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Georgian authorities issue permit to Russia’s Azimut to perform flights starting May 17

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed earlier a decree waiving the visa requirement for Georgian citizens beginning on May 15

TBILISI, May 15. /TASS/. Georgia's Civil Aviation Agency has issued a permit to Russia’s Azimut air carrier to perform charter flights from Russia to the republic starting May 17, the agency’s head Givi Davitashvili said in an interview with the Imedi TV channel on Monday.

"The exploration of one of airliners’ request has completed already. This is Azimut Airlines, which may perform flights as early as starting May 17. The permit was issued today by the Civil Aviation Agency of Georgia. The first flight will be performed on May 17. Those will be charter flights," he said.

Totally the agency is considering requests for launch of flights of five air carriers, one of which belongs to the Georgian national carrier Georgian Airways, Davitashvili added. Azimut has been permitted to fly from Moscow to Tbilisi, he said, noting that air companies also request flights from other Russian cities, as well as flights not only to Georgia’s capital, but also to Batumi and Kutaisi.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed earlier a decree waiving the visa requirement for Georgian citizens beginning on May 15. Another presidential decree canceled a ban on flights by 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.

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