The de facto president of occupied Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, says that they are ready to accept the Astoria Grande cruise ship in the port of Sukhumi and give Russian tourists a warm welcome. Bzhania reacted to the rallies held in Batumi in an interview with the Russian state news agency TASS.
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“The Republic is interested in the expansion of tourist services, and considering the geographical possibilities, cruise ship services in the summer are considered the most lucrative. We are happy to invite you to Abkhazia and promise Russian tourists a warm welcome in the spirit of Abkhazian hospitality,” says Bzhania.
According to the so-called president, the seaport of Sukhumi is technically ready to accept ships of the Astoria Grande type. As an example of this, he cited the cruise ferry Knyaz Vladimir, which has been operating a cruise between Sochi and Sukhumi since the end of June. “If we met the Knyaz Vladimir liner with dignity, then we can handle the Astoria Grande as well,” he remarked.
The Astoria Grande cruise ship, which departed from Sochi port carrying Russian passengers, entered Batumi port on the dawn of July 31. This was the ship's second visit in the past week and was met with protests from the Georgian population. The Ministry of Internal Affairs mobilized patrol and criminal police, as well as special forces units in the port, and blocked the approaches to the ship with metal barricades. In the course of July 31, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs detained 23 protesters on grounds of petty hooliganism and disobeying the legal demands of the police. Part of the Russian tourists were able to disembark the ship with the help of the police to tour Batumi. The cruise ship left Batumi port at the end of the day, a few hours earlier than planned, and headed to Turkey, from where it will return to Sochi on August 5.
The leaders of the ruling party Georgian Dream called the protest a provocation and accused the opposition of organizing it. The Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian Federal Council, Grigory Karasin, made a similar assessment: “The germ of hatred towards Russia and Russians that they planted is alive. Sometimes it is on the verge of disappearing, and then it reappears. It is interesting, what did screaming-Saakashvilis achieve by demonstrating against our tourists who arrived in Batumi in our own liner? Who is against peaceful relations with Russia? The answer is obvious, but still...” he said.
According to the information published on the official website of the cruise, a similar trip planned for August and the following months will no longer include a stopover in Batumi. The program was altered likely as a result of protests in Batumi.
The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia states that Astoria Grande is operated by a Turkish cruise company and the ship owner is registered in the Seychelles and is not subject to international sanctions, therefore, it has the right to enter the port.
