ICAO interested in air space violations

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has requested additional information from the Georgian side about the Georgian air space violation cases by Russian Federation, Georgian United Transport Administration officials said, according to GHN news agency. The Administration reported that the letter from ICAO has already been delivered to their office.

“ICAO has officially requested us to provide them with information proving that Georgian air space has been violated by the Russian Federation,” the statement by the

Georgian Transport Administration says “We will get all materials and arguments and send them to ICAO,” it continues. Georgian media reported that the Russian Transport Ministry has also received the similar request.

However, the Russian Transport Ministry has denied getting any notifications from ICAO on providing information of Russia’s carrying out flights to Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia. “We have not received any requests on this issue. Russian air companies are not carrying out flights to Abkhazia so far,” press service of the Russian Transport Ministry stated on May 5. The de facto head of the “Sukhumi International Airport”, Vyacheslav Eshba said the airport has not been officially opened yet. “No regular flights are being carried out, however it conducts several charter flights upon request,” Eshba added.

The Georgian officials have slammed the Russian and the de facto Abkhazian authorities for their plans to cooperate in the sphere of aviation. Tbilisi also protested against the information reported in the Russian media, that Sukhumi airport was given an international code by ICAO. The Georgian United Transport Administration and ICAO representatives met in Paris on April 16 to discuss the issue, the UTA reported. Regional Director of ICAO, Karsten Tail confirmed that ICAO recognizes Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, UTA stated. Tail noted that the International Civil Aviation Organisation has not granted an international code to Sukhumi airport. “Only in the case of a request from the Georgian aviation authorities, will ICAO grant an international code to Sukhumi airport,” he added.