Russian Border Closed for the Georgian Bus Companies

Starting from September 15 Russia prohibited seven Georgian bus companies to carry out passenger traffic between Georgia and Russia.

In a statement issued on September 14 the Russian Foreign Ministry denied Georgia?s accusations that Russia imposes blockade on Georgia and explained the move with purely economic reasons, citing the fact that bus traffic is not carried out on the “basis of parity”. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry during the first half of 2004 the Russian bus companies carried out only one trip to Georgia, while the Georgian companies ? 277.

?Georgian carriers fail to maintain the regularity of routes and to keep to the timetable. Hence, we decided to cancel the bus routes between Russia and Georgia,? the Russian Foreign Ministry?s statement reads.

In practice, the road traffic between Georgia and Russia is stopped since early September, after the Russian side closed down its border with Georgia following the hostage tragedy in North Ossetian town of Beslan.

Earlier in September Russian Transport Ministry also warned the Georgian side that it will prevent the Georgian airlines from entering Russian airspace starting from October 1. Russia quotes the debt of USD 3,6 million, which the Georgia air carriers owe to the Russian navigation service. Georgian aviation administration claims that all of the companies that incurred these debts went bankrupt, and the matter should be settled in court. The Georgian aviation administration considers it “strange” that the operational Georgian carries with no debts to Russia are also banned from entering the Russian airspace.

?The purpose of this measure is to repay debts and not to close Russian airspace,? the Russian Foreign Ministry?s statement reads.