Tibilov Is not Going to Block De-Facto Border during Sochi Olympiad

Mari Otarashvili, Akhalgori

During Sochi Olympiad de-facto border of the South Ossetia towards Akhalgori district will not be blocked that means people will be able to transport without delay. Special session of the de-facto security council of South Ossetia was held in Tskhinvali. Leader of the non-recognized republic Leonid Tibilov chaired the session.

Tibilov underlined that the road will not be blocked, however additional measures will be taken at the “Georgian border” to ensure security during the Olympiad. As for the “additional measures,” he said there will be some restrictions for the people traveling from Akhalgori to Tbilisi for medical treatment. Based on the decision of the Security Council, if patients will need urgent medical assistance, they will be sent to Russia. “People will be allowed to travel to Tbilisi if doctors’ consilium concludes that the patient’s life is in danger and it is impossible to take him to Russia,” Tibilov said.

It is noteworthy that after the government changed in Georgia, number of people traveling to Tbilisi for medical treatment has significantly increased. Several hundreds of people travel to Tbilisi via Larsi Checkpoint.

Patients travel via Akhalgori blockpost too, but there they have to take some procedures: doctor of Akhalgori emergency medical service shall inform commandant deployed in the premises of Russian soldiers about the patient. The commandant shall call the Russian blockpost (de-facto border) and inform officers that the person has serious health problems and must be taken to Tbilisi. Before the doctor from Akhalgori takes permission from the commandant, he has to call the ambulance crew in Tserovani IDP settlement and ask them to meet the patient at the Georgian blockpost. The doctor dials 112 (Georgian emergency number) and their ambulance is waiting for the patient at the Georgian blockpost.

Last autumn, Tskhinvali prohibited aforementioned procedures for the transportation of patients from Akhalgori to Tbilisi. But the prohibition did not last long; as doctors from Akhalgori say, they still send patients to Tbilisi in the old way and have not yet heard about any restrictions during Olympiad.

Red Cross also transports patients from South Ossetia to Tbilisi. In similar occasions, Tskhinvali based Red Cross gets in touch with the Tbilisi office of the Red Cross.