Parliament Speaker says “no fact” of Russia sanctions violation through Georgia in response to media report on cargo shipment
Papuashvili claimed over 1,200 shipments and transactions had been rejected by the country’s authorities due to links with sanctioned freight or companies since the imposition of the international restrictions. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said “no fact, or even a credible rumour” of violations of international sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine had been established on the territory of Georgia, in response to a media report that linked a sea freight shipment between Georgia’s Black Sea city of Batumi and the Russian port of Novorossiysk on Monday.
Papuashvili claimed over 1,200 shipments and transactions had been rejected by the country’s authorities due to links with sanctioned freight or companies since the imposition of the international restrictions.
Senders of these cargo shipments were from the United States [and] European Union member states - it seems EU member or other countries managed to miss these shipments [before they were barred by Georgian authorities]”, he said.
The Parliament official was commenting on a question about a report in the Armenian media on an alleged launch of sea links between Batumi and the Russian harbour last month, but said he had no information on the specific claim.
Georgia has not been “used in any way” to circumvent sanctions imposed by the international community against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said on Saturday while evaluating the 10th package of sanctions against Russia approved by the European Union.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said the country’s Government imposing sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine would lead to “retaliatory measures” that would ultimately “threaten the security” of the country.
Gia Volski, the ruling Georgian Dream party MP and the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said the Government imposing sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine would lead to “counter-sanctions” that would bring “serious consequences” for the country.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday said imposing sanctions on family members of politicians was inconsistent with human rights standards, citing that as a legal state, Georgia could only sanction individuals who had “directly” committed criminal acts.
The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia on Monday responded to a report in the Armenian media on an alleged launch of regular sea freight links between Georgia’s Black Sea city of Batumi and the Russian port of Novorossiysk last month.
Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili on Monday said even though the country had not imposed sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, the country’s authorities were “making sure” its territory would not be used for circumvention of the international sanctions for the war.
The Revenue Service of Georgia on Monday rejected a claim by a member of the United National Movement opposition party who said rail freight from a company sanctioned for Russia's invasion of Ukraine had entered the Georgian territory from Azerbaijan last week.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said it was “important” that “no foreign politician or [international] body was saying the country was violating the Western sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine through the resumption of flights between Georgia and Russia.