15 Mar 2019 17:40

S. Ossetia reopens checkpoints on border with Georgia closed in Jan - TV channel

TBILISI. March 15 (Interfax) - South Ossetia have on Friday reopened checkpoints on the border with Georgia, which had been closed on January 11 over an outbreak of swine flu (the H1N1 virus, a subtype of the Influenza A virus) in the Georgian territory, Georgia's First Channel said.

According to the media, the checkpoints have resumed their operations as of 6 a.m. Tbilisi time. Representatives of the European Union Monitoring Mission monitor the movement of citizens across the border on the Georgian side.

The Georgian authorities had repeatedly called on South Ossetia to revoke a decision to close the checkpoints. Tbilisi said that the South Ossetian side's explanation that they were closed over the threat of the spread of the H1N1 virus is far-fetched.

In February, the checkpoints on the border between Georgia and Abkhazia were also opened after the latter had closed them for the same reason in January.

Tbilisi does not recognize the borders with Abkhazia and South Ossetia.