Burjanadze for Hastening Chechen Refugees’ Repatriation

(Tbilisi, January 20, Civil Georgia) – “Chechen refugees lining in Pankisi gorge should return to Chechnya as soon as possible,” Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze stated in interview to the independent broadcasting company Rustavi 2 late on January 19.

The Parliamentary Chairperson expressed the hope that Russian authorities will make possible the return of refugees from Georgia to Chechnya.

Representatives of Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations are to visit Georgia in the nearest days [exact date of the visit is unknown], to work over the Chechen refugees’ repatriation issue.

Approximately 7,000 Chechen refugees are in Pankisi gorge, eastern mountainous region of Georgia bordering with Chechnya.

Russia constantly accuses Georgia in harboring Chechen fighters and Arab mercenaries in Pankisi. Georgian government claims that only refugees from Chechnya, most of them women, children and elderly people, are in the gorge.

Georgian law enforcers pass special operations in the criminal-ridden Pankisi gorge to crackdown criminals at the moment.