Sergey Lavrov: “Russia Will Abolish Visa Regime after Georgia Changes the Law”

Russia is ready to abolish visa regime with Georgia after Tbilisi changes the Law about Occupied Territories, according to the InterFax, the Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov stated about it during his speech in the State Duma.

More precisely, the Russian Foreign Minister clarified that Russia requests Georgia to amend the article of the Georgian Law which imposes criminal liability on people who arrive in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

He added that the initiative of the Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili about abolishment of the visa regime should cover everything that Georgia implements with regard to Russia.

Lavrov also mentioned last year abolishment of visa regime for Russian citizens living in the North Caucasus by the Georgian government and noted that it was discrimination.

“When Saakashvili announced abolishment of visa regime for Russian citizens, he forgot the acting Georgian law about so-called occupied territories which imposes criminal liability on every person who will visit Abkhazia or South Ossetia during Saakashvili’s governance; they might be imprisoned from 2 to 4 years,” Lavrov said.

He added that Russian citizens have already been victimized by this law.

“Now, we try to release them [Russian citizens] with the support of Swiss authority who represent Russian interests in Georgia,” Lavrov said.

The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili announced initiative about one-sided abolishment of visa regime with Russia during his annual address to the Parliament of Georgia.

Interpresnews