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Civil Georgia, Georgia
Sept 23 2004
Georgia's Visa, Border Burden with Russia
Nino Khutsidze, Civil Georgia / 2004-09-23 16:51:01
Over 60 Georgian citizens have already been denied entry into
Moscow by Russian border guard officials who have cited visa
irregularities. Meanwhile several hundred trucks remain stuck at the
Russian-Georgian border, which has been closed since early September.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian Ambassador to
Georgia, Vladimir Chkhikvishvili, on September 21 and handed him a
note demanding that his country explain the reasons behind the
detention of dozens of Georgian passengers in the Moscow airport. The
Georgian Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs also held a
hearing on September 22 regarding this issue.
According to Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze,
following the Beslan terrorist act Russia has heightened control over
its borders. He said Russian security forces, in cooperation with
border guard officials, launched an operation codenamed `Migrant.'
Checking procedures are being held in hotels, markets and other
places. As the Georgian Foreign Ministry reports, around 800 foreign
citizens have already been deported out of Russia due either to visa
irregularities or for failing to register on time.
Georgian authorities urged the tourist firms, which specialize in
arranging Russian visas, to carefully observe all the visa
requirements. `Under the conditions of the tightened regime, Russian
border guards started verifying compliance of the visa status with
the visitor's objective, which, eventually, led to the
above-mentioned incidents,' said Merab Antadze, the Georgian Deputy
Foreign Minister, in an information note issued on September 21.
According to Head of the Georgian Consular Service Giorgi Tabatadze,
the law of the Russian Federation, which regulates the entry of
foreigners into the country, says that in cases of non-compliance of
the visa status with the objective of the visit, the Russian border
guards have the right not to let foreigners through the border.
However, the Georgian side is concerned over the `terrible
conditions' in which the Georgian citizens detained in the Moscow
airport were kept. Most of the Georgian passengers flew back to
Tbilisi, but around a dozen of these Georgians are reportedly still
in the Moscow airport.
Presently, said Merab Antadze, the Head of the Consular Service of
Georgia to Moscow and other officials from the Embassy are at the
scene in order to address the problems facing the Georgian citizens
in the shortest possible terms.
According to Giorgi Tabatadze, several Georgian passengers have
already applied to the Consular Service of the Georgian Foreign
Ministry wishing to appeal against their detention in the Moscow
airports. Russian border guards have already drawn-up legal papers
for several of these passengers, who may appeal to the courts.
However, most citizens who returned from Moscow have no such legal
documents, they were warned only verbally.
Along with ordinary citizens, the state budget of Georgia is also
suffering great losses, due to particular problems relating to
crossing the Russian border. According to the head of Georgia's
Customs Northern Department, Kakha Mikeladze, loses from customs
revenues at the Larsi checkpoint during these last 20 days were
between 3 and 4 million Lari.
`Freight traffic was suspended just after the Beslan tragedy. Over
300 trucks remain stuck on both sides of the Russian-Georgian
border,' chief of Georgia's Customs Northern Department, Kakha
Mikeladze Kakha Mikeladze told Civil Georgia.
According to the Georgian Customs Department, mainly small
businessmen suffered as a result of the border closing; big
businessmen could redirect their freight to the sea route - towards
the port in Novorossiysk.
Kazbegi is the only land checkpoint with Russia which is controlled
by the Georgian authorities. Despite Russia's announcement concerning
the closing of its border with Georgia, the South Ossetian section of
the Russo-Georgian border (Roki pass) remains open.
Hence, by closing its borders with the South Caucasus, Russia has
encouraged transit movement to be diverted through breakaway South
Ossetia. Reportedly, traffic of Azeri and Armenian goods via
secessionist South Ossetia has increased recently.
Georgia is not the only country which shares a border with Russia
that has been imposed with border restrictions. Spokesman for the
Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Yakovenko said on September 22
that particular restrictions will be imposed on the
Russian-Azerbaijani border as well. Yakovenko said these restrictions
are temporary and the usual regime will be restored after `the
situation calms down in the region.'
Sept 23 2004
Georgia's Visa, Border Burden with Russia
Nino Khutsidze, Civil Georgia / 2004-09-23 16:51:01
Over 60 Georgian citizens have already been denied entry into
Moscow by Russian border guard officials who have cited visa
irregularities. Meanwhile several hundred trucks remain stuck at the
Russian-Georgian border, which has been closed since early September.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian Ambassador to
Georgia, Vladimir Chkhikvishvili, on September 21 and handed him a
note demanding that his country explain the reasons behind the
detention of dozens of Georgian passengers in the Moscow airport. The
Georgian Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs also held a
hearing on September 22 regarding this issue.
According to Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze,
following the Beslan terrorist act Russia has heightened control over
its borders. He said Russian security forces, in cooperation with
border guard officials, launched an operation codenamed `Migrant.'
Checking procedures are being held in hotels, markets and other
places. As the Georgian Foreign Ministry reports, around 800 foreign
citizens have already been deported out of Russia due either to visa
irregularities or for failing to register on time.
Georgian authorities urged the tourist firms, which specialize in
arranging Russian visas, to carefully observe all the visa
requirements. `Under the conditions of the tightened regime, Russian
border guards started verifying compliance of the visa status with
the visitor's objective, which, eventually, led to the
above-mentioned incidents,' said Merab Antadze, the Georgian Deputy
Foreign Minister, in an information note issued on September 21.
According to Head of the Georgian Consular Service Giorgi Tabatadze,
the law of the Russian Federation, which regulates the entry of
foreigners into the country, says that in cases of non-compliance of
the visa status with the objective of the visit, the Russian border
guards have the right not to let foreigners through the border.
However, the Georgian side is concerned over the `terrible
conditions' in which the Georgian citizens detained in the Moscow
airport were kept. Most of the Georgian passengers flew back to
Tbilisi, but around a dozen of these Georgians are reportedly still
in the Moscow airport.
Presently, said Merab Antadze, the Head of the Consular Service of
Georgia to Moscow and other officials from the Embassy are at the
scene in order to address the problems facing the Georgian citizens
in the shortest possible terms.
According to Giorgi Tabatadze, several Georgian passengers have
already applied to the Consular Service of the Georgian Foreign
Ministry wishing to appeal against their detention in the Moscow
airports. Russian border guards have already drawn-up legal papers
for several of these passengers, who may appeal to the courts.
However, most citizens who returned from Moscow have no such legal
documents, they were warned only verbally.
Along with ordinary citizens, the state budget of Georgia is also
suffering great losses, due to particular problems relating to
crossing the Russian border. According to the head of Georgia's
Customs Northern Department, Kakha Mikeladze, loses from customs
revenues at the Larsi checkpoint during these last 20 days were
between 3 and 4 million Lari.
`Freight traffic was suspended just after the Beslan tragedy. Over
300 trucks remain stuck on both sides of the Russian-Georgian
border,' chief of Georgia's Customs Northern Department, Kakha
Mikeladze Kakha Mikeladze told Civil Georgia.
According to the Georgian Customs Department, mainly small
businessmen suffered as a result of the border closing; big
businessmen could redirect their freight to the sea route - towards
the port in Novorossiysk.
Kazbegi is the only land checkpoint with Russia which is controlled
by the Georgian authorities. Despite Russia's announcement concerning
the closing of its border with Georgia, the South Ossetian section of
the Russo-Georgian border (Roki pass) remains open.
Hence, by closing its borders with the South Caucasus, Russia has
encouraged transit movement to be diverted through breakaway South
Ossetia. Reportedly, traffic of Azeri and Armenian goods via
secessionist South Ossetia has increased recently.
Georgia is not the only country which shares a border with Russia
that has been imposed with border restrictions. Spokesman for the
Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Yakovenko said on September 22
that particular restrictions will be imposed on the
Russian-Azerbaijani border as well. Yakovenko said these restrictions
are temporary and the usual regime will be restored after `the
situation calms down in the region.'