Russia Limits Flights of Georgian Airlines

(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, August 8, 2002) – The Georgian government has been trying to negotiate with Russia concerning the lifting of the limitations on Tbilisi-Moscow flights carried by the Georgian Airlines – Airzena Company.

Russian side restricted flights from 9 am to 3 am. Russia explained such a decision with the security issues, as the military exercise was held in one of the North Caucasian towns in Russian Federation.

But the limitation on flights concerned only to the Georgian company, while the flights by the Russian Aeroflot Company is carried out regularly. Georgian authorities claim that this could be regarded as a pressure on Georgia.

On August 7 Georgian Minister of Communication and Transport Merab Adeishvili told the Interfax news agency that in case the Russia side does not lift the limitation, Georgia would carry out the same policy towards the Russian companies.

Tamaz Gaiashvili, President of Airzena said that the company loses USD 10,000 per-day because of flight restrictions.