Parliament Speaker: Russia lifting flight ban, visa requirements for Georgians - “sole decision” of official Moscow
The Parliament Speaker said the country was also “loyal” to its statements that it would not impose bilateral sanctions on Russia, proceeding from the national interests of our citizens, “not to escalate” relations with the latter, as “Georgia is still under the increased risk of possible military conflict with Russia”. Photo via Parliament of Georgia
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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.
Imposing and removing sanctions [on Georgia] are Russia's matter and we [Georgia] could not have any influence in this regard”, Papuashvili noted, stressing Georgia “has been fulfilling its promise” not to become the territory used by Russia to circumvent international sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine.
The Parliament Speaker said the country was also “loyal” to its statements that it would not impose bilateral sanctions on Russia, proceeding from the national interests of our citizens, “not to escalate” relations with the latter, as “Georgia is still under the increased risk of possible military conflict with Russia”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, earlier today, published decrees introducing 90-day visa-free travel for Georgian citizens starting from May 15 and resuming air travel between the two countries.
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.
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.
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.
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.
TAV Georgia, the company operating Tbilisi International Airport in the capital city, on Thursday said the resignation of its former employee in an apparent protest could not have “any connection” with the Russian Government’s lifting of a ban on flights with Georgia on Wednesday.
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.
The expression “dancing to the Russian tune” has been an insult to a “self-respecting, ancient” Georgian nation, Irakli Garibashvili, the Georgian Prime Minister, said on Thursday in his comments to the media on President Salome Zourabichvili’s statement.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Monday rejected criticism by the domestic opposition and the United States Ambassador on restoration of direct flights between Georgia and Russia as “illogical”.
Georgian Police have arrested six individuals protesting the landing of the first jet of a Russian airline at Tbilisi International Airport on Friday since the Kremlin’s move last week to resume direct flights and lift visa restrictions with Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday said Russia had “unilaterally resumed” direct flights with Georgia in May, and “no formal talks” had been held on the topic with Moscow, in response to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s comments on the topic earlier this week.
Irakli Chikovani, an MP for the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday told the Parliament the country was “eager” to be under the collective security umbrella of NATO, but the Government had to implement its policies amid its absence.
Zurab Abashidze, the Georgian Prime Minister’s Special Representative in Relations with Russia, on Tuesday reacted to an audio recording released on YouTube that allegedly contained his exchange with Grigory Karasin, the Chair of Russia’s Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, in March 2022 over resumption of direct flights between the states by saying there was “nothing scandalous in it”.