The Georgian Foreign Ministry has responded to the claims of Russian-occupied Abkhazia region that two Turkish banks, Isbank and Ziraat Bank, have started servicing their Apra cards.
The de facto National Bank of Abkhazia stated that Apra cards are currently valid in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Armenia and Turkey.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry said earlier today that they are aware of the issue and are taking ‘all necessary steps.’
In reality these are Russian Mir cards and this is Russia’s attempt to popularise Apra cards which are made by them and expose Georgia’s occupied regions as independent states,” the ministry said.
The ministry stated that Russian Mir cards were just renamed Apra cards in the occupied Abkhazia and that the de facto Abkhaz authorities are trying to expose them as Abkhaz bank cards.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry stated that they have already contacted Turkish colleagues regarding the issue. Photo: Foreign Ministry press office.
The ministry said that ‘technically it is very complicated to identify where the cards were produced.’
Our Turkish colleagues have also stated this. We have already contacted them,” said the ministry.
Russia recognised the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent states after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
Since then only Venezuela, Nikaragua, Nauru and Syria have recognised the regions as independent states, while the rest of the international community is unanimous that the regions are occupied by Russia.
More than 10 individuals have died due to a poor medical aid in the Tskhinvali region since early 2020 as they were prevented from entering Tbilisi-controlled territory.