Georgian Justice Minister: I See Nothing Wrong with Restoring Direct Flights to Russia

Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze has stated that he sees nothing wrong with the restoration of direct flights to the Russian Federation. “Hundreds of thousands of Georgians live in Russia. If it makes it easier for those Georgians to come to Georgia, they will save time and financial resources. I really see nothing wrong with that,” Bregadze told reporters on Thursday.

The minister emphasized that Georgia is committed to the principle of caring for all its citizens, regardless of their location.

Bregadze also does not believe that restoring direct air communication with the Russian Federation could adversely affect Georgia's bid for candidate status in the European Union. “The issue of flights should not be linked to the issue of EU membership candidate status; the 12 points (the recommendations of the European Commission) that are established and which Georgia is implementing are related to that status,” he stated.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on May 10, issued a decree lifting restrictions on flights to Georgia that had been in place since July 2019. The Russian Ministry of Transport announced that after lifting the restrictions, Russian airlines would operate flights between Moscow and Tbilisi seven times a week, utilizing domestic aircraft.

In response, the United States and the European Union have warned Tbilisi about the risks of sanctions should air communication with the Russian Federation be restored.