Georgia to Confiscate Ships of Russia, Ukraine
Georgian court ruled to charge fines from the captains of two seine ships of Russia and Ukraine that were seized in the territorial waters of Abkhazia January 10. But in addition to the fines, Georgia probably aims at confiscating the ships.
The Court of Poti port town has tried the case of Grot and Savor-2 seine ships that fished in the territorial waters of Georgia under the flags of Russia and Ukraine, Georgian Border Police announced yesterday. The coastal guards seized the ships on suspected poaching near Abkhazia January 10.
Under the court’s award, the captains of Russia’s and Ukrainian ships, Valery Rybkin and Sergey Myasnikov, will pay around $22,800 each. So both captains on trial, who had been previously condemned to the two-month preliminary detention “for illegal crossing the border, violating the shipping rules and poaching,” are likely to get free again as soon as all charges are settled.
But Georgia that regards the Abkhaz waters closed for all shipping activities except the ones carried out for humanitarian purposes won’t confine to charging the fines. It also intends to confiscate the seized ships.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Jan. 16, 2007
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