Lavrov: Russia plans to continue flights to Georgia in near future
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Monday, August 24
According to the Russian pro-government publication RIA Novosti, the Russian Foreign Minister hopes for the resumption of air travel with Georgia. According to Lavrov, this is a matter of the near future.
“We are closely monitoring the situation in Georgia. Of course, we expect the normalization of the general epidemiological situation, both in the region and in the world, to resume regular flights in different directions,” noted Lavrov.
Russia put a so-called tourism embargo last year, on July 8th, after the events of June 20.
Sergi Kapanadze, head of the European Georgia election headquarters, says that given the scale of the pandemic in Russia, resuming flights would be wrong. According to Kapanadze, the main thing for the government is to start intensive air traffic with the countries that are on the list of so-called green countries. At the same time, as Sergi Kapanadze says, the government needs to allow so-called budget Airlines to fly in the country again.
According to the Minister of Economy, if there is any proposal from Russia regarding resuming flights, the Georgian government will consider it depending on the epidemiological situation.
According to Natia Turnava, there have not been any official offerings from the Russian side regarding resuming of the flights. However, if there is, the government will make decisions according to the Covid-19 situation.
Zurab Abashidze, Special Representative of the Prime Minister of Georgia for Relations with Russia, said that the decision to cancel the flight between the countries was made by the Russian side, so they should be the ones who renew the flights. However, according to him, the Georgian side will make decisions according to the epidemiological situation in Russia.
“Georgia is also in favor of establishing friendly and good-neighborly relations with Russia, as well as with other neighbors, but they should be based on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and other fundamental norms of UN Charter and international law,” added Abashidze.
At this stage, for five months now, Georgia has suspended regular flights to almost all countries. The restriction does not apply only to three destinations: Charles de Gaulle, Munich and Riga International Airports. From Tbilisi to Munich, Lufthansa flies twice a week, in Paris - Air France. As for Riga, the airline Air Baltic flies once a week.
