Georgia will completely shut down air traffic in the country starting Mach 21 in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Georgian Prime Minister's Advisor for Foreign Affairs Irakli Chikovani said today.
Chikovani added that only "government-coordinated flights" carried out by the national flag carrier Georgian Airlines will be operated.
He also said that every citizen who enters Georgia will be quarantined, Agenda.ge reported.
Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava announced yesterday that in order to help Georgian citizens who are currently abroad and cannot return to their home country due to suspended or cancelled flights, the government of Georgia will offer to co-finance flights that will be carried out by Georgian Airways.
"We leave Georgian Airways on the market and support the airline company, which will carry out commercial charter flights to certain directions along its regular flights. In order to be affordable the price of the tickets the state will offer the co-financing scheme," Turnava said.
She also said that quarantine spaces for Georgian citizens returning to the country from abroad amid the outbreak of the new coronavirus must be created. She added that the Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA) will be responsible for creating quarantine zones for them.
Also, the state will support Georgian citizens who are now in the EU Schengen Zone and will have to violate the legal, 90-day-term of stay due to restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with the European Commission and the EU member states to support Georgian citizens who are unable to leave the Schengen Zone, announced the Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani.
