The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia condemns the so-called presidential elections held in the occupied Tskhinvali region on 18 September 2026.

“The holding of these so-called elections is contrary to the fundamental norms and principles of international law.

It cannot confer legitimacy on the occupation regime and does not alter the international legal status of the Tskhinvali region as an integral part of Georgia.

The conduct of any so-called elections in the occupied territories of Georgia amid the Russian Federation’s military occupation and effective control, in circumstances where internally displaced persons and refugees are denied the opportunity to return safely and with dignity to their homes, is illegal and cannot produce any legal effect under international law.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia also strongly condemns the decision of the Russian Federation to hold elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation in the occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions from 18 to 20 September 2026.

The opening and operation of polling stations of the Russian Federation on the sovereign territory of Georgia without the consent of the Government of Georgia constitute yet another gross violation of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and a further clear manifestation of the Russian Federation’s policy directed towards the de facto annexation of Georgian regions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia calls upon the international community to duly assess and unequivocally condemn the aforementioned unlawful actions of the Russian Federation and to ensure an appropriate international legal and political response. Georgia continues to call on the international community to firmly uphold Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and to support the peaceful resolution of the conflict”, - reads the statement of the agency.