Georgia Lifts Visa Rules for Russia

Russian citizens will be able to enter and stay without a visa in Georgia for ۹۰ days, according to a presidential decree number ۱۴۹.
Publishing date of the presidential decree on the state online registry of legal acts is February ۲۹ - a day after President Saakashvili said in his annual state of the nation address that Georgia would unilaterally lift visa requirements for Russian citizens “to give more chance to the peace.”
In October, ۲۰۱۰ Georgia allowed ۹۰-day visa-free travel for Russian citizens registered as residents of Russia’s republics in the North Caucasus, while other Russian citizens were able to obtain the visa upon arrival in Georgia.
“While deepening close ties with the West we are at the same time interested in improving relations with Russia,” Saakashvili said during his annual address in the Parliament on February ۲۸. “We know it is not easy, but Russia is and will always be our neighbor, which determines our desire to have peace with [Russia], but it can be peace with such Russia, which recognizes and complies with all the international legal norms of relations between two sovereign countries.”
He said that WTO deal with Russia was a good example that “it is possible to reach a result even” with Russia “if you stand firm on your principles.”

“We welcome economic ties with Russia. So we are ready to give more chance to the peace and we put forth new initiative of lifting visa regime with Russia unilaterally,” Saakashvili said.

“Let every Russian businessman know that they can come to Georgia, invest in Georgia, make business in Georgia, employ people in Georgia and they will be protected here like any other representative of other countries… Let Russian tourists know that they arrive here at any time,” he said, adding that in Georgia no one would “ban them from drinking Georgian wine and Borjomi, which they miss so much”. Russia banned import of Georgian wine and mineral waters in ۲۰۰۶.