The News in Brief
Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Prepared by Messenger Staff
US Ambassador to OSCE Michael Carpenter talks mass inflow of Russian citizens into Georgia
This is how the US Ambassador to the OSCE, Michael Carpenter, talked to Georgian media agency "Interpressnews" regarding the mass inflow of Russian citizens into Georgia.
"I appreciate the concern Georgians have about the mass inflow of Russian citizens into the country. Ultimately, each country must make a decision based on what is best for national security,"
Carpenter believes that Georgia is facing a uniquely unprecedented situation, where not only are two regions illegally occupied by Russia, but there is also a large inflow of mostly young men coming from Russia due to mobilization orders.
"Of course, Russia continues to occupy 20% of the sovereign territory of Georgia today, and this is a matter of great concern. Russia has never implemented the terms of the 6-point ceasefire agreement since August 2008 and maintains military forces in the Tskhinvali region and Abkhazia in violation of the said agreement and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.
I appreciate the concern Georgians have about the mass inflow of Russian citizens into the country. I can only say that this is a sovereign decision of the Georgian government regarding who will receive it and in what quantity. But Georgia is facing a uniquely unprecedented situation where not only are there two regions illegally occupied by Russia, but you have a large inflow of mostly young men coming from Russia as a result of mobilization orders. Each country will be different in how it responds to the desire of Russian citizens to flee their country and seek refuge elsewhere. "Each country should make a decision based on what is best for the protection of national security," Carpenter said.
'Customs and border control is carried out according to established rules' says Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili
The Minister of Finance Lasha Khutsishvili, after the end of the government session, responded to the journalist's question about whether all Russian citizens are allowed to enter Georgia and whether threats from the state are taken into account and said that they are following established rules:
"Customs and border control is carried out according to established rules - information is collected at checkpoints, analysis is carried out, and only after that a decision is made regarding this or that person."
According to Khutsishvili, due to the increased flow of people coming to Georgia from Russia, the relevant state agencies are working actively and with more workload.
The Revenue Service and Customs Department work under special workload conditions. In this situation, we all see that the flows have increased both in terms of the direction of cargo and the number of incoming physical persons. In this regard, the situation is under control. There is no dramatic situation at the border crossing. The number of people entering and leaving the country has increased, therefore, this issue is being strictly monitored," Khutsishvili said.
US Ambassador to OSCE Michael Carpenter talks mass inflow of Russian citizens into Georgia
"I appreciate the concern Georgians have about the mass inflow of Russian citizens into the country. Ultimately, each country must make a decision based on what is best for national security,"
Carpenter believes that Georgia is facing a uniquely unprecedented situation, where not only are two regions illegally occupied by Russia, but there is also a large inflow of mostly young men coming from Russia due to mobilization orders.
"Of course, Russia continues to occupy 20% of the sovereign territory of Georgia today, and this is a matter of great concern. Russia has never implemented the terms of the 6-point ceasefire agreement since August 2008 and maintains military forces in the Tskhinvali region and Abkhazia in violation of the said agreement and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.
I appreciate the concern Georgians have about the mass inflow of Russian citizens into the country. I can only say that this is a sovereign decision of the Georgian government regarding who will receive it and in what quantity. But Georgia is facing a uniquely unprecedented situation where not only are there two regions illegally occupied by Russia, but you have a large inflow of mostly young men coming from Russia as a result of mobilization orders. Each country will be different in how it responds to the desire of Russian citizens to flee their country and seek refuge elsewhere. "Each country should make a decision based on what is best for the protection of national security," Carpenter said.
'Customs and border control is carried out according to established rules' says Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili
"Customs and border control is carried out according to established rules - information is collected at checkpoints, analysis is carried out, and only after that a decision is made regarding this or that person."
According to Khutsishvili, due to the increased flow of people coming to Georgia from Russia, the relevant state agencies are working actively and with more workload.
The Revenue Service and Customs Department work under special workload conditions. In this situation, we all see that the flows have increased both in terms of the direction of cargo and the number of incoming physical persons. In this regard, the situation is under control. There is no dramatic situation at the border crossing. The number of people entering and leaving the country has increased, therefore, this issue is being strictly monitored," Khutsishvili said.