Georgia Not Yet Ready To Open Land Borders Despite Air Traffic Resumption - Minister

TBILISI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th January, 2021) The Georgian authorities are not ready to open land borders yet, but foreigners will be able to enter the country by air from February 1, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Natela Turnava said on Friday.

On Thursday, the Georgian prime minister's special representative for relations with Russia, Zurab Abashidze, said that the Georgian side hoped to open the land border with Russia in the nearest future, depending on the epidemiological situation.

"From February 1, we are not talking about a general opening, but only about the arrival of guests in the country solely by air. So far, the land borders present a great risk [in terms of the spread of the coronavirus].

We will further monitor this situation," Turnava said on a briefing.

In March, Georgia suspended flights with all countries, and closed its land borders to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. In August, for the first time since the start of the health crisis, Georgia resumed regular flights with Germany, France, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Earlier in January, Turnava said that Georgia would lift a ban on regular flights from February 1.

In Tbilisi, malls and grocery stores will also reopen from February 1. Schools and municipal transport will start to function from March 1.

Georgia's nationwide curfew, which was imposed from 10 p.m. (18:00 GMT) to 5 a.m., will last until March 1.