Russian Duma committee supports proposal to ban Georgian wine imports, mineral water, freeze remittances
The State Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs has supported the idea of halting the import of wine and mineral waters from Georgia to the Russian Federation. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The State Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs has supported the idea of halting the import of wine and mineral waters from Georgia to the Russian Federation, as well as putting in place a ban on remittances from Russia, reports TASS.
The United Russia party first suggested the State Duma Council terminate the import of wine and waters from Georgia and to ban money transfers to the country.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs supports the proposal, already expressed by the leadership of the United Russia party in the State Duma, to restrict the supply of products, in particular wine, mineral water and other products originating from Georgia, [as well as] to freeze [the flow of ] remittances between our countries”, said the chairman of the committee Leonid Slutsky.
Slutsky said that “this needs to be done because of the obscene statements” of the Georgian TV channel Rustavi 2 to the leadership of Russia “[which are] beyond common sense, beyond good and evil”.
Russia continues to be the largest sender of remittances to Georgia, given the large number of Georgians living in the country.
The latest data on money transfers show that in May 2019 Georgia received $34.80 million in remittances from Russia while in total money transfers from abroad totalled $145.8 million.
Wine Agency on results of quality control of last 6 months
The Georgian National Wine Agency has released the results of a quality control study carried out over the past six months, and findings show that the overwhelming majority of alcohol containing products for export meet acceptable standards.
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.
Georgia received $145.8 million from abroad in May 2019, which is 11.8% more than the amount in May 2018, says the National Bank of Georgia.
TV anchor of Georgian TV channel Rustavi 2, who cursed Russian President Vladimir Putin on his live show yesterday, has been suspended for two months. Rustavi 2 reports that the broadcaster’s regulation body discussed Giorgi Gabunia’s words uttered in the beginning of his TV show ‘P.S.’ and suspended him for two months.
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.
Gov't offers credit benefits to tourism industry
The government of Georgia is seeking to soften the impact of the Russian flight ban that started on July 8 by giving a helping hand to the tourism industry and hospitality sector of the country.
The Russian State Duma adopted a statement at a plenary session today, urging the government of Russia to impose tough economic sanctions on Georgia and halt the import of wine and mineral waters from Georgia to the Russian Federation and put in place a ban on remittances from Russia.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has urged the Russian government not to respond to the provocations ‘staged by radical forces’ in Georgia, and not to ‘encourage their destructive goals to come true.’
‘I wouldn’t do that out of respect for the Georgian people’
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he did not support a parliamentary call to impose tough economic sanctions on Georgia. Earlier today, the Russian parliament unanimously backed a resolution urging the government to draw up sanctions against Georgia, which included halting the import of wine and mineral waters from Georgia to the Russian Federation and putting in place a ban on remittances from Russia.
Acting US Ambassador to Georgia Elizabeth Rood says that Georgia is a safe country and Russia should remove the ban on direct flights to Georgia, which came into force on July 8.
Georgia received $143.6 million from abroad in June 2019, which is 6.3% more than the amount in June 2018, says the National Bank of Georgia.
The Business Ombudsman of Georgia Irakli Lekvinadze says that the main challenge that the Georgian business environment faces today is the expected ramifications of the Russian tourist embargo.
Georgia received $154.5 million from abroad in July 2019, which is 7% more than the amount in July 2018, says the National Bank of Georgia.
The brand names and appellation of origin of Georgian wines, cheese and mineral waters in Switzerland will now be protected by a Georgain-Swiss agreement.