Giorgi Gakharia, leader of the opposition party "For Georgia," supported the European Union's intention to press the new Syrian authorities to revoke their recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He stated that Brussels' position on the self-proclaimed republics is particularly important given the "treacherous silence of the Georgian government regarding the ongoing de facto annexation of the Tskhinvali region."

In his post, Gakharia welcomed "the European Union's proactive steps in relations with Syria, aimed at reversing Russia's illegal recognition of the occupied Georgian regions."

He believed that "a consistent EU policy of non-recognition of the occupied territories is critically important for protecting Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

"Occupation and annexation cannot be normalized. Georgia's territorial integrity is not negotiable," Gakharia wrote.

According to him, the significance of the EU initiative is confirmed by the reaction of the authorities in self-proclaimed South Ossetia.

"We thank our partners for their firm support and protection of Georgia's vital interests, especially given the collaborationist policy of the Georgian Dream government toward the occupying state," the opposition leader emphasized.

This week, the EU effectively called on the new Syrian authorities to reverse the Bashar al-Assad-era decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The reason for this was the EU Council's statement on its readiness to cooperate with the new Syrian parliament. Following this, the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified the EU's position, stating that the EU and its member states are ready to work with Syria to reverse decisions made during the Assad era that recognized the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and Ukraine. This means, in particular, withdrawing recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Syria recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2018, under President Bashar al-Assad. In response, Georgia severed diplomatic relations with Damascus, and the EU declared this decision a violation of international law and the principle of territorial integrity.

In May, Russia and the South Ossetian authorities signed the "Treaty on Deepening Allied Cooperation," which was critically received by the Georgian opposition, official Tbilisi, and the international community. Nikoloz Samkharadze, head of the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee and member of the Georgian Dream party, stated at the 33rd annual session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Political Affairs and Security Committee that the new agreement strengthens the occupation regime and brings closer the de facto annexation of South Ossetia.