Revenue Service rejects misinformation on Russian citizens bypassing sanctions through Georgia

The Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia on Sunday rejected claims by the domestic Formula TV channel that Russian citizens were bypassing sanctions through Georgia, calling it “an absolute lie”.

The channel claimed yesterday that they had “reliable proof” of how Russian citizens “easily solved the issue of exporting vehicles to their country by bypassing the Georgian law”, due to the recent prohibition of exporting and re-exporting imported vehicles from the US and the EU member countries to Russia and Belarus, as part of the international sanctions imposed against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

• Export, re-export of EU-imported vehicles to Russia, Belarus prohibited from Georgia

The body called the media report “another misinformation and false propaganda”, “misleading” the public, and stressed that Formula TV in their story gave “incomplete” information provided by the Revenue Service call centre.

We declare with full responsibility that Georgia fully and resolutely adheres to the procedures for enforcing international sanctions, and there is no contrary evidence of the fact (circumvention of international sanctions)”, the Service noted.

The state body called on the media to refrain from spreading false information and discrediting the Service, as well as the country.