Russian deputy FM: we were ready to abolish visa requirements for Georgia, but now postponed
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister says that the negative mood against Russia amongst the younger generation in the Tbilisi rallies is the result of the influence of destructive forces. Photo: euractiv.com.
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Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gregory Karasin says that the Russian government was ready to abolish visa requirements for Georgia.
However, the protests in Tbilisi, which were sparked by the presence of Russian MPs in the Georgian parliament, postponed the possibility, he said.
Indeed, we were discussing the issue and we were ready for this,” Karasin told Kommersant.
A journalist said that the reason for the negative attitude of the Georgian youth against Russia could also be the visa regime, “which prevents them from visiting the country [Russia].”
However, Karasin responded that Russia has significantly simplified the visa regime with Georgia and the reason for the negative mood against Russia amongst the demonstrators “was because of the influence of destructive forces.”
Karasin explained why the Georgian youth has a negative mood to Russia. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The youth were influenced by such forces. However, now I believe that Tbilisi understood everything and the [negative] emotions are gradually diminishing,” Karasin says.
Karasin says that Russia's ban on direct flights to Georgia in response to forcing our Russian MPs of Georgia was a right step.
Protests in Tbilisi were triggered after Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov took the seat of the Georgian parliamentary speaker on June 20, during the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, an international forum being held in Tbilisi.
Gavrilov is the president of the assembly.
Currently Russian citizens do not need to have a visa to come to Georgia, while Georgians need to obtain a visa to cross the Russian border.
Georgia unilaterally abolished visa requirements for Russian citizens in 2011, which was followed by Russia simplifying its visa requirements for Georgia in 2013.
The police Special Forces are trying to prevent the protesters from entering the building of the Georgian parliament in central Tbilisi. The Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia who went to the parliament said this is an attempt "to storm the state institutions" and called on the demonstrators to obey the police.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze says that it was very difficult for him to see a Russian MP speak from the seat of the Georgian parliamentary chair. He says that the fact “affects national interests and the Georgian parliament.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin says the return of the visa-free regime with Russia for Georgian citizens is possible.
Today Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement that said from tomorrow, December 23, all Georgian citizens can enjoy simplified visa procedures with Russia.
Russian rugby club Slava has suspended contracts with two Georgian rugby players Rezi Brodzeli and Saba Iluridze after the two celebrated a try in a match in Russia with one of their eyes covered, expressing solidarity with the Tbilisi rallies.
Elizabeth Rood, the United States Charge d’Affairs to Georgia said the measures that the Russian Federation has imposed against Georgia in recent days, such as banning flights or discouraging Russian tourists from visiting the country, are “unwarranted, unnecessary and disproportional”.
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.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that if Tbilisi ‘stops using Russia as a card to maintain western support’ Moscow is ready to restore ties with Georgia which were suspended after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday responded to the Russian Government lifting its ban on flights with Georgia and visa requirements for citizens of the country by saying the moves were designed to “create obstacles” for Georgia’s European integration.