Ruling party official pledges no sanctioned airlines will be allowed to operate at Georgian airports
The official also stressed the occupation of Georgia’s two regions by Russia was the “biggest challenge”, and the country's Government would “spare no effort” to achieve de-occupation of the territories “in a peaceful way”. Photo: Tbilisi City Hall
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Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the Georgian authorities would ensure airlines sanctioned for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would not be allowed to operate at Georgian airports, following the Kremlin’s lifting last week of its ban on flights with Georgia.
The lifting of the ban - imposed in 2019 following protests in Tbilisi against the Russian Government - has been followed by at least one Russian airline receiving the permit to carry passengers to Georgia starting on Friday, with a part of the domestic opposition and the United States Ambassador in Georgia questioning the restoration of direct air connections.
“We declare with full responsibility that no sanctioned company will be able to carry out flights. Relevant agencies are studying this issue”, Kaladze said.
[B]oth flights and visa-free travel had been sanctioned unilaterally [by Russia], which was very bad. The decision regarding the resumption of flights and visa-free travel was announced a few days ago. Direct flights will start tomorrow, which will give citizens the opportunity to travel directly to different cities of Russia, instead of going through another country”, he added.
The official also stressed the occupation of Georgia’s two regions by Russia was the “biggest challenge”, and the country's Government would “spare no effort” to achieve de-occupation of the territories “in a peaceful way”.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday responded to criticism by domestic opposition and the United States Embassy over the restoration of direct flights between Georgia and Russia by pointing to the adoption of visa-free travel for Russian citizens by the former Government of Georgia following the 2008 war between the countries.
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 Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Monday said the country’s authorities were following the “strictest” examples of countries operating flights with Russia while observing international sanctions placed on the Kremlin for its invasion of Ukraine.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Human Rights Committee from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Saturday said Georgia “has no intention” of cooperating with Russian airline companies sanctioned by the international community for its invasion of Ukraine.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the Government’s “pragmatic” policy with Russia was aimed at avoiding harm to Georgia and its citizens.
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Monday said the decision of the Ukrainian Government to put the flagship Georgian Airways carrier on its list of sanctioned companies was an “entirely political decision”.
Oleksandr Shulha, the Ukrainian Charge D'affaires in Georgia, was summoned to the Georgian Foreign Ministry on Monday after the decision of Ukraine's Government to put the flagship Georgian Airways carrier on its list of sanctioned companies, the local media said.