Georgian Interests Section of Swiss Embassy to Russia cannot issue visas for absence of electricity

The Georgian section of the Swiss Embassy to the Russian Federation has again faced problems: the business centre, housing the consular department of the Georgian Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Moscow, for several weeks has electricity outage, Nino Kalandadze, Deputy Foreign Minister, said at a press briefing.

According to her story, Georgia has sent to Russia several notes of protest and informed the Swiss party about the problem. The Georgian party will monitor the developments for some time, and then take measures in response.

"The Russian party believes that this is a private dispute, as the second party is a private entity. Although of course, when the case concerns officials of Ministries of Foreign Affairs, it is surely an interstate litigation," the "Georgia Online" quotes Ms Kalandadze as saying.

Givi Shugarov, the head of the Georgian Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Russia, has confirmed that the consular service section had suspended issuing visas from October 22, because the Russian party stopped electricity supply on October 21. However, as reported by the "News-Georgia", the main building of the section has electricity.

So far, the Russian party has not commented the recent power outage in the building of business centre. Earlier, Alexander Lukashevich, the spokesman of the Russian MFA, had noted that the reason of the difficulties faced by the Consular Division of the Georgian Interests Section is in the unsettled relations with the owner of the building, and recommended the Georgian party to immediately start direct talks on repayment of debts for using the premises and utility services.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported earlier that from August 4 it became impossible in Moscow to get visas to Georgia, because the Georgian Interests Section suspended its work because of power switch-off for utility debts. The work was resumed on August 8, and on August 17 electricity was turned off again, as the rental and utility debts were not paid. On August 22, the Section resumed its work, after the electricity supply was renewed at the request of the Russian MFA.

Let us remind you that on August 25 the Moscow Arbitration Court accepted the lawsuit of the Limited Liability Company (LLC) "Ostozhenka Business Centre" on eviction of the consular division of the Georgian Interests Section for non-payment of rental and utility bills. On October 17, the Moscow Arbitration Court closed the proceedings on this lawsuit, since the above Georgian Interests Section at the Swiss Embassy to Russia is covered by judicial immunity and cannot be sued on this case.

The court has pointed out in its definition that the dispute related to the interests of the Georgian Interests Section at the Embassy of the Swiss Confederation to Russia, since the premises were granted for the exercise of powers in the territory of Russia under agreement between the government of the Russian Federation and the Federal Council of Switzerland. Thus, Russia has an international legal obligation to ensure the efficient stay of this international organization in Moscow. The Georgian Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland to Russia is performing consular functions, and its activities are covered by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the RIA "Novosti" reports.

Also, another lawsuit of the above Business Centre "Ostozhenka" on recovery from the Georgian Interests Section of the indebtedness in the amount of 25 million roubles for utility bills is now being considered. The Arbitration Court has appointed the main hearing on this lawsuit for February 1, 2012.