Russia about risks in Georgia

Russia’s Tourism Agency warned Russian tourists wishing to visit Georgia about the “existing risks” in the country they had to take into account.

The Agency named Georgia’s Law on Occupied territories and high medical costs as two “main threats” for the Russian tourists.

Russia’s Tourism Agency representative, Svetlana Sergeeva told Russia’s Ria Novosti that Georgia’s law on Occupied Territories envisaged penalties for visiting Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two Georgia regions currently occupied by Russia and recognized as independent states after the Russia-Georgia August war in 2008.

Sergeeva stated three Russian tourists were detained and several others were fined for visiting the breakaway areas in 2015.

When it came to medical costs, Sergeeva urged Russian tourists ensure their medical insurances were valid in Georgia as medical costs in the country were “extremely high.”

Georgia’s Special Envoy to Russia Zurab Abashidze says Russian tourists visiting Georgia had to take the country’s Law on Occupied Territories into account to avoid problems, as there would be no exceptions.

Abashidze added the flow of tourists from many countries, including Russia, has “significantly increased this year”, and both international organisations and the tourists spoke about the “comfortable and safe situation in Georgia.”

Abashidze didn’t mention that medical costs were very high in Georgia but said it was required a tourist to have medical insurance when visiting any foreign country, Georgia among them.

Georgia many times was recognized as one of the safest countries by many foreign and local agencies and the increased inflow of tourists from year to year confirm the fact.

Any foreign citizen must appreciate sovereign country's law when visiting it. Nothing is extraordinary that the country has its own regulations, the fact to be respected by the foreign visitors.