Putin expands visa-free regime for Georgian citizens

ArmInfo. Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree on expanding grounds for the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens. The corresponding document was published on October 10 on the official legal information portal.  

As Izvestia writes, according to the decree, Georgian citizens, including students and workers, now have the right to stay in Russia for more than 90 days.  Earlier, on June 15, Mamuka Pipia, the international secretary of the Georgian party "Solidarity for Peace" appealed to the President of the Russian Federation  to completely abolish the visa regime between the two countries. Pipia stated that  Western countries are trying to subjugate Georgia and hinder dialogue between neighboring states. Despite external pressure, he emphasized, Tbilisi did not join the anti-Russian coalition. 

On June 17, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian authorities would analyze the request.  Back in October of last year, Putin said that Russia and Georgia currently maintain smooth relations.  Within the framework of good-neighborly relations, the two countries have many more economic benefits than outside this framework, he noted.  

Putin canceled  visas for Georgia from May 15, 2023, and on the same day lifted the ban on Russian airlines operating direct flights to the country, introduced in 2019. Now, for a Russian citizen, to fly to Georgia, only one document is needed - a valid foreign passport. Currently, visas to the Russian Federation are required for citizens of Georgia entering the country for work or for a period exceeding 90 days, including for study.