Visa-free regime with North Caucasus will be enforced starting October 13, Spokesperson of President of Georgia Manana Manjgaladze stated during the briefing held today.
Manjgaladze said visa-free travel introduction to the North Caucasians is the first step to the idea voiced by President of Georgia at the United Nations.
"President of Georgia spoke about idea of the united Caucasus on the General Assembly of UN. Simplification of visa regime to the North Caucasians is directly connected with the issue. Security is controlled by other methods and not by issuing or not issuing visas," Manjgaladze stated.
Official Moscow considers Tbilisi's decision to let North Caucasians enter Georgia without a visa as propaganda. As Ria Novosti reports, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov stated about it.
Lavrov says Russia has seen no official document regarding Georgia decision about it and says they were informed by the news agencies. "Within relations between the civilized partners, it is a rule to jointly discuss such issues," Lavrov stated.
Based on President's decree of October 11, 2010, new regime of crossing the Georgian state border will take effect from October 13, implying 90 day visa-free entrance for residents of following entities of the Russian Federation - Chechnya, Ingushetia, North Ossetia, Dagestan, Kabardo-Balkaria, Karachai-Cherkezia and Adige Republics.
