Russia lifting visa restrictions for Georgian citizens

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Russia’s President Vladimir Putin entrusted to proceed further in taking practical measures to normalize the relations with Georgia, including lifting visa restrictions for Georgian citizens, says a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“Adding up to the decisions that are already implemented to resume transport links between our countries, in the coming days the mail connection will be restored. The federal agencies are entrusted to take measures to lift certain visa restrictions against Georgian citizens, speed up the completion of reconstruction of the Upper Lars border crossing, launch bilateral expert consultations regarding access for Georgian goods to the Russian market. Other corresponding measures are also envisaged,” the statement says.

“The matter concerns continuing our consistent policy aimed at lifting all restrictions hampering social and economic development of the region, free movement of people and cooperation between the nations. We persistently confirm the constructive nature of our policy towards Georgia, unchanged aspiration to restore the traditional good neighborly relations with Georgia,” runs the document.

“Improvement of the relations with Tbilisi, in which the Russian side has keen interest, would reflect core interests of the Russian and Georgian nations. We hope that our actions in this direction would meet adequate response from the Georgian leadership, from which we expect reciprocal positive actions,” informs the Russian foreign ministry.