“Georgia strongly condemns the operation of Sokhumi Airport in violation of international standards,” stated Levan Davitashvili, Georgia’s First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development.

“The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), with which we maintain ongoing dialogue and close cooperation, also shares this stance.”

According to Davitashvili, flights operated from Sokhumi Airport contravene Georgia’s Law on Occupation.

“When safety standards cannot be assessed and inspected by our Civil Aviation Agency per international norms, ICAO will not recognize such operations. We are aware of several sanctioned companies involved, but this issue is beyond our immediate control,” he explained.

When asked about responsibility for safety oversight, whether the government has engaged with Russian aviation authorities, and if there are plans to implement retaliatory measures against Russian airlines flying to Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi, Davitashvili emphasized Georgia’s firm stance.

“There is no need for speculation. The Georgian government and our Civil Aviation Agency condemn these actions, as they violate international conventions. Safety standards for international flights must be inspected and enforced in compliance with ICAO regulations, primarily to ensure passenger safety. Additionally, companies operating in breach of the Law on Occupation are not permitted to operate within Georgia. We are employing all available mechanisms to address this issue. However, if certain sanctioned companies continue to operate, our capacity to influence them is limited—this is an unavoidable reality.”

He reiterated Georgia’s position on Sokhumi as an occupied territory: “This is an area unrecognized by Georgia and the international community. This is our openly declared stance. It is well known to the Russian side.”