Due to heavy traffic jams at the Upper Lars-Kazbegi checkpoint due to the increase in passenger traffic from Russia to Georgia, a new wave of criticism of the authorities has started in Tbilisi. Some opposition politicians have called for tighter control over the flow of Russians, while more radical opponents have called for the state border to be closed.
“The Georgian authorities simply do not have a policy in relations with Russia. They behave irregularly, they don’t know what to do, they are afraid, they are in the position of kids ”. – said one of the leaders of the party “For Georgia” Kahaber Kemoklidze.
According to him, Russia is facing such challenges that the Soviet Union did not have after the end of the Second World War.
“They think that, had it not been for the Georgian dream, a war with Russia would have started. This is absurd, especially given the fact that you are dealing with Russia. This is propaganda that works against an unenlightened society. The problem is that not having a policy with Russia leads to chaotic politics, confusion, irrational fears and profound conspiracy theories ”. – said Kemoklidze on air on the Palitranews television channel.
Leader of the opposition party “Agmashenebeli Strategy” Georgy Vashadze calls for the Georgian border to be closed for Russian citizens.
“For the past few days, tens of thousands of Russian citizens are entering Georgia every day and there is a huge queue at the Lars checkpoint. Therefore, the “Agmashenebeli Strategy” requires an immediate temporary closure of the border for Russian citizens … Only three categories of citizens should be admitted to Georgia from the Russian Federation: Georgian citizens and Georgian citizens of Georgian ethnicity living in the Russian Federation, as well as Russian citizens in special cases, which are explained by humanitarian goals “, Vashadze said.
The leader of the “Agmashenebeli Strategy” has invited citizens to sign a petition on the closure of the border for Russian citizens.
The Georgian government and the ruling Georgian Dream party have repeatedly stated that they will not introduce visas for Russian citizens or restrict their entry into the country in any way.
Commenting on these statements and the clamor, the Finance Minister of Georgia Lasha Khutsishvili noted that the flow of citizens to customs has increased, but the situation in this direction is under control and there is no dramatic situation.
“The Revenue Agency, the Customs Agency are working under a special load. Of course, we all see that the flow of arrivals, both in the direction of the cargo and of individuals crossing the border into Georgia, has increased. In this direction, the situation is subject to control. There is no dramatic situation with the crossing of the border “, – he said in a briefing in the government administration.
According to Khutsishvili, customs and border controls are carried out according to the rules.
“This means that relevant information is provided at roadblocks. An appropriate analysis is carried out and only then a decision is made about a particular person. In this direction, each department responsible for crossing the border is working very actively. Of course, due to the increase in flows, they are working with a higher load than before. Increase not only the influx into the country, but also the outflow from the country. As a result, the change in this direction is that the burden has increased on all departments that actively monitor the border crossing indicator and are responsible for both fiscal security and order, the country’s fiscal security “, Khutsishvili said.
A long statement amid the crisis in relations between Tbilisi and Kiev was also released by a member of the parliamentary majority Beka Davituliani. According to him, “the Russian authorities will close the border anyway in the near future”, respectively, the issue of closing the state border at the initiative of Georgia will cease to be relevant.
“What is the logic in not allowing people from Russia who don’t want to go to the front line. That is, give Russia the opportunity to put them on the battlefield and harm Ukraine? After all, we must help Ukraine win, respectively, in our interest, if this does not harm our interests, we will accept those who do not want to go there. The Russian authorities themselves have the problem of mobilizing people, and so they close the border from the 28th. Therefore, this problem will no longer be relevant, Davituliani said.
And every day previously reported that, according to information from the Revenue Agency of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, against the background of an increase in traffic flow throughout the region, all customs points have switched to a special operating mode.
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