Russian MP whose presence in Georgian parliament sparked June protests, says ‘Georgia seems ready to restore ties’
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Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov, whose taking the seat of the Georgian parliamentary speaker in June 2019 sparked large protests in the Georgian capital, has called Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili’s recent statement ‘a serious signal’ for improvements in Russia-Georgia relations.
Gavrilov says that Zurabishvili’s words at PACE, that Georgia, as the CoE chair country, may make an exception to the law on the occupied territories and allow a Russian delegation into the country to attend the CoE ministerial is a positive signal.
As it appears Tbilisi is ready to take active steps for the restoration of peaceful relations with Russia in all directions, including the restoration of diplomatic relations [which has been suspended since the Russia-Georgia 2008 war],” the Russian parliamentary magazine has cited Gavrilov as saying.
He says that “Orthodox MPs from Russia” are ready to arrive in Tbilisi during the CoE ministerial if “Zurabishvili keeps the promise.”
Zurabaishvili said at PACE earlier this week that Georgia is likely to meet its international obligation and host the Russian delegation with the delegations of other CoE member states, during the CoE ministerial in Tbilisi in May 2020.
Rallies sparked on June 20 continued for several months in Tbilisi. The opposition says that the visit of the Russian delegation this year 'will renew the rallies.' Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
The Russian delegation is likely to be headed by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who has violated the Georgian Law on the Occupied territories several times through visiting the Georgian breakaway regions, ignoring official Tbilisi.
Georgian Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani has stated earlier today that the conduction of the ministerial in Tbilisi has not been decided so far. However, she said that if the ministerial takes place in Tbilisi and Georgia refuses to allow any CoE member state into the country, 'Georgia will receive international sanctions and the Georgian opposition will be happy with it."
Georgia took over the CoE chairmanship for the first time back in November 2019 with a six-month term.
Georgia restored only economic ties with Russia back in 2013.
Diplomatic relations are still frozen as Russia continues to occupy 20 per cent of Georgian territories and the creeping occupation.
Russia ‘temporarily suspended’ direct flights with Georgia following the June 19 incident, when people took to the streets protesting the presence and action of MPs from the occupant country in the Georgian parliamentary during the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy.
Several Georgian NGOs and the parliamentary opposition have criticised Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili for her statement made at PACE yesterday, where she said that Georgia is likely to allow a Russian delegation, including Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, into Georgia during the CoE ministerial in Tbilisi in May 2020.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that the June 2019 ‘provocations’ [referring to protests in Tbilisi] have negatively influenced the process of normalising relations between the two countries which was launched in 2012 under the Georgian Dream leadership.
Starting today until May 15, 2020 Georgia will chair the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE), a decision making body composed of the ministers of foreign affairs of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe or their permanent representatives in Strasbourg.Georgia has taken over the chairmanship from France.
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 Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova says that the visits of foreign officials must not be a problem for any sovereign state, responding to the recent turmoil over the CoE ministerial scheduled in Tbilisi for May.
Russian FM Sergey Lavrov says that the Russian government is ready to discuss the opening of a trade representation in Georgia if Tbilisi makes such an offer.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said that in order for relations between Georgia and Russia to be normalised Russia must lift restrictions on flights to Georgia.
The head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergey Naryshkin says that the US is undermining the Georgian Dream leadership ‘for its disobedience’ and is backing the country’s opposition.
Georgian civil activists are holding a demonstration close to Vinotel Boutique Hotel where Russian journalist Vladimir Pozner and his friends have gathered on the eve of his birthday.
Well-known Russian Journalist Vladimir Pozner, who had stated that Abkhazia (Georgia’s Russian-occupied region) will never be Georgia’, has left Tbilisi with his guests earlier today due to protests. Pozner, who arrived in Tbilisi late yesterday with 40 other individuals to celebrate his 87th birthday, was also fined for violation of isolation and quarantine rules. 31 of 40 of his guests also faced the same fine.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that the form of protest against a well-known Russian journalist Vladimir Pozner, who arrived in Tbilisi yesterday, was ‘unacceptable and uncivilised’ and that the ‘radical United National Movement opposition party’ stood behind the process.
Russian president’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and Speaker of the Russian state legislature Viacheslav Volodin have stated that ‘visiting Georgia is dangerous for Russian citizens.’
Twenty individuals have been detained at the central office of the ruling Georgian Dream party earlier today in Tbilisi where civic activists were protesting the arrival of Russian journalist Vladimir Pozner on March 31.
Georgian opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi reported last week that Leshchenko, ‘who sang the independence of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region and violated the Georgian law on the occupied territories,’ was vacationing in Georgia.