Putin has canceled the ban on flights with Georgia and canceled visas for Georgians
The President of Georgia called such actions a provocation against the backdrop of the Russian war in Ukraine.
Russia is abolishing visa requirements for Georgian citizens starting May 15, with the exception of those traveling to work. The decree was signed by President Vladimir Putin. In another decree, he lifted the ban on flights to Georgia, the BBC reports.
The Georgian president called Putin's decision a provocation and the abolition of the visa regime unacceptable in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine, but Salome Zurabishvili does not influence the position of the pro-Russian government of Georgia.
The visa regime between Georgia and Russia was introduced in 2000 by the decision of the Russian government, and Georgia also introduced a visa regime for Russian citizens. After the 2008 war, Georgia announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Russia.
In Georgia, many people support Ukraine, and some go to fight for it. But the pro-Russian Georgian government's relations with Kyiv are deteriorating.
Georgia has not joined the sanctions against Moscow, claiming that it is dangerous to open a second front. Many Russian citizens fleeing mobilization were denied entry by Georgian border guards.
In addition, Russia decided to resume direct flights with Georgia.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs canceled the recommendation to refrain from traveling to Georgia. And the Russian Ministry of Transport said that Russian airlines "will operate seven direct flights from Moscow to Tbilisi and back every week" on Russian-made aircraft, and "carriers are currently preparing to resume flights." Currently, Russians fly to Tbilisi via Yerevan.
President Salome Zurabishvili, who has limited powers and whose position does not represent that of official Tbilisi, condemned Putin's decision.
"Another Russian provocation!" she tweeted. – The resumption of direct flights and the abolition of the visa regime with Georgia are unacceptable while Russia continues its aggression in Ukraine and occupies our territory."
Zurabishvili proposes to convene the Security Council of Georgia to discuss the visa regime for Russians (it does not exist now). She believes that three-month visas should be introduced for those Russian citizens who come and stay in the country.
Background. For more information about the Georgian government's attempts to pass the Russian-inspired law on foreign agents and the protests that followed, see Mind's article "Black Day for Georgia: What prompted Georgians to storm the parliament".
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