Georgia, Tbilisi, 26 November / corr Trend N.Kirtzkhalia / A total of 5,500 Russian citizens voted for Vladimir Putin in the presidential election in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2000, while more than 65,000 Russian citizens participated in the presidential election in 2008, Vano Merabishvili, Georgian interior minister said at a sitting of temporary parliamentary investigation commission.
"Such tragic increase in number of citizens in Abkhazia and South Ossetia is explained not by any migration policy, but quite purposeful activities on annexation of Georgia," Merabishvili said.
"Of course, identity cards were issued to population of Georgian separatist regions before Putin too, but this process became intensive during his ruling," he said.
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