PM: “Not a single sanctioned airline, aircraft" will fly in Georgia
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday pledged “not a single" airline or aircraft sanctioned for Russia's invasion of Ukraine would be allowed to operate in Georgia. Photo: PM's press office
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday pledged “not a single" airline or aircraft sanctioned for Russia's invasion of Ukraine would be allowed to operate in Georgia following the resumption of direct flights between the countries this week.
Garibashvili said his Government was aiming to "protect the interests of the population" and added “whoever does not want the country to overcome poverty and unemployment is the enemy of the country”.
I had meetings with our European friends, leaders [during the visit to Iceland], and I explained to them that [restoration of direct flights with Russia] is in our national interest [...] I explained that this is a component of economic and trade relations [...] all these things serve to protect the interests of our country - it makes it easier for our citizens to move [between the countries]”, the PM said.
He also noted Western countries did not change their policy towards Russia in response to its 2008 invasion of Georgia, and stressed "my goal is to protect our country and interests of our people”.
The Government head told state leaders at the event his country" cannot follow" the West's “very strict approach” towards Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
We are neither a member of NATO nor a member of the European Union, we are occupied - 20 percent [of Georgia’s territory] is occupied, the Russian army is stationed on our territory - [and] we have a direct border with Russia and [...] our own challenges. Stop thinking and working for the interests of other countries - they will take care of themselves”, Garibashvili said.
The Prime Minister also said despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and corresponding sanctions imposed on the country, neither the European Union nor the United States had cut off trade with it.
He also noted economic growth of Georgia over the recent years
“Today, unemployment and poverty are at a historic low, and our country's reserves are at a historic high. The country has more than $5 billion in reserves. Wages, pensions, social benefits have increased”, he said crediting his Government's “correct policy” with the outcome.
The Georgian Civil Aviation Agency on Monday issued a permit for the Russian airline Azimuth to operate daily flights between Russia and Georgia starting on Friday, following last week’s controversial lifting of air connections between the countries by the Kremlin.
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.
The Civil Aviation Agency of Georgia on Monday said flights between Georgia and Russia would only be carried out by airlines and aircraft not under the international sanctions placed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, following the Kremlin’s approval of a lifting of a ban on direct air connections with Georgia last week.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday maintained no flights involving aircraft under international sanctions for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would be allowed in Georgia, following the Russian Government’s decision on Wednesday to lift its ban on flights with Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday highlighted the ruling Georgian Dream party’s contribution to the country’s European integration process by claiming “no one has done more in this regard over the last 30 years”.
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.
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.
Irakli Karkashadze, the Director of the United Airports of Georgia, on Saturday said “none of" Russia's airlines or aircraft, sanctioned for its invasion of Ukraine, would be served at Georgian airports after the resumption of direct flights between the countries this week.
Georgian Public Defender Levan Ioseliani on Sunday said the leader of the Droa opposition party, Elene Khoshtaria, who had been detained for administrative offences on Saturday, refused to meet with the representative of the Public Defender’s office.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday told the Qatar Economic Forum his Government imposing sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine would “destroy our economy”.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Thursday said comments by Marina Kaljurand, a member of the European Parliament, who said Georgia “lags behind” Ukraine and Moldova on its European integration path, was “solely her view”, and said the Government had heard “nothing but good [assessments] from our European colleagues” on the matter.
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.
Players and staff of Kazakhstan’s Aktobe football club, scheduled to play Georgia’s Torpedo Kutaisi in the UEFA Europa Conference League later today, arrived in the country early in the morning after a delay following a ban on their original flight with the Russian UVT Aero airline by Georgia’s Civil Aviation Agency due to the international sanctions on it for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Georgian Civil Aviation Agency on Thursday said the media claims alleging that the Russian-based Rossiya Airlines would start operating in Georgia were “unverified” and noted that the airline’s application to operate in the country had been rejected twice by the Agency.