Tbilisi Mayor rejects opposition calls to impose visa requirements for Russian, Belarusian citizens
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said on Wednesday the Georgian Government had no plans to impose visa requirements for Russian and Belarusian citizens on the background of Russia’s war in Ukraine, noting the move would affect domestic tourism. Photo: Tbilisi City Hall press office
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Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze on Wednesday said the recent initiative of the Lelo for Georgia opposition party, which called on the Government to impose visa requirements for Russian and Belarusian citizens to prevent security threats on the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine, would have a negative impact on domestic tourism.
In his remarks, Kaladze rejected the opposition’s warnings that the “uncontrolled influx” of Russian and Belarus citizens could pose “serious threats” to the country and its security amid continuous occupation of Georgian lands by Russia, and suggested that the further development of the tourism sector was of “high importance”.
We welcome the arrival of tourists and will always promote the strengthening of the tourism sector. Of course, it is important that the Georgian economy is growing, and the development of tourism is one of the key components of the economy. Thus, the Georgian government will do its utmost to encourage the tourism sector development, which, in its turn, will create jobs”, Kaladze said.
Russia unilaterally introduced the visa regime with Georgia in December 2000 to “prevent terrorsim threats”, claiming that thousands of refugees and fighters had fled from Chechnya to Georgia’s Pankisi Gorge during the second Chechen war (1999-2000).
Georgia suspended diplomatic relations with Russia following the Russia-Georgia 2008 war and canceled visa-free movement with the neighboring country. However, Tbilisi lifted the restriction starting March 1, 2012, while Georgians still need a visa to visit Russia.
Georgia has expressed its support and assistance to Ukraine on all international platforms, Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, said in an interview released by Imedi TV on Wednesday.
Ukrainian citizens currently in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi will receive services of a select group of sports centres, museum venues, theatre halls, libraries and art schools free of charge, Tbilisi City Hall announced earlier today.
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze on Monday said the Government would not let the country get involved in conflict on the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, in comments on banners that have appeared in metro stations of the capital warning citizens “It is Russia, not the West that wishes a war”.
Georgia has taken “specific steps” to show support for Ukraine, and the country stands with the Ukrainian people in “every possible way”, Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said on Monday.
Calls by the Lelo for Georgia opposition party to impose visa requirements for Russian and Belarusian citizens serve the goal of dragging Georgia into Russia’s war in Ukraine, ruling Georgian Dream party MP Anri Okhanashvili said on Thursday in remarks that also reminded the opposition that the visa requirement with Russia had been lifted by the former President Mikheil Saakashvili while in office.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday rejected the calls of the Lelo for Georgia opposition party for imposing visa requirements for Russian and Belarusian citizens to prevent security threats in Georgia on the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine by calling it a “deliberate, xenophobic campaign that is absolutely disgraceful”.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the country would “not start a war against Russia” and “does not get involved in the Russia-Ukraine war”, stressing the “influx” of visitors to Georgia in the wake of the conflict's outbreak was welcomed.
The time for changing the government with “revolutionary scenarios” is over in Georgia and all those who try to illegally and unconstitutionally “bring disorder” in the country will be punished in compliance with the law, Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party said on Wednesday.
Ruling Georgian Dream party MP Mikheil Sarjveladze said on Tuesday there was “nothing alarming” in the number of Russian businesses registered in Georgia over the past five months, in comments of the latest data of the National Statistics Office that showed 7,459 Russian businesses registered in the country between March 1 and August 1.