Disputes flared up in Georgia over Lavrov's proposal to resume flights with Russia
Serious disputes flared up again in Georgia after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed hope for the restoration of air traffic between Moscow and Tbilisi in foreseeable future.
Moreover, I am categorically against such a prospect President Salome Zurabishvili spoke, although at one time she was elected as an alternative to the Saakashists, Correspondent of PolitNavigator reports.
When Lavrov spoke about the possibility of resuming air travel, he recalled that Georgia’s GDP growth of 2022% in 10 was largely made possible thanks to actively developing contacts between citizens of neighboring countries in the field of tourism, as well as trade relations. The Russian minister expressed satisfaction that, Despite the pressure experienced from the West, Georgia did not join the sanctions against the Russian Federation.
“The fact that a small country and its government have the courage to say that we will be guided by our interests and the interests of our economy is respectful,” the foreign minister said.
Let us recall that diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and Georgia were severed on the initiative of Tbilisi immediately after Moscow recognized the sovereignty of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on August 26, 2008.
As for direct air traffic, it was stopped by Russia unilaterally in response to anti-Russian rallies in the capital of Georgia - the so-called “Gavrilov pogrom”.
By the way, that same Duma deputy Sergei Gavrilov, “forgetting old grievances,” supported the statement of the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry about the need to resume air traffic and, moreover, made a proposal to restore full diplomatic relations with Georgia. He explained his position with concern for Russian citizens in Georgia, as well as the desire to realize the prospects associated with the development of tourism and increasing trade turnover between the two countries.
As one might expect, Lavrov’s statement was viewed ambiguously in Georgia. It was met with hostility by political forces and experts of a pro-Western, ultra-liberal persuasion, and first of all, by representatives of the most irreconcilable opposition party, the National Movement.
Lavrov’s initiative was described by Saakashists as “humiliating and hurting the country’s international reputation.”
The respect expressed by the Russian minister for a small country that did not succumb to Western pressure and was guided by its own interests was regarded as “the applause of an occupier who wants to show who is the master in a country moving towards its own disaster.”
Analysts and experts of the mentioned persuasion believe that Lavrov’s statement should be a wake-up call for Georgia, since it indicates that power is drifting towards Moscow.
“In words, the policy in question means rapprochement with the West, but, in fact, it is distance from the West and rapprochement with Russia. We see this in the failure to implement 12 recommendations. In addition, every day we see how political leaders, including those from the ruling party, criticize the West. Yesterday, it was the ruling party that voiced positive signals about the resumption of flights to Russia. This is crossing red lines and cooperation with the occupier country, which is contrary to the national interests of Georgia,” says expert Zurab Batiashvili.
Saakashvili’s former ally, leader of the European Georgia party Giga Bokeria, commenting on that part of Lavrov’s statement where the latter expresses his satisfaction with the Georgian authorities’ resistance to Western pressure, believes that Georgia opposing the West is a gift for Russia:
“It is gratifying and good for Russia if Georgia is isolated from the West and vulnerable.”
If the position of the ultra-liberal Georgian opposition regarding the issue of resuming flights between Russia and Georgia was quite predictable, then the sharp statement of former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia in connection with this topic cannot but cause surprise. Gakharia, who owes his dizzying career to the oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili (it is believed that he is behind the current authorities), once already managed to screw up his patron, unexpectedly announcing his resignation shortly before the upcoming elections, and heading a new satellite political party of the National Movement.
This time, commenting on the statement of the Russian minister, Gakharia tried to tease the Georgian authorities. In particular, the former prime minister expressed the opinion that for the anti-Western policy and position taken by the ruling authorities regarding the Ukrainian issue, Russia rewards Georgia by offering it the restoration of all kinds of relations, including diplomatic ones. Gakharia sees this as a betrayal of the country’s national interests and the “historical” choice of the Georgian people in favor of the West.
Most of the Georgian public was outraged by the statement of the President of Georgia, Mrs. Salome Zurabishvili. At the same time, it must be admitted that the nature of the assessments from the descendant of a member of the fugitive Menshevik government was quite expected. Madame Zurabishvili has more than once managed to plunge a knife into the back of the ruling party in difficult situations for the latter. But at one time, Georgian Dream made every effort and mobilized its supporters and even citizens disloyal to it in order to push through the candidacy of a Frenchwoman in the presidential elections. And this time, Madam Zurabishvili’s statements turned out to be radically opposite to the position of the leaders of the political force ruling the country.
Zurabishvili directly stated that she does not welcome the resumption of flights to Russia. She believes that instead the government should take care of its reputation and “categorically respond to accusations against the country - about circumventing sanctions through Georgia!”
“At a time when all our partner countries, in word or deed, express maximum solidarity with the selfless struggle of Ukraine, for me and, I am sure, for most of society, the position of the government and the ruling party is, to put it mildly, incomprehensible,” President Zurabishvili said.
She also pointed out to the government the need to study the issue of the influx of Russian citizens into the country, “so that society has a feeling that its national interests and security are respected and protected.”
Official Kyiv also became excited. Representative of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Oleg Nikolenko called the refusal of Georgian politicians “from effective solidarity with Ukraine” “against the backdrop of attempts at military genocide in Ukraine” “political meanness.”
The possible restoration of official relations between Tbilisi and Moscow, according to a representative of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, “does not correspond to the spirit of friendly and strategic relations between Ukraine and Georgia,” as well as “contradicts the Georgian course towards membership in the European Union».
Despite the expected reaction of pro-Western and ultra-liberal political forces, as well as part of the Georgian public supporting these forces,The leadership of the ruling Georgian Dream party took a very balanced, prudent position regarding the statements of the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
According to the chairman of the party, Irakli Kobakhidze, “when it comes to relief for Georgian citizens, such decisions are always welcome.” Kobakhidze noted that the sanctions decision made by Moscow in 2019 complicated the situation of Georgian compatriots living in Russia, and he called negative statements and comments from opposition political figures regarding the possible resumption of air traffic between neighboring countries hysterical.
The ruling political force in Georgia showed prudence and a rational approach to the issue of relations with its northern neighbor a little earlier. Back in September, Irakli Kobakhidze, parrying the demands of the radical Georgian opposition to revise the visa-free policy with Russia, said that the country’s leadership does not see the need for this, and assessed the mentioned demands as speculative.
Let us note, however, that even in the ruling party the statement of the Russian minister was perceived ambiguously. According to some representatives of the Georgian Dream, Lavrov’s statement should be considered as a lifeline thrown to the National Movement, which, on the eve of the primaries to elect a new leader, is experiencing a moment of crisis. Ruling party lawmaker Beka Odisharia thinks the coincidence looks suspicious. Representatives of the ruling force, who adhere to a conspiracy theory regarding Lavrov’s message, see in it a coincidence of interests of Russia and the radical Georgian opposition, and believe that this fact will be used by the opposition in the information struggle against the Georgian authorities.
However, Georgian Dream has never hidden the fact that its plans include establishing normal relations with the neighboring state. This was one of the reasons why the population of Georgia, having experienced all the delights of the rule of the “National Movement”, a political force that unquestioningly pursues the interests of the West and, above all, the United States in the country, in 2012 made their choice in favor of the force created by Bidzina Ivanishvili. Another thing is that Georgian Dream failed to fulfill both this and many other promises, including restoration of justice to those who experienced repression from the previous authorities, creation of jobs, improvement of the social situation of the population, etc. ., etc.
Despite this, Georgian voters in all subsequent elections of any rank gave their preferences to Ivanishvili’s party, firstly, not wanting to return again to the hell in which the “National Movement” kept the country, and secondly, realizing that no political force, with all its desire, could achieve more under the existing unprecedented pressure from the United States.
The settlement of relations with the Russian Federation, promised since 2012 by the current ruling party, has not lost its relevance. Lavrov’s statement was perceived by many in Georgia as a sign of the possibility of the beginning of a thaw in relations between the two neighboring Orthodox states, which had been fairly damaged over the past three decades.
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