Georgian authorities view Russia’s decision to abolish visas for Georgian citizens and restore air traffic suspended by Moscow in 2019 through a ‘humanitarian prism’, said the head of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Foreign Affairs, Ilya Darchiashvili, commenting on the relevant decrees of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Darchiashvili stressed that more than one million Georgian citizens live in Russia, who will now be able to visit their relatives without unnecessary obstacles, respectively, according to him, the Georgian leadership, “like any responsible government”, welcomes this step of Moscow.
“It is seen in this context and from this perspective… Regarding the flights, Georgia remains committed to the policy associated with international sanctions and the approaches of the international community on these issues,” Darchiashvili said.
The ruling Georgian Dream party explains that only Russian companies that have not been subject to international sanctions will be able to visit Georgia. Georgian Dream President Irakli Kobakhidze cited Israel as an example, noting that Israeli authorities only allow planes from sanctioned Russian companies into their airports.
Meanwhile, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili called Moscow’s move “another Russian provocation”, stressing that it is “completely unacceptable, inappropriate and untimely”. Zurabishvili demanded an urgent meeting of the Security Council in this regard and the introduction of visas of at least three months for Russians entering Georgia.
“We don’t need such a gift from Russia… In the current situation, we are on the same side as all our European friends. It is to protect the honor of Georgia that we must not start new relations with Russia… This will complicate everything for us, ”said the president during an emergency briefing.
Opposition reaction
The Georgian opposition sees Vladimir Putin’s decision to resume direct communication with Georgia as a kind of “reward” given to the ruling party for its “loyalty”, i.e. moving away from Western values ​​and “planting” Kremlin propaganda in Georgia.
“The occupying state no longer regards Georgia as a hostile state, because it is clear to everyone that today a pro-Russian force is in power in Georgia, and this is confirmed by many different facts – the current policy of the authorities towards Ukraine, Russia, messages and daily anti-Western actions. So, in fact, there is nothing surprising in the abolition of visas and the cancellation of the ban on flights”, ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement party said of Putin’s decrees regarding Georgia.
Recall that since Russia banned direct flights to Georgia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov periodically recalled the need to restore air traffic, but warned that “the main thing is not to inflate the campaign Russophobe in Tbilisi”. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the ban would be in effect until the attitude towards Russia changes.
Russia introduced a visa regime with Georgia in 2000. At the same time, by decision of Mikheil Saakashvili, then President of Georgia, Tbilisi unilaterally canceled the visa regime for citizens of the Russian Federation in 2012. At the same time, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year and the subsequent massive resettlement of Russians in Georgia, according to polls, the majority of the Georgian public is in favor of entry rules stricter for Russian citizens.
United States Department of State Commentary
Following news of Moscow’s decision to waive visas for Georgians and restore air travel, the State Department said in a May 10 comment to the Georgian American media service that it was ” no time to get closer to Russia”.
“Instead of restoring direct flights or changing the visa regime, the Georgian people would probably prefer that Putin withdraw the Russian military from 20% of Russian-occupied territory in Georgia,” the US State Department said in a statement. a written comment.
At the same time, the representative of the US State Department noted that the United States is concerned that if direct flights between Russia and Georgia resume, it is possible that planes of Russian airlines under sanctions will end up in the Georgian airports.
“Many Western countries, including the United States, are banning Russian planes from entering their airspace… All of Western society has distanced itself from this brutal regime – now is not the time to escalate engagement with Russia,” the State Department said in a statement. .
A similar statement was made on May 11 by US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan, noting that if Vladimir Putin had acted for the benefit of the Georgian people, he would first of all withdraw Russian occupying forces from Abkhazia and of the Tskhinvali region. .
Degnan also pointed to the timing of Putin’s decision to abolish visas and the ban on air travel – that is, the period during which Tbilisi awaits the EU’s decision to grant Georgia the status of a candidate country to the European Union.
Degnan recalled that Russia is a country that invaded Georgia in 2008, occupied part of its territory and also tried to ban the Georgian language in the 1970s. According to the ambassador, “it is very strange to welcome such gestures” on the part of a State which has shown great cruelty towards Georgia and the Georgians, and which is waging a merciless war in Ukraine.
The American ambassador also noted that in a number of cases, Russia uses its citizens to interfere in the internal affairs of a particular country. At the same time, Degnan recalled that many in Georgia are concerned about the massive relocation of Russians to the country, the number of which, after the restoration of air traffic, is expected to increase further.
Recall that according to official data of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, published in October last year, 112,733 citizens of the Russian Federation settled in Georgia from January 1 to September 30, 2022, which was about 3 % of total population. from Georgia.
EU statement
European Commission representative Peter Stano called on Georgia to join the European Union’s air sanctions against Russia.
“The European Union calls on Georgia, which aspires to become an EU candidate country, to join in the air sanctions of the EU and other countries against Russia and to be vigilant against any possible attempt to circumvent the sanctions,” Stano said on May 11.
Recall that, unlike Ukraine and Moldova, Georgia was denied candidate status for EU membership in June 2022. As the country makes progress in reforming areas designated by the EU, the EU is expected to take a decision on Georgia’s status by the end of the year.
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