Russia may apply visa-free regime with Georgia in 2016
Valentina Matviyenko, the Russian Federation Council Speaker, expects that Russia will introduce a visa-free regime for Georgian citizens in 2016, RIA Novosti reported.
“Currently, Russia and Georgia are taking positive actions towards each other," she said at a press conference on December 24. “I hope that the problem will be fully resolved in 2016 and a visa-free regime will be introduced for Georgian citizens," she said.
Russia introduced a visa regime with Georgia in December 2000, due to the threat of intrusion into its territory of terrorists from the Pankisi Gorge (valley region in Georgia).
Tbilisi broke off diplomatic relations with Russia after the latter recognized the independence of Georgia’s breakaway regions - Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Tskhinvali region) in August of 2008.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced about Moscow’s readiness to restore relations and cancel visa regime with Georgia.
"We are ready to restore relations. Territorial integrity of Georgia is first of all the business of the Georgian, the south-Ossetian and Abkhazian people," the president said, noting that Russia would accept any decision Georgia would agree with South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
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