“The latest decision by the Georgian authorities raises concerns about Georgia’s path towards the EU and its commitment to align its foreign policy with that of the European Union, as set out in the Georgia-EU Association Agreement. ”
European Commission representative Peter Stano told the Russian American media service after the first direct flight from Moscow landed in Tbilisi on Friday, May 19. The plane was met with protests from activists who gathered at Tbilisi airport with “You are not welcome” posters. During the action, 6 people were arrested.
The European Commission noted that it knows and appreciates the desire of the vast majority of Georgian society to see its future in the EU. “That is why EU member states have accepted Georgia’s application and agreed to consider granting Georgia the status of candidate country after fulfilling 12 conditions,” Stano underlined. But now, according to him, the responsibility lies with the Georgian government.
“In this context, we regret the decision of the Georgian authorities to resume flights with Russia. As part of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine, the European Union, along with a number of other countries, has imposed sanctions on Russian aviation and does not allow flights from, to or through Russia,” the European Commission representative said. .
He also noted that Georgia’s level of compliance with previously signed declarations with the EU fell from 44 to 31 percent this year.
On May 10, Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the abolition of the visa regime for Georgian citizens, as well as the lifting of the ban on flights of Russian airlines to Georgia. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili called Putin’s decision a provocation and the abolition of the visa regime unacceptable in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, but she does not represent the position of the Georgian government. Later, the Georgian government allowed Russian airline Azimuth and Georgian Georgian Airways to operate direct flights from Moscow to Tbilisi. From June, the Russian airline Red Wings will also start serving Georgia on the Sochi-Tbilisi-Sochi and Moscow-Kutaisi-Moscow routes.
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