From the BBC:
“Russian Airlines Demand That
Kremlin Pay Losses for Georgia Flight Ban”
Russian airlines are demanding
the government compensate them for three months of losses from suspended
flights to Georgia as the neighboring countries move toward resuming the
schedule, the Kommersant business daily reported Friday. President Vladimir
Putin ordered the temporary ban of passenger flights from Russia to Georgia
following an outbreak of unrest in Tbilisi triggered by the visit of a Russian
lawmaker in June. The Russian government promised at the time to compensate
airlines for their losses. A number of
Russian airlines have sent letters to the Russian government valuing their lost
profits at 1.3 billion rubles ($20 million). Russia’s second-largest airline, S7, estimates
its losses at 600 million rubles, the fourth-largest, Pobeda, at 500 million
rubles and smaller player, Red Wings, at 200 million rubles, Kommersant said. “I’m
sure our relevant departments [in the] government are holding discussions with
the companies,” RBC quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying later
Friday during his daily press briefing. Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week “it would be right” to restore direct
flights to and from Russia and Georgia. Peskov
also said Friday that Georgians had reacted negatively to Lavrov’s recent
meeting with his Georgian counterpart, and that the flights will resume “when
there’s a suitable moment.” Georgia
hopes that Russian flights will resume soon and the Russian government sees “no
obstacles to reviewing” the ban, the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia reported
Friday. Russia and Georgia fought a short war in 2008. Moscow and Tbilisi have
not had diplomatic ties since, and Russia went on to recognize the independence
of two breakaway Georgian regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, where Russian
troops are now garrisoned.
^ The Russian Government should compensate
the Russian airlines the $20 Million Dollars lost when the Russian Government unilaterally
and unjustifiably stop all flights to/from Georgia. I also believe the Russian
Government should compensate the Georgian airlines, but realistically that will
never happen. The most Georgia can hope for is that Russia will finally re-open
their air space. ^
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