Visa-free regime between Russia and Georgia may be established in 2016

Rules facilitating the visa requirements for citizens of Georgia entered into force on December 23, 2015. According to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the simplification of the visa getting procedure is due to the normalization of relations between the two countries.

According to the Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia is ready to abolish visa regime with Georgia.

“As to the visa regime, we are thinking and we are ready to abolish visa regime”, – said Vladimir Putin.

The President also stressed the fact that Russia did not initiate the break in relations with Georgia.

According to the Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko, the visa-free regime between Russia and Georgia will be established in 2016.

“Some visa exemptions for citizens of Georgia will be introduced by the end of December, but the following abolition of the visa regime requires certain actions in jural sphere. I hope that we will be able to solve this problem and arrange a visa-free regime for citizens of Georgia in 2016”, – said Valentina Matvienko.

It should be recalled that diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia were severed in 2008 after Abkhazia and South Ossetia announced their secession from Georgia, and Russia, in its turn, recognized their independence. The visa regime between the two countries was introduced in 2000 at the initiative of Russia which wanted to ensure the security of borders from terrorists. In February 2012, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili abolished the visa regime for Russian citizens entering the territory of Georgia for more than 90 days.