The President addressed the de-facto leaders of the occupied territories from the Parliament of Georgia. Giorgi Margvelashvili offered Abkhazians and Ossetians to get direct benefits from Georgia’s European course, reports InterpressNews.

"The non-recognition course does not mean isolationism. We should give opportunity to our compatriots living in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, to get direct benefit from the European course. In parallel with restoration of relations, we should engage the local population of the occupied territories in the EU economic, trade, educational and humanitarian projects that are defined by the national strategy ‘Engagement through Cooperation’. I want to address Abkhaz and Ossetian compatriots with the same words that I used in my pre-election program: We offer a European country; we offer you to live in a free, prosperous, democratic and peaceful state, which will be a guarantee for the welfare and political rights of all citizens. I want to address the de-facto heads of the occupied territories – don’t go against vital interests of your people, do not try to create new barriers between the nations, which have long been connected to each other in a unified state. Our unity was broken by tough mistakes and interference from external forces that the claimed lives of our people," said Margvelashvili.

He said the Abkhazians and Ossetians’ identity are under a risk today and the strongest guarantee for its protection is the unity of our country.

"Therefore, if the future of Abkhazians, Ossetians and other inhabitants of these territories are precious to you, do not put them in isolation," said Margvelashvili.