According to a hidden phone recording published on YouTube, the Special Representative of the Prime Minister of Georgia (in relations with Russia) Zurab Abashidze, and the Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Grigory Karasin, discussed the possibility of resuming flights between Georgia and Russia back in March 15, 2022.
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Grigory Karasin: I need your advice. As you know, the situation is complex and multifaceted.
Our transportation representatives are saying that maybe we can somehow restore air and ground travel, etc. My view is that now is not the time to raise and discuss these issues. But maybe I’m wrong.
Zurab Abashidze: No, you are absolutely right.
Karasin: It is better if we wait for a while for things to settle down, so to speak.
Abashidze: Yes, without a doubt.
Karasin: We could bury a good initiative by rushing into it.
Abashidze: We are on a knife edge right now.
Karasin: So we are in agreement on this matter.
Abashidze: Absolutely. It is necessary for the storm to pass.
Karasin: Goodbye Zurab, take care of yourself, give your family my best.
Abashidze: Same here.
Zurab Abashidze confirmed that he did discussed the restoration of flights with Grigory Karasin, and the release of the recording serves to spark controversy as if Georgia has behind-the-scenes relations with Russia.
‘‘The release of the recording serves to stir up a scandal as if we have some secret dealings with Russia and conspired to restore air travel. This conversation proves the opposite. The recording backs up what we've been saying all along. Karasin asks me in March 2022 whether I think we should start talks on the restoration of air travel. He himself says that he does not consider it appropriate, and I agree. This is what we have been saying all along, that Russia unilaterally decided to resume flights. I haven’t discussed this issue, or any other issue within the format of our relations, with Mr. Karasin in a year and eight months since,’’ said the special representative of the Prime Minister in an interview with Pirveli Arkhi (First Channel).
Russian President Vladimir Putin stripped visa requirements for Georgian citizens on May 15, 2023. He also lifted a ban on Russian airlines on flights and sales of tours in Georgia, which has been in effect since 2019, due to mass protests that broke out in Tbilisi streets following the visit of Russian Duma Deputy Sergey Gavrilov to the parliament of Georgia.
After the resumption of flights with Russia, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili claimed that no negotiations with Russia on behalf of the government have taken place.
A month ago, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Russian news agency TASS that they had agreed on the restoration of flights with the Gharibashvili's government: ‘‘When we saw that the current government of Tbilisi was interested in normalizing relations, we agreed with Mr. Gharibashvili's government on the restoration of flights and lifted a visa regime, since the visa-free policy for Russian citizens in Georgia has been in place for quite some time, and many of our citizens have benefited from it.
