TBILISI, May 10. /TASS/. Restoring direct flights between Russia and Georgia will not affect the country’s relations with the European Union, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Mariam Kvrivishvili told reporters on Wednesday.

"We believe that this decision (restoring direct flights with the Russian Federation - TASS) will in no way affect our clear choice to be members of the European family, since Georgia will not let in sanctioned airlines and planes," she said.

"Around a million of our country's citizens live in the Russian Federation, this decision will greatly facilitate their trips to Georgia, their ties with their homeland, and, of course, their ties with family members," she added.

At the same time, Kvrivishvili added that representatives of the Russian aviation authorities have not yet applied to the Georgian side for permission to resume direct flights between the countries.

Earlier on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree waiving the visa requirement for Georgian citizens, beginning on May 15. Another presidential decree canceled a ban on flights of Russian airlines to Georgia and on selling tours to the country which had been in effect since 2019.

The visa regime with Georgia was introduced by a decision of Russian authorities in 2000. That said, Georgia waived the visa requirement for Russians in 2012. According to Georgian legislation, Russian citizens can visit Georgia visa-free and stay there for up to one year.

Diplomatic ties between the two countries were severed by Tbilisi in 2008 after Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.