EU Commission “regrets” Tbilisi resumes flights to Russia, says move “raises concerns” on its EU path

The European Commission on Tuesday said it “regrets” Tbilisi had accepted to resume direct flights to and from Russia, following the Kremlin’s decision last week to lift travel ban and visa restrictions with Georgia on the backdrop of its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. 

 

In response to a question by a Georgian journalist, Peter Stano, Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said Tbilisi’s response had raised “concerns” on the county’s EU path and its alignment with the bloc’s foreign police priorities. 

 

“Regrettably Georgia’s alignment with EU’s foreign and security policy decisions and declarations has gone down from 44 percent of last year to 31 percent so far this year. This raises our concerns and this is very regrettable”, Stano said. 

 

He stressed the EU and a number of foreign states had imposed sanctions and restrictions on Russia, including over direct flights, following its invasion of Ukraine and it was “important to carry this on mind”.