Opposition MP: imposing visa regime and closing border with Russia “won’t protect us from Russian saboteurs”

Imposing a visa regime and closing the border with Russia would not serve Georgia’s security in being protected from “Russian saboteurs”, Vakhtang Megrelishvili, one of the leaders of the opposition Girchi party, said on Thursday in comments about the security situation of the country on the backdrop of the armed conflict in Ukraine. 

Megrelishvili noted the decision to allow the individuals entering Georgia from Russia to complete border crossings must be made according to other criteria - namely the “principles of humanity”. 

Naturally, we should do all our best to uncover saboteurs who come here, but imposing a visa regime and closing the border will not really protect us from Russian saboteurs,” Megrelishvili told the Georgian Public Broadcaster.

The MP also claimed imposing a visa regime with Russia would create problems for the citizens of Georgia with dual citizenship who “live in Russia, but have a family in Georgia”. 

On Thursday, Vakhtang Gomelauri, the Minister of Internal Affairs, told the Parliament of Georgia the Ministry was doing “its best to ensure law and order” in Georgia and taking “all possible preventive measures” to protect its borders.

The Interior Minister also responded to a recent speculation about the allegedly increased rate of citizens of the Russian Federation entering Georgia as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, pointing out the rate was 50 percent slower compared to the same period of 2019.