The tense relationship between Russia and Georgia is intensifying. The trigger was a tirade by a Georgian TV presenter against Russian President Vladimir Putin. That was unacceptable, said Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The incident was a shame for the Georgian people. The authorities are not in a position to keep radical anti-Russian forces in check.
TV presenter Giorgi Gabunia had yesterday called in a show Russians as slaves and asked them to leave the country. He spoke in Russian, what he said is in both countries as not publicly quotable. There were dismissal demands against Gabon, he was silent today.
No diplomatic relations
Relations between the two countries have been strained for years. Because of the South Caucasus war in 2008, there are no diplomatic relations. Georgia had finally lost the two breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The quarrel between Moscow and Tbilisi has rocked again since June. The trigger was the appearance of a Russian deputy in the parliament of the former Soviet republic. There were then demonstrations in which about 250 people were injured. Russia then ordered to discontinue the direct flights into Russia, which is extremely popular with Russians. The last flight from Tbilisi arrived in Moscow last night.
