Ruling party head: relations with Russia “do not go beyond” trade, economic ties
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the country’s current ties with Russia did not go beyond trade and economic relations. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
Tweet 
Share
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the country’s current ties with Russia did not go beyond trade and economic relations.
In his remarks over the controversial matter that has seen criticism from domestic opposition and some international partners of Georgia, Kobakhidze said the Prime Minister's Special Representative in Relations with Russia was the “only channel we have for communication” with the country.
We have trade and economic relations, and we do not go beyond this. There are specific communication channels, there is the Special Representative. This is the only channel we have to communicate with Russia. [The relations] concern trade, economic and humanitarian issues. These are the topics that relationships focus on, but not [topics] beyond it”, the official told local media.
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.
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 Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili on Thursday responded to the Russian Government lifting its ban on flights with Georgia and visa requirements for citizens of the country by saying it was a “unilateral decision” by Russia, and pledged continued observance of sanctions placed by the international country on the latter for its invasion of Ukraine.
The Georgian Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze and State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Grigory Karasin met in Prague, Czech Republic yesterday for what is the only format of direct Georgia-Russia dialogue.