"We will have a harsh response to this xenophobia" - Kobakhidze on the request to establish a visa regime with Russia

Chairman of the Georgian Dream Irakli Kobakhidze calls the demand to introduce a visa regime with Russia a "xenophobic campaign" and declares that "a harsh response will be given to it.

As Kobakhidze noted, "There is no place for xenophobia in Georgia."

"This is a purposeful xenophobic campaign which is absolutely shameful. It does not fit into any norms, any standards. If someone wants to be European, he cannot prove it with xenophobia. As for tourism, tourism is one of the main directions of our economy, and there are a lot of fakes spread about it. For example, one of the TV channels announced that the number of Russian tourists in Georgia today is 10 percent of the population of Georgia, which is a complete lie. If we take the data in reality, it will not be even one percent. 242 thousand people have entered and left Georgia. I would remind you that the previous government introduced visa-free travel regulations for Russian citizens after the August war and today the same people are urging us to introduce restrictions, sanctions and so on. This is usual xenophobia and of course we will have a harsh answer to this xenophobia," - Kobakhidze said.