Residents of Akhalgori district have to receive the so-called Ossetian passports in order to get pensions, reports the Democracy Research Institute (DRI) NGO. 

Several pensioners have already been granted Ossetian citizenship under a simplified procedure in Akhalgori district.

“Georgian citizens living in Russian-occupied territories have been faced with a difficult choice. They have to give up Georgian citizenship in order to have elementary conditions for living. Their choice of getting Ossetian passports was preceded by a less effective policy of the Georgian government, which failed to provide assistance to one of the most vulnerable groups – retirees living in the occupied territories”, - reads the statement of DRI.

The organization calls upon the Government of Georgia to develop a new state programme of different financial assistance for each pensioner living in the occupied territories.