132nd Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism meeting takes place in Ergneti

ERGNETI, 14 May 2026 – The 132nd Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meeting took place on 14 May 2026 in Ergneti. The meeting was co-facilitated by Bettina Patricia Boughani, Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), and Christoph Späti, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus.

The EUMM and OSCE co-facilitators welcomed the consistent engagement of all participants in the IPRM format and reiterated the importance of maintaining regular dialogue to address security and humanitarian concerns affecting conflict-affected communities.

The co-facilitators commended the temporary opening of crossing points along the South Ossetian administrative boundary line (ABL) during the Orthodox Easter period in April which took place without any incidents. This enabled local communities to visit relatives, attend religious services and access cemeteries on both sides of the ABL. The co-facilitators also encouraged a similar practice for the upcoming Lomisoba festivities on 3 June. At the same time, the EUMM and OSCE reiterated their calls for the full reopening of crossing points, stressing that regular cross-ABL movement would contribute to improving the daily lives, safety and livelihoods of women, men and children affected by conflict.

With the irrigation season approaching, participants also exchanged views on how to optimize water availability throughout the irrigation season. In this context, the co-facilitators shared their readiness to organise a dedicated technical meeting at any time if the need arises. EUMM further confirmed its commitment to facilitating the exchange of information regarding irrigation through the Hotline and to measuring water levels, recognising the crucial role of timely and accurate information in resolving related issues.

During the meeting, participants discussed recent security developments along the ABL and the challenges faced by conflict-affected populations, including restrictions on freedom of movement and issues affecting everyday life. Participants continued to discuss several individual freedom of movement cases as well as cases of detentions of individuals residing along the ABL. The EUMM and OSCE called on participants to discontinue the practice of detentions and urged a humanitarian approach towards the resolution of all existing detention cases. 

All participants highlighted the importance of the EUMM-managed Hotline as the key mechanism for sharing information, addressing incidents and reducing tensions.

The participants agreed to hold the next regular IPRM meeting on 23 July 2026, followed by another IPRM meeting on 8 September 2026.