Maritime Transport Agency rejects report on regular sea freight links between Batumi, Russian port
The body confirmed a Palau-flagged ship had made two commercial shipments between the two ports in April, but added the owner company was not on the list of entities sanctioned. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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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.
The body said the information had been “interpreted” in the press and did “not correspond to the truth”, after a shipment of cargo between the ports was reported.
Confirming a Palau-flagged ship had made two commercial trips between the two ports in April, the Agency said the freight had been designated for Armenia.
However, it also said the owner company was not on the list of entities sanctioned in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and rejected the claim on launch of regular sea traffic between the harbours.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday also responded to a media question about the report by saying he had no information on the specific claim.
However, he added “no fact, or even a credible rumour” of violations of international sanctions on Russia through the territory of Georgia had been established since the start of hostilities in Ukraine.
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 “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.
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.
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.
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Monday said the restoration of direct flights between Russia and Georgia could “not be viewed in the same context” as situations facing other countries in their considerations with the Kremlin.