“We clearly establish our position that not a single airline that has come under sanctions will operate in Georgia,” the deputy minister noted. According to her, Tbilisi has not yet issued a single permit, as she has not yet received any notification from the airlines or the Russian state.
At the same time, Kvrivishvili stressed that the resumption of direct flights between Russia and Georgia will facilitate the return of Georgian citizens who are in the Russian Federation to their homeland and facilitate their connection with their family members. According to her, about one million Georgian citizens live in Russia.
Recall that earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed two decrees abolishing the visa regime for Georgian citizens and authorizing flights by Russian airlines and the sale of tours in Georgia. The documents note that those wishing to work in the Russian Federation or study still need to apply for a visa. Entry permits are also required for business travelers as employees of the Georgian Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy in Russia and their family members.
As reported by the Russian Foreign Ministry, at present, visa-free entry to the Russian Federation for a period of 72 hours is already valid for citizens of Georgia, provided that they travel on board cruise ships licensed to carry passengers and arrive by sea. and river ports open to international passenger traffic, as well as those arriving in the Russian Federation for tourist purposes on ferries authorized to transport passengers and calling at ports specified by the relevant resolutions of the Government of the Russian Federation.
“The President’s decisions to resume flights and introduce a visa-free regime for short-term travel by Georgian citizens to Russia are in line with our principled approach to systematically facilitate communication and contact between Russian citizens and Georgians, despite the absence of diplomatic relations”, stressed Smolenskaya Square.
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