Tbilisi welcomes easier visa regulations by Russia

Relaxation of Russia’s draconian visa regime for Georgian citizens is a "step in the right direction”, say Tbilisi officials.

Yesterday Russia announced it would relax its visa rules for Georgian citizens and the new rules came into force today, confirmed Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The Georgian Prime Minister’s special representative for relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze believed the news rectified the "imbalance”, as Russians had enjoyed visa-free entry to Georgia since 2011 but Georgians still faced extremely tough visa regulations when entering Russia.

• Last night’s announcement by Putin comes only days after the European Commission released a positive report on Georgia’s visa liberalisation progress, which leads towards visa-free travel to the EU.
• While appearing coincidental, Abashidze said Georgian officials were informed by Russia several months ago that the country intended to relax its visa rules with Georgia. He also believed the easier regulations would solve "serious problems” for many Georgians.

"We should take into account the interest of many of our compatriots who live in Russia and also the interests of Georgian businessmen and ordinary citizens that [are interested in] going to Russia, and this should be possible with minimal difficulties,” Abashidze said.

He also stressed the importance of the European Union’s (EU) recent "historic decision” about visa liberalisation for Georgian citizens, and in this context Abashidze said the Georgian Government was devoted to creating conditions for "maximally free” movement across the globe for its citizens.

"So in this regard our country is meeting the New Year with important successes,” Abashidze said.

"Several months ago our Russian colleagues let us know in Prague that they were preparing such a decision and it would be released by the end of the year. So we, more or less, knew what kind of visa regime they were talking about,” Abashidze said when asked whether Georgia expected this decision from Russia.

Yesterday Russia’s president Vladimir Putin confirmed his country would reverse its tough stance on Georgian tourists by introducing simplified visa procedures. Within 24 hours of his announcement, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement that said from today, December 23, all Georgian citizens can enjoy simplified visa procedures with Russia.

In late 2000 Russia introduced tough visa rules for Georgians. Then after the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, Georgian citizens were only awarded a visa to enter Russia if they had been invited by very close relatives.

Georgia annulled visa requirements for Russian tourists in 2011.

The Russian side stressed it had taken this step because it "strived for positive relations with Georgia”.