Georgian president, interior minister discuss border security challenges
Zourabichvili stressed it was “important” for the public to have “comprehensive information” about related issues concerning them. Photo: Presidential Administration
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Issues related to the challenges of increased border crossings into Georgia were discussed on Tuesday in a meeting between Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili and interior minister Vakhtang Gomelauri.
Zourabichvili welcomed the ministry’s release of statistics on border crossings to Georgia made by Russian citizens over the last 10 days, in response to recent claims by the domestic opposition on a “mass influx” of Russian nationals following the announcement of partial military mobilisation in the country last week for Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
Zourabichvili stressed it was “important” for the public to have “comprehensive information” about related issues concerning them, the presidential administration said.
However, it is also important for the government to use all mechanisms, including the format of the national security council, so that there are no more questions on the issue in the public”, the Georgian president said.
The Georgian interior ministry on Tuesday released statistics on border crossings to Georgia made by Russian citizens over the last 10 days and detailed rules for entering the country and grounds for refusal, in response to recent claims by the domestic opposition on a “mass influx” of Russian nationals following the announcement of partial military mobilisation in the country last week for Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili on Tuesday condemned the “referenda” organised by de facto authorities in the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine on the areas joining Russia.
Georgia-NATO relations and the importance of institutional and democratic reforms in the country were discussed on Tuesday in a meeting between the Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili and Javier Colomina, the NATO secretary general’s special representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Georgian interior minister Vakhtang Gomelauri on Tuesday rejected the local media claim that said 250,000 individuals from Russia had entered the Georgian territory over the last five days since the announcement of the partial military mobilisation in Russia as a “lie”.
Givi Mikanadze, an MP for the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said there was “no need at this stage” to convene a meeting of the national security council, in response to president Salome Zourabichvili who on Tuesday said the government could use the format amid a “mass influx” of Russian nationals following the announcement of partial military mobilisation in the country last week.
Georgian deputy minister of internal affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze on Wednesday said planned opposition rallies at the Georgian-Russian border “at such a time” would be an “additional challenge” for the police.
US ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan on Friday said the task for the country’s authorities to address security concerns was “first and foremost”, while they should also support Russian nationals “fleeing repression and war” by crossing the state borders into neighbouring countries.
Andrew Weber, the former United States assistant secretary of defence, on Thursday welcomed the Georgian government’s move to “open the doors” to Russian nationals leaving the country to avoid having to participate in the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.