Georgia remains committed to its policy on intl sanctions, continues “close cooperation” with partners - FM on Russia lifting flight ban, visa requirements
Responding to the question of whether the Russian Government’s decision would affect the European Union’s decision on granting Georgia the membership candidate status, the FM noted it was “incorrect to attribute all issues” to the country’s European integration. Photo via Foreign Ministry
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Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili, on Wednesday, said Georgia remained committed to its policy regarding international sanctions against Russia, imposed on the country for its invasion of Ukraine and would continue “close cooperation” with its partners after the Russian Government lifted its ban on flights with Georgia and visa requirements for citizens of the country.
Georgia “has been closely cooperating” with its international partners to prevent circumvention of “any sanctions”, Darchiashvili noted, adding the country was carrying out all trade operations “transparently and openly”, the Foreign Ministry said.
Responding to the question of whether the Russian Government’s decision would affect the European Union’s decision on granting Georgia the membership candidate status, the FM noted it was “incorrect to attribute all issues” to the country’s European integration.
We must clearly point out why Georgia always becomes the object of such incomprehensible assessments, while [in such case] there are not any questions to Moldova - our friend and partner, already having the EU membership candidate status”, Darchiashvili emphasised, stressing Georgia “has been consistently taking steps” to fulfil the EU conditions and would continue doing so, as “European integration has been one of the main foreign policy priorities”.
The Minister noted Russian Government had “independently” made today’s decision to introduce 90-day visa-free travel for Georgian citizens starting from May 15 and resume air travel between the two countries, and reminded the public that during former President Mikheil Saakashvili’s ruling, his Government had unilaterally revoked visa regime with Russia, which was a “sensitive” decision, as it came “shortly after” the Russia-Georgia war.
More than a million” of Georgian citizens live in Russia, who have “very close ties” with their families and relatives in Georgia, he said and emphasised that “from a humanitarian standpoint” any “responsible” Government would welcome the Russian Government’s decision, as it would make living conditions easier for Georgian citizens.
Flights between Russia and Georgia had been suspended by the former in response to rallies in the Georgian capital in 2019, sparked by the incident in which a Russian MP took the seat of the Georgian Parliament Speaker in the lawmaking body during an international religious conference, amid the ongoing occupation of Georgian territories by Russia.
The previous Georgian Government introduced a visa regime with Russia following the latter’s invasion of Georgia in 2008, before former President Mikheil Saakashvili revoked it unilaterally in 2012.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday responded to the Russian Government lifting its ban on flights with Georgia and visa requirements for citizens of the country by saying the moves were designed to “create obstacles” for Georgia’s European integration.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that if Tbilisi ‘stops using Russia as a card to maintain western support’ Moscow is ready to restore ties with Georgia which were suspended after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
Flights between Georgia and Russia have been banned starting today following the recent decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The ban on flights was announced after protesters in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi tried to storm the Georgian parliament on June 20 when a Russian MP addressed a forum of politicians at the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy from the speaker’s chair.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, on Wednesday, responded to the Russian Government lifting its ban on flights with Georgia and visa requirements for citizens of the country by saying it was a “sole decision” of official Moscow and the Georgian side “could not have any influence” on it.
Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday, said the delay in granting Georgia the European Union membership candidate status, which the country deserved to obtain last year, led to Russia’s “activation” and its decision to lift a ban on flights with Georgia and revoke visa requirements for citizens of the country.
Georgian Deputy Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili, on Wednesday, responded to the Russian Government’s decision to lift its ban on flights with Georgia and visa requirements for citizens of the country by saying that sanctioned airlines and ships would not be able to operate in Georgia, while unsanctioned ones would have an opportunity to perform direct flights.
Cooperation between Georgia and Germany and the country’s European integration process were discussed in a meeting between the Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and Tobias Lindner, the Minister of State at the German Foreign Office.
Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili on Thursday responded to the Russian Government lifting its ban on flights with Georgia and visa requirements for citizens of the country by saying it was a “unilateral decision” by Russia, and pledged continued observance of sanctions placed by the international country on the latter for its invasion of Ukraine.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Wednesday called on the Georgian Government to convene a Security Council meeting and discuss imposing a visa requirement for Russian citizens, after the Russian President on Wednesday announced his Government was revoking visas for Georgian nationals.
Tbilisi City Hall has started the procedure of terminating the contract with Metrowagonmash, the Russian engineering company, sanctioned by the international community following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, the City Hall announced on Friday.