Georgian president against resumption of direct flights with Russia

Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili on Friday said she disapproved of the resumption of direct flights with Georgia by Russia, which was suspended by the decision of the Russian president Vladimir Putin in 2019, following the protests in Tbilisi sparked by the presence of Russian MPs in the Georgian parliament. 

“At a time when all our partner countries, by word or deeds, express their maximum solidarity with Ukraine’s self-sacrificing struggle [against Russia], for me and I am sure for the majority of the public, the position of the government and the ruling party is incomprehensible”, the president said in response to the comments of the ruling Georgian Dream party representatives, that the resumption of direct flights would help the Georgians living in Russia. 

Zourabichvili said she was skeptical about the government’s “argumentation” that it cared about the fate of Georgians living in Russia, noting  she had been unable for months to achieve an agreement with the authorities to simplify procedures for granting citizenship, “which would really resolve the problems for many Georgian nationals”. 

“Instead of resuming flights, the government should take care of the country’s reputation, strongly respond to the accusations being made against Tbilisi about Russia circumventing sanctions through Georgia.  All of this requires a serious state approach and denial of accusations, which will be stronger and based on evidence”, the president said. 

She stressed Russia “from time to time” had used such topics to serve its own interests.