Geogian FM: direct flights with Russia should be resumed

Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says that direct flights with Russia, which were banned by the Russian government starting from July 8, should be resumed as the flights are important for people-to-people and humanitarian relations. 

Development of tourism, humanitarian and people-to-people relations are beneficial both for Georgia and Russia and I think that the barrier should be removed,” Zalkaliani said. 

• Russian airlines ask compensation from gov’t due to suspended flights to Georgia

He stated that “none of Russian citizens” have faced any problems in Georgia since June 2019, during or after the protests in Tbilisi which were sparked by the address of Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov from the seat of the Georgian parliamentary speaker on June 20.

Russian officials have made several statements lately regarding the possible resumption of direct flights with Georgia. Photo: Tass. 

In their previous statements Russian top officials said that the flight ban would be removed after the end of “Russophobic hysteria” in Georgia. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the end of September that he would resume direct flights with Georgia, as a majority of Georgians ‘have seen the negative sides’ of the ‘provocation staged’ in the Georgian parliament on June 20. 

He stated that now there are “reasonable politicians,” in the Georgian government and expressed hope for improved relations with the country “for which I have always lobbied.”