Moscow reacts to protest against Russian journalist in Tbilisi: ‘visiting Georgia is dangerous for Russians’
Russian president’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has stated that Russian citizens should refrain from visiting Georgia.
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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.’
The statements came after protests in Tbilisi sparked by the arrival of well-known Russian journalist Vladimir Pozner yesterday who had stated that ‘Abkhazia (Georgia’s Russian-occupied region) will never be Georgia’.
Pozner, who arrived in Tbilisi on March 31 with 40 guests to celebrate his 87th birthday, had to leave the country earlier this morning by charter flight.
The Georgian Interior Ministry reported shortly after that Pozner and 31 of his 40 guests had also been fined for the violation of isolation and quarantine rules.
Pozner stated in Moscow in the afternoon that ‘no one has fined me or my guests in Tbilisi’ and the Georgian Interior Ministry had to release a fine notice.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has released a fine notice against Pozner. Photo: netgazeti.
Volodin has stated that ‘there is a deep crisis in Georgia and radicalism defines the country’s internal policy. Therefore the presence of Russian citizens in the country is dangerous.’
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stated today that the form of protest against Pozner was ‘unacceptable and uncivilised’ and that the ‘radical United National Movement opposition party’ stood behind the process.
The head of the Georgian Dream ruling party Irakli Kobakhidze stated that ‘individuals who are linked to Russia and are likely to be Russian spies were detected at the demonstration.’
“We saw today’s statement by the Georgian PM who also condemned these actions [of protestors] & we welcome this statement,” #DimitryPeskov said
— Formula NEWS | English (@FormulaGe) April 1, 2021
He also claimed the protests proved visiting #Georgia is unsafe for #Russia|n citizens pic.twitter.com/FzYvVmse0m
He said that the individuals are engaged in sparking destabilisation in the country per the demands of Moscow.
Kobakhidze and Garibashvili also said that Pozner holds both US and Russian citizenship and has visited Georgia many times with his US passport.
They also said that Pozner has never violated the Georgian law on the occupied territories and there are no legal reasons to ban him from visiting the country.
Demonstrators initially gathered at Vinotel hotel late yesterday which hosted Pozner and his guests in Tbilisi.
Pozner and his guests later moved to Rooms Hotel Tbilisi where demonstrators threw eggs at the building, saying that ‘Pozner, who is a Russian propagandist and supports the occupation of Georgian and Ukrainian territories, should not have been allowed to enter the country.’
The demonstrators also protested the violation of curfew by Pozner and his guests.