Irakli Kobakhidze on flights with Russia: What took a unilateral decision in 2019, does not need a tango in 2023 - talking about dancing in a duo is out of the question

According to the chairman of Georgian Dream Irakli Kobakhidze, if the unilateral sanction imposed by the Russian Federation regarding flights to Georgia is lifted, it will be welcome in the interests of fellow citizens and countrymen.

He told journalists about this at a briefing held at the party's office.

"Someone says that sanctions and punishments should be removed, someone says that companies should be punished. Does it depend on us?! Neither punishing the companies nor removing the punishments is a matter for us to decide. We made our statement regarding the resumption of flights. Our position is simple - it was a sanction imposed on Georgia by Russia at the time, in 2019, which, of course, aggravated the situation of our citizens. We remind you that 800 thousand Georgian citizens live in the Russian Federation. If they remove this sanction, that is their decision. We welcome it, as it will be a benefit to our fellow citizens and countrymen. This is our position and this position is clear. If someone wants to punish the company, that's their business. If someone wants to remove the sanction, it is their business. We state our position on everything.

As for the resumption of flights, this is an imposed sanction. If unilateral sanctions are lifted by the Russian Federation, it will be welcome for us in the interests of our fellow citizens and countrymen," said Irakli Kobakhidze.

Speaking on the same topic, Kobakhidze said that "what took a unilateral decision in 2019, does not need a tango in 2023 - talking about dancing in a duo is out of the question."

"What took a unilateral decision at the time, in 2019, does not need a tango in 2023. It also takes a unilateral decision. Therefore, talking about dancing in a duo is out of the question. If a unilateral decision is made, it is up to them to decide what they will do unilaterally. We state the only position - it would be welcome to remove the unilateral sanction due to our compatriots' interests. This decision cannot be mutual. This is a unilateral sanction that was imposed at the time, and the lifting of the sanction will be a unilateral decision," Kobakhidze says.

For information, the head of the International Affairs Committee of the Council of the Russian Federation, Grigory Karasin, said that "it takes two to dance the tango" regarding the possible restoration of air traffic with Georgia. The opposition spectrum responded to the statement, noting that "Georgia's flirt with the Russian government will be very grave". As they note in National Movement, "the issue of air traffic restoration should be blocked".

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