Russia suspends free trade agreement with Georgia
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Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development has developed a draft law to suspend the agreement between Russia and Georgia on free trade, Russian media reports.
The draft bill was uploaded on an official portal where authorities disclosed legal information.
The initial free trade agreement was signed on February 3, 1994.
Russian media stated the suspension of Russia’s free trade agreement with Georgia has been agreed by other agencies within the Russian Federation, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economic Development and Ministry of Justice.
Russia’s move could be related to Georgia’s signing of the Association Agreement (AA) with the European Union (EU), which will bring Georgia closer to the west.
On July 18 Parliament of Georgia ratified the AA, which included the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area agreement (DCFTA), which will come into force on September 1 this year.
Meanwhile Georgia resumed wine exports to Russia in 2013 for the first time since 2006. Exports of Georgian mineral water, fruits and vegetables were approved to be sold on the Russian market and will begin to be exported soon.
Georgian officials have not made any statement responding to Russia’s intentions to suspend its free trade agreement.
Georgian, Moldavian and Ukrainian Embassies across the globe are celebrating the signature of a "watershed” agreement with the European Union.
Today Parliament ratified the AA with 123 votes in favour and 0 against.
Russia’s food safety experts will arrive in Georgia to conduct on-site inspection of Georgian vegetables and fruits that are allowed to be exported to the Russian market.
From May 26, Georgian produced fruit including peaches, apricots, plums, cherries as well as several vegetables, such as fresh potatoes, will be sold throughout Russia, said Georgia’s Agriculture Minister today.
Abashidze believed a draft law issued on Wednesday by Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development that outlined moves to suspend the 20-year-old free trade agreement was "not a surprise” for Georgian officials and "it will not be a tragedy”.
Georgia’s Prime Minister believes Russia’s suspension of its bilateral free trade agreement with Georgia is "not a big tragedy." Irakli Garibashvili commented on this topic from the Vasiani Military Base where he attended military trainings of Georgian soldiers.
Abashidze said the reason for Russia’s decision was because of the Customs Union – a union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia which gathered ex-Soviet states into a free trade zone to rival the European Union (EU).
The Russian government has adopted a Resolution to suspend its agreement with Georgia on the transfer of inmates who have been tried, convicted and were now serving their sentence in the neighbour nation, reports Russian media.