Return of Georgian products to Russia

From July 1 a free trade agreement between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will come into force. This will mean that Georgian products could re-enter the Russian market via Belarus and Kazakhstan. Georgian agricultural produce, mainly wine and mineral water, is already exported to Belarus and Kazakhstan by Georgian companies so it could now be sold in Russia again via the same route.

Pro-Russian opposition leader Zurab Noghaideli claims he is responsible for getting Georgian products back on the Russian market in this way but this statement can be challenged as the abovementioned agreement between the three countries was achieved without Noghaideli's involvement.

Some Georgian analysts however think that before Georgian products return to the Russian market certain restrictions should be lifted, in particular the sanitarian sanctions, as even if goods can be reintroduced to Russia through Belarus and Kazakhstan they could still be banned by Russian official bodies if they do not meet the accepted norms.