Tbilisi denies issuing mass Russian passports for Samtskhe-Javakheti
By Jamila Babayeva
Media reports on issuing mass Russian passports for Samtskhe-Javakheti's Armenians were not confirmed.
The news was announced by Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaniani at a briefing on April 22.
Earlier, the Georgian media reported that the residents of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region are standing in line in front of Russia's Consulate in Tbilisi to get Russian passports.
Russia's Consulate in Tbilisi operates under the auspices of the Switzerland embassy due to the lack of diplomatic relations with Georgia.
Commenting on the decision of Russian President Vladimir Pution on simplifying the procedure of granting Russian citizenship to native Russian-language speakers, Zalkaniani said Georgian citizens must renounce their Georgian citizenship when they get the citizenship of another country.
Putin signed a decree on Russian citizenship simplification process on April 21.
Zalkaniani noted that the Georgian government is currently studying the document more carefully.
"However, I would like to inform all those interested in this issue that in accordance with the Georgian legislation, in the case of getting Russian citizenship, Georgian citizens are automatically deprived of their citizenship," he added.
The Georgian side should develop the appropriate legal mechanisms to respond to this decision by the Russian side, he added.