The Russian Consulate Stopped Issueing Tourist Visas

Media News. The Russian Consulate has temporarily stopped granting Georgians visas for Russia since 19 August. According to reports, this action was prompted in direct respose to the demonstrations held in front of the Russian Embassy in Tbilisi.

According to Evgeni Ivanov, the Secretary of the Embassy of the Russian Federation, the consulate has temporarily stopped the issuance of visa documents  but this will soon be re-established.

According to Ivanov, the restriction is not connected with the demonstration in front of the Embassy although he did mention that the protest did have anegative effect on the working process of the Embassy.

He mentioned further that the Embassy has received an answer in response to their Note tothe Georgian Foreign Ministry to react to the actions held in front of the Embassy. It read that the Georgian government did not deal with the protest.

“The Georgian government does not want or cannot deal with the mentioned issue which is a violation of the international norms of co-operation with the Diplomatic Corps” mentioned Ivanov.