Economy Minister: border, customs control in Georgia “at highest level”, allegations on sanctioned product smuggling “baseless”
Davitashvili underlined the Georgian Government was open to “any interested country” to see for themselves “how the system works and be assured that all allegations are unfounded”. Photo: Ministry of Economy
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The border and customs control in Georgia are at the highest level, Levan Davitashvili, the Economy Minister, said on Wednesday in response to allegations of Ukrainian authorities on Russia smuggling sanctioned products using Georgian territory.
Davitashvili underlined the Georgian Government was open to “any interested country” to see for themselves “how the system works and be assured that all allegations are unfounded”.
The Ukrainian authorities say that Georgia should present evidence [of the products being smuggled through the country]. This raises the question that, if one party accuses the other of something, the burden is on the accuser to present evidence. In this case, the [allegation of smuggling] needs to be based on specific facts,” Davitashvili said.
The Georgian official noted allegations like the one presented by Ukrainian authorities were “an insult to the Georgian state and Georgians”, emphasising border and customs control in Georgia were “at the highest level.”
The Georgian Government is open and ready for any interested country to see how our system works, and be assured that all the statements we have heard are baseless, and there is no risk of smuggling,” the Economy Minister concluded.
The Ministry of Finance of Georgia said on Monday the information on Russia creating smuggling channels for sanctioned products using Georgian territory was “a completely baseless and absurd accusation”.
The Ministry was responding to statements by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Irina Vereshchuk, who alleged the Georgian political leadership had agreed to smuggle sanctioned goods to Russia through Georgia.
The State Security Service (SSS) of Georgia on Tuesday urged Ukraine’s military intelligence to provide evidence of claims of secret ties between Georgian and Russian state services for organising smuggling of sanctioned goods through Georgian territory.
The United States Government is in close contact with Georgian counterparts and the latter have stood by the international community over Ukraine, Ned Price, the US State Department Spokesperson, said in response to a question over allegations of Russia smuggling sanctioned products using Georgian territory.
Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, called the statement of the Main Intelligence Division of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine on Russia creating smuggling channels for sanctioned products using Georgian territory a “lie” and “unacceptable”.
The Ministry of Finance of Georgia said on Monday the information on Russia creating smuggling channels for sanctioned products using Georgian territory was “a completely baseless and absurd accusation.”
The Georgian authorities are waiting for evidence from the Ukrainian Government that prove the “dirty lies” on the territory of Georgia being used for smuggling sanctioned products to Russia “as soon as possible”, Thea Tsulukiani, the Vice Prime Minister and Georgian Minister of Culture said on Wednesday.
Attacks by Ukrainian authorities on Georgia have become a “campaign”, Anri Okhanashvili, an MP of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said on Wednesday in response to Ukrainian allegations of Russia smuggling sanctioned products using Georgian territory.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, said on Wednesday a “new wave” of “disinformation and provocation campaign” against Georgia on the backdrop of the war in Ukraine was expected “in the coming days”.
The Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia has “categorically” declared that “any and all cargo”, including the goods in the list of international sanctions against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, is subject to “tight customs control” by the Georgian authorities.
A prospect of sanctioned Russian products entering the European Union through Georgia is “inconceivable,” Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili said on Monday, noting “not only Georgia but also the EU has a lot of control” over preventing the scenario.