State to co-finance flights to bring back Georgian citizens from abroad

In order to help Georgian citizens who are currently abroad and cannot return to their home country due to suspended or cancelled flights, the government of Georgia is offering to co-finance flights that will be carried out by the national flag carrier Georgian Airways. 

We leave Georgian Airways on the market and support the airline company, which will carry out commercial charter flights to certain directions along its regular flights. In order the price of the tickets to be affordable the state will offer the co-financing scheme", said Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava. 

She said that "our concern" is those citizens who remain abroad and have to come back to Georgia, but "our highest priority is to protect the health of those citizens living in Georgia". 

Turnava said that "we have to" create quarantine spaces for Georgian citizens returning to the country from abroad amid the outbreak of the new coronavirus. She added that the Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA) will be responsible on creating quarantine zones for them. 

We will be ready to return Georgian citizens in the country. This process is very organised and will be continued this way", Turnava said. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Georgian Airways will announce about flight details "in the coming days". 

Also, state will support Georgian citizens who are now in the EU Schengen Zone and will have to violate the legal, 90-day-term of stay due to restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with the European Commission and the EU member states to support Georgian citizens who are unable to leave the Schengen Zone, announced the Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani.