Russian state reaction to Tbilisi protests: calls for boycott of tourism, goods
Protesters carry a banner with the face of Russian president Vladimir Putin during demonstrations in Tbilisi on Thursday. Photo: Nino Alavidze/agenda.ge.
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Russian officials on Friday called for boycott of tourism and trade relations with Georgia following what President Putin's administration called a "Russophobic provocation" in Tbilisi clashes the previous day.
The Kremlin released the official reaction of Russian state's Security Council following its meeting chaired by Putin on Friday, denouncing as a "dangerous display" the protests following an appearance of the Russian State Duma MP Sergey Gavrilov at the Georgian parliament on Thirsday.
We consider the Russophobic provocation, provoked by extremist elements towards Russian parliament members, as a very dangerous display."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs [of Russia] has been given the recommendation of issuing a warning to Russian citizens, including tourists, travelling to or residing in Georgia, regarding possible dangers in relation to actions of the extremists," an official release from the administration of the Russian president read.
MPs told reporters what happened in Georgia.
— State Duma (@state_duma) June 21, 2019
Sergei Gavrilov: Georgian radicals tried to hinder the development of relations between #Russia and #Georgiahttps://t.co/sGlVuP4yXm
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also offered his reaction to the events, responding to President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili. The latter had spoken about Russia's occupation of two of Georgian regions - which is not recognised as such by the Russian government - when commenting on Thursday's events in Tbilisi.
Russia's Ria Novosti news agency reported Medvedev as calling Zurabishvili's description "extremely unprofessional" and adding it was "unfortunate to hear such rhetoric" from the Georgian president.
Members of the legislative body of the Russian Federation, the State Duma, were also involved in reactions to the developments in Tbilisi.
Mikhail Degtyarev, Head of the Committee on Physical Culture, Sport, Tourism and Youth Affairs of the lawmaking body, called for a "boycott of all resorts and trade goods of Georgia" after what he called "Russophobic demonstrations" in Georgia in an update to his social media followers.
[The boycott] would be the most correct decision after another wave of Russophobic demonstrations in Tbilisi."
Let [Georgia] expect tourists from the USA and the EU and sell [mineral water] Borjomi to the European market," Degtyarev said in his comments on Telegram social network.
Duma MP Gavrilov, whose taking of the seat of the Georgian Parliament's Speaker on Thursday sparked the protests and subsequent clashes, told reporters in Moscow Russia should take part in Georgian investigations of the incidents in Tbilisi.
????#Opinion by Maria #Zakharova: Yesterday’s violent attacks caused the most damage to #Georgia itself. The radicals showed their level of friendliness and peaceful potential to the Abkhazians and South Ossetians. ????https://t.co/6JH5ecru2J #Russia #Abkhazia #SouthOssetia #Tbilisi pic.twitter.com/7koHPrAvtI
— MFA Russia ???????? (@mfa_russia) June 21, 2019
Gavrilov, who is Head of the Duma Committee on Issues of Public Associations and Religious Organisations, said his country would "not interfere in internal affairs of Georgia and attempts at destabilising the government", but should be part of inquiry into "aggressive and hostile actions towards the [Russian Federation]".
The Duma member also added he thought investigations should not affect an "increase in good neighbourly relations and respect" between the Russian and Georgian nations and their Orthodox churches.
Gavrilov was heading the Russian delegation to an Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy in Tbilisi when he sparked a protest of opposition MPs in the Georgian lawmaking body when he took the seat of the institution's chair to deliver his address.
Opposition MPs in the parliament protested the address based on Gavrilov's alleged participation against Georgia in the 1992-1993 War in Abkhazia and Russian military's ongoing occupation of Georgia's Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions.
This sparked protests by the political figures and citizens outside the parliament building and preceded their recurring physical clashes with police on Rustaveli Avenue throughout the night of June 20-21.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered a ban on flights to Georgia as part of Russian state reaction to protest in Tbilisi following a Duma MP's appearance in the Tbilisi parliament.
Georgia’s ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili responded to the June 20 developments in front of the parliament building in central Tbilisi, saying “the government has made a severe mistake, to which it admitted, but was late with its political response.”
People started gathering on Rustaveli Avenue at 7 p.m. today, after a rally was held and dispersed at the same place in front of the parliament yesterday. Many demonstrators have negatively reacted to the speeches of opposition leaders, stating that they came to protect the state interests and not to stand by any opposition force.
Amnesty International calls for an immediate, thorough and independent investigation into the use of force during June 20 Tbilisi protests. Amnesty International’s Senior Campaigner for South Caucasus Levan Asatiani, who was on the scene in Tbilisi, said that ‘the police fired rubber bullets indiscriminately into the crowd.’
Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that “destructive opposition forces,” which managed to transform the Georgian people’s “fair and sincere protest” into violence, fled the scene when unrest erupted and abandoned demonstrators.
Zakaria Kutsnashvili, the organiser of the 26th Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, which led to large-scale public protests last night has resigned as MP. He has thanked those who voted for him earlier and offered his apologies as well.
The Georgian Patriarchate says the government made a mistake which made people rally in central Tbilisi yesterday and that the opposition has been making ‘incorrect calls’ which gave rise to tensions during the demonstration.
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović has called on "all sides" of the clashes in Tbilisi to "resolve any controversies through peaceful dialogue" after the confrontation left 240 individuals injured on Thursday night.
Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov, whose address in the Georgian parliament sparked demonstrations in Tbilisi yesterday, says that the unrest was beforehand planned “by radical Georgian opposition forces,” who used the presence of Russian MPs in the parliament building as a reason to start anti-government rallies.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze and Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani have held a meeting with foreign ambassadors this evening. The foreign diplomats have urged political parties to rule out violence.
The Government of Georgia will be utmost principled and protect the country’s sovereignty as well as the economic welfare of its citizens, Irakli Chikovani, Strategic Communication Advisor to the Prime Minister stated. Chikovani made the statement on behalf of the government amid the official Russian reaction to developments in Tbilisi to boycott tourism and trade goods with Georgia.
The Georgian Ministry of Health has denied death of one person who got injured on June 20 when Georgian police dispersed protest rally on Rustaveli Ave. Russian media outlets, namely Euronews Russia, Lenta.ru, REN.TV and others have reported that one of the protestors, injured in eye, died in a hospital.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry announced today that the state institutions are fully ensuring public order and safety in the country amid the recent protest rallies in Georgia. It also said, the international community, including the OSCE, has been informed on the steps that the state has taken for ensuring the safety during the protest rallies in front of the parliament of Georgia in Tbilisi and throughout the country.
Russia's Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing has announced a "strengthening of control" over alcoholic drinks imported from Georgia, in a move reminiscent of a 2006 embargo on wine from the country.
Ukraine's former president Petro Poroshenko has urged citizens of his country to travel to Georgian resorts and counter Russia's efforts to "weaken Georgia economically" following president Vladimir Putin's ban on flights to the country.
Flights between Georgia and Russia have been banned starting today following the recent decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The ban on flights was announced after protesters in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi tried to storm the Georgian parliament on June 20 when a Russian MP addressed a forum of politicians at the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy from the speaker’s chair.