Students from occupied Abkhazia unable to sit exams during closure of Enguri Bridge crossing-point
Georgian Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili said earlier that the Georgian government is taking all measures the so-called border to be reopened as soon as possible. Photo: Erik Hoeg
Tweet 
Share
A number of university entrants from Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Abkhazia were unable to sit today’s Unified National Examinations in Georgian language and literature as the de facto leadership of Abkhazia closed the Enguri Bridge crossing-point connecting the region with the rest of Georgia.
Deputy Education Minister Irina Abuladze said the ministry is closely following the developments and will spare no efforts to ensure that all of the entrants from occupied Abkhazia have access to education in Georgia.
Some university entrants could not cross Enguri Bridge. We are expecting that the situation may improve at any time. A certain number of entrants faced some problems due to the closing of the Enguri so-called crossing-point. We will do our best to ensure they receive a higher education”, Abuladze said.
She told university entrants that even if they could not take today’s exams they are encouraged to take the exams whenever possible. Abuladze said the ministry will think of ways to ensure access to education for students from the occupied region.
The de facto leadership of occupied region of Abkhazia announced a temporary closure of the so-called border between the region and the rest of the country on June 27. Photo: Erik Hoeg
The de facto Abkhaz leadership announced that the “entry of foreign citizens from the territory of Georgia, as well as the departure of citizens of the Republic of Abkhazia to the territory of Georgia” will be restricted for an undefined period of time amid recent protest rallies in Tbilisi.
Georgian Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili said the Georgian government is taking all measures the so-called border to be reopened as soon as possible.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said the issue will be raised at the next round of the Geneva International Discussions on July 2-3.
Photo: Education Ministry's press office
Up to 41,000 students are registered in the Unified National Examinations, the common national exams for higher education, which is held in eleven towns throughout the country and ends on July 23.
Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze and Education Minister Mikheil Batiashvili wished luck to university entrants on “one of the most important days” in their life.
Only eight per cent of the registered did not come to take exams.
A total of 35 students from eleven different universities of Georgia have addressed the ruling Georgian Dream party Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili to support the establishment of a state advisory council of youth aimed at strengthening communication between the government and youth.
Carl Bildt, who is the co-chair of a pan-European think-tank European Council on Foreign Relations, responded to the Russia’s recent calls for boycotting tourism and trade goods with Georgia, as well as the closing of Enguri Bridge crossing-point connecting the occupied Abkhazia with the rest of the country, amid protest rallies in Tbilisi.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said the issue of closing the occupation line between the Russian occupied region of Abkhazia and the rest of the country will be raised at the next round of the Geneva International Discussions on July 2-3.
The Georgian State Security says that the temporary closure of the so-called border between Georgia and the country’s occupied region of Abkhazia by de facto authorities is an illegal restriction of the right of movement of locals, which isolates them and complicates their livelihoods.
The de facto leadership of Georgia’s Russian occupied region of Abkhazia announced a temporary restriction on crossing the so-called border between the region and the rest of the country amid the recent protest rallies throughout Georgia.
University applicants living in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia will be able to cross over onto Tbilisi-administered territory to sit exams, Georgian Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili says.
A Georgian student has severely cut his hand while trying to cross the occupation line between Georgia and its western occupied Abkhazia region yesterday, as the de facto authorities closed the only checkpoint with the rest of Georgia on June 27.
The Georgian government and the Ministry of Education have made a decision to enroll all the students from Georgia’s western occupied Abkhazia region after they faced serious obstacles to sit university exams in early July due to the closure of the so-called border by occupying forces just prior to the exam season.
The government of Georgia has allocated 4 million GEL (1.4 million USD) to fund higher education for 1,600 Georgian students who live near the occupation lines with Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions, the Ministry of Education of Georgia has reported earlier today.
Students of all grades in Georgia’s Russian-occupied, mostly ethnic-Georgian-inhabited Gali district will have to receive secondary education in Russian, the de facto Abkhaz Education Ministry has decided.