Russia toughens visa treatment of Georgia

A representative of the Federal Migration Service of Russia told about the forthcoming changes of the visa-granting mode that may touch on citizens of Georgia.

In particular, the term of permanent stay in our country will be cut twice and make 90 days. Besides, all the quotas on employment and residence for citizens of Georgia will be cancelled.

Mikhail Tyurkin, Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Migration Service: "We have thoroughly studied the jobs requested and who can take them, and made a decision that no quotas will be granted to citizens of Georgia: neither for residence, nor for labour activities."

Besides, the NTV reports, the managers of the Migration Service are going to persuade their Belarusian colleagues to introduce visa treatment for Georgia.

"Today, we have no border with Belarus - we are a Union State - and no migration control posts and customs services. Consequently, a citizen arrives in the territory of Belarus, and from there can get to Russia without any documents. We are elaborating the issue," Mikhail Tyurkin asserted.

He explained the cancellation of quotas and introduction of visa restrictions by the fact that over half of Georgian migrants are illegally staying in the territory of our country. Besides - according to statistics, - they commit administrative offences and crimes more often than other CIS citizens.

We remind you that October 4 Deputies of the State Duma adopted a statement "On Anti-Russian and Antidemocratic Policies of Georgian Authorities." The Duma states that under the current situation Russia has the right to secure its safety, including introduction of sanctions, "first of all financial and economic ones." The statement also reserves Russia's right to resort to still tougher measures.

Russia earlier suspended the air, railway, motor and postal communications with Georgia. These sanctions were a development of the spy scandal that burst out in Georgia on September 27.

The correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" informed earlier that the Georgia authorities announced detainment in Tbilisi of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Savva and Lieutenant Colonel Dmitri Kazantsev; in Batumi they detained Lieutenant Colonel Alexei Zavgorodniy and Major Alexander Baranov. Later in Georgia two more Russian servicemen were detained - Amir Aslanyan and Ruslan Skrylnikov. They are all accused by Georgia of running reconnaissance activities in the territory of the country. The Russian party appraised the actions of Georgian power structures as provocative and requested an immediate release of Russian soldiers. On September 28, Russia recalled its ambassador from Georgia. On October 2, Georgia handed the detainees to OSCE representatives, and they were sent to Russia.