TBILISI, June 3. /TASS/. Major international airlines continue to operate flights to Russia, but the Georgian opposition and some media have focused on criticizing Georgian Airways as allegedly supporting the Russian economy, the company’s founder Tamaz Gaiashvili said in a statement.
"The Georgian opposition and its mouthpiece media are shouting that we are helping the Russian economy. An airline with only four planes at its disposal cannot influence the Russian economy," the statement said. Gaiashvili recalled that Turkish Airlines, one of the world's largest airlines with a fleet of more than 500 aircraft, also flies to Russia. Planes from Armenia, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Asian countries and others also fly to the country.
Georgian Airways was included in a list of companies sanctioned by Kiev, according to information posted on the website of Ukraine's National Agency on Corruption Prevention on Thursday.
On May 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree abolishing the visa regime for citizens of Georgia from May 15. By another decree, the president canceled the ban on flights by Russian airlines and sales of tours to Georgia, which had been in effect since 2019. Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili slammed the decisions taken by the Russian side as provocative, while the government and the ruling "Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia" party welcomed the visa-free regime and direct flights for Georgian citizens. Georgian Airways, the country's primary airline, began direct flights on May 20. Russian airline Red Wings will begin flying to Georgia in June.