PM says gov’t co-funding of travels from Russia to Georgia is a ‘humane step’
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, August 5
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze says that the decision of the Georgian Dream government to co-fund flight expenses for visitors from Russia to Georgia is a human step to support Georgian citizens living in Russia.
Bakhtadze slammed the opposition for criticizing the “very human” decision, supporting families to reunite in the summer.
“We have seen amazing assessments about this initiative [by the opposition]. The people, involved in Georgian politics, have a huge fantasy. This is a very smart decision, which is related to our responsibility and obligation before the citizens of Georgia. Many Georgian citizens live in Russia. Many of them were planning and perhaps, are planning to return to Georgia and spend their summer with their families. It is very important to support our citizens when they face similar problems when these obstacles are created independently of their will,” Bakhtadze said.
The Georgian government stated at the end of July that they would party fund the travel expenses from Russia to Tbilisi and Batumi via Armenia, as Russia banned direct flights to Georgia starting from July 8, responding to “mistreatment” of its MPs in Tbilisi back in June 2019.
The government has plans to allocate up to 600,000 EUR for the goal, spending 90 EUR for each passenger entering Georgia from Russia.
Many in the opposition has called the decision “unreasonable” and “misspending of people’s money,” demanding from the government to explain reasons.
No official reasons have been provided for about a week until Bakhtadze made the statement on Friday.
Russia and Georgia faced tension in relations after Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov took the seat of the Georgian parliamentary speaker on June 20, during an international religious forum – the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy – held in Tbilisi.
Thousands of Georgians took to the streets to protest the presence of the MP, from the country which occupies 20 percent of the Georgian territory, at the high tribune.
Russian MPs were forced to leave the country later the same day amid protests, which was followed by the ban from Russia.
Russia and Georgia restored trade and economic relations only in 2013, with the initiative of the Georgian Dream leadership, while diplomatic relations have been suspended since the Russia-Georgia 2008 war.
