevzade also criticised what he described as the spread of a "Russian narrative" that Georgia is experiencing Russophobia.

He warned that the current developments should not be allowed to become normalised, arguing that they could be followed by the restoration of diplomatic relations with Russia and potentially the reopening of the railway.

"And this will lead to an irreversible process," Tevzade said.