Chorchana Checkpoint, Drones, and Cigarette Smuggling Discussed During the Meeting in Ergneti

"This issue is always on the agenda, and we are seeking solutions. Currently, the situation is quite difficult. In my opinion, the elections and ongoing protests in the capital prevent the Georgian leadership from resolving this issue," said Kochiev.

In August 2019, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia established a checkpoint in the village of Chorchana, Khashuri Municipality. Chorchana also borders the occupied village of Tsnelisi. The Tskhinvali regime claims that the police post is located "deep within its territory" and considers it illegal.

At the November 19 meeting, smuggling was discussed as another key issue. According to the so-called South Ossetian delegation, Georgian citizens from the Tskhinvali region smuggle goods to Tbilisi-controlled territory with the alleged agreement of Ossetian allies.

"The number of smuggling violations has increased. Most commonly, it involves cigarette smuggling. Georgian citizens attempt to transfer cigarettes from the territory of South Ossetia into Georgia. A state border security system has been deployed, equipped with advanced technical means. Three cases have been reported recently," Kochiev stated, adding that the so-called South Ossetian court would impose sanctions on the offenders.

Additionally, Kochiev raised concerns about the frequent crossing of the so-called border by drones from Tbilisi-controlled territory.

"The issue of drones is discussed every time. At the moment, numerous violations by drones have been reported, and identifying their origin is quite challenging. The Georgian side denies that the unmanned aerial vehicles belong to them, despite indirect but clear evidence suggesting that they sometimes enter our republic from the Georgian side," he said.

During the Ergneti meeting, the parties also addressed violations of the so-called border regime. According to the so-called State Security Committee, "South Ossetian border guards" arrested 23 people in October alone.

The Georgian side demanded the daily operation of the so-called checkpoints for the Akhalgori population.

"Our proposal is for the so-called crossings to operate daily. This is not a 'caprice' but an urgent necessity for the everyday lives of the local indigenous population. The current 10-day period, during which the crossing is open in the last ten days of every month, is insufficient," said Irakli Antidze, Deputy Director of the Information and Analytical Department of the State Security Service of Georgia.

The central government of Georgia also called for an end to the so-called "borderization" process. According to Antidze, this illegal process is "the root cause of all serious incidents along the occupation line."

"Once again, we proposed replacing this destructive process with efforts to promote free movement," Antidze said.

The State Security Service of Georgia reported that they once again demanded the punishment of representatives of the Russian occupation forces responsible for the murder of Georgian citizen Tamaz Ginturi. They also strongly insisted on the immediate release of all individuals in illegal detention.

"Our international partners have been very supportive, and every effort is being made to ensure that all our detained fellow citizens return to their families," Antidze stated. Currently, nine Georgian citizens remain in illegal detention in Tskhinvali.

The next meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism is scheduled for February 14, 2025.