“None of” sanctioned aircraft, airlines will be served in Georgian airports - United Airports of Georgia Director

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.

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He explained the companies, authorised with a permit issued by the Civil Aviation Agency, were not on the list of entities sanctioned by the United States or the European Union, stressing “the assumption that a sanctioned plane may fly in [the country] does not mean that the airports will serve them”.

The Civil Aviation Agency is guided by international principles and standards, on the basis of which it issues permits, consequently, if the Agency has granted a permit, I am sure that all existing international standards are met”, Karkashadze emphasised.

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Karkashadze also stressed that “one of the reasons” of not receiving sanctioned aircraft in Georgian airports was security, as an aircraft manufacturing company was not allowed to conduct maintenance services of airplanes due to the sanctions imposed, the Public Broadcaster said.

The Russian Government last week said it was removing the ban it had placed in 2019 on direct flights with Georgia following anti-Kremlin protests in Tbilisi in 2019, on the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing occupation of Georgian territories.