Pushkov: Georgia rejects entry of Russian MP who has visited Abkhazia and South Ossetia

The Georgian authorities have denied entry to the Russian MP Vasily Likhachov, a member of the PACE delegation for monitoring the election in Georgia. This was stated by Alexei Pushkov, the head of the Russian delegation to the PACE office after a sitting of the Bureau within the opening autumn PACE session. The Georgian party does not confirm this information.

According to the Georgian legislation, the persons who visit Abkhazia and South Ossetia cannot enter the territory of Georgia, Mr Pushkov has explained.

He also noted that because of the incident the PACE may impose sanctions on Georgia. "The meeting of the Bureau in Vienna in late November can set sanctions - no activities will be held by the Council of Europe in the territory of Georgia for two years," the "Interfax" quotes Alexei Pushkov as saying.

Let us note here that Leonid Slutsky, the head of the State Duma Committee on CIS, has treated the incident as "outrageous". He also said that the decision taken by the Georgian party in relation to Likhachov "is contrary to the words" of the Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who called for softening the law "On Occupied Territories".