Georgian anger as Russian flights land again in Tbilisi

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Tbilisi, Georgia – Scuffles erupted today at Tbilisi airport as protesters brandishing banners expressing their discontent greeted the arrival of the first direct flight from Russia in almost four years. Police intervened to prevent the demonstrators from gathering outside the airport arrivals hall.

The Azimuth Airlines plane touched down at 13:20 local time (09:20 BST) after receiving approval from Georgia’s civil aviation authority just days ago. While the Georgian government has welcomed the resumption of direct flights from Russia, a majority of Georgians oppose this decision, with over 100 Georgian organizations viewing it as a direct hindrance to the country’s aspirations of joining the European Union.

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Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of the governing Georgian Dream party, emphasized that the return of these flights benefits Georgian citizens who have been compelled to take significantly costlier detours. The government contends that approximately one million ethnic Georgian citizens residing in Russia will benefit from these flights, although Russian sources suggest a lower number of around 114,000.

On the inaugural flight, a delegation comprising pro-Russian Georgian NGOs and businesses accompanied the passengers, as reported by Russia’s state news agency. Furthermore, Georgian Airways plans to operate daily flights to Moscow in the near future.

This apparent thaw in relations follows President Vladimir Putin’s decree lifting Moscow’s unilateral ban on direct flights, which was imposed as a response to mass anti-Russia protests in Tbilisi back in 2019. In addition, Russia has lifted entry restrictions that had been in place for 20 years, allowing Georgian citizens to visit for up to 90 days without a visa.

Despite these developments, it is important to note that diplomatic relations between the two countries remain absent. The lingering impact of the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia is evident, with 20% of Georgia’s internationally recognized territory still under Russian occupation. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, known for her pro-European stance, denounced this as “another Russian provocation.”

The European Union and the United States have expressed their disappointment with these recent events. US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan raised concerns about accepting what she referred to as “a gift” from an aggressor country. Meanwhile, the EU’s spokesperson for foreign affairs, Peter Stano, highlighted that this decision casts doubt on Georgia’s commitment to aligning itself with the 27-member union.

Georgia’s opposition has strongly condemned the resumption of direct flights, viewing it as a reward to the ruling Georgian Dream party for its accommodating stance toward Russia following the Ukrainian invasion. Georgia did not impose sanctions on Russia and has allowed tens of thousands of Russian citizens to relocate, many of whom sought to evade mobilization efforts.