#Russia resumes direct flights to #Abkhazia | Reactions from Georgia. via @JAMnewsCaucasus jam-news.net/russia-resumes…
Day: May 5, 2025
European Union: “Actions of Georgian government threaten country’s EU integration” via @JAMnewsCaucasus https://t.co/YeP4eOwnjr
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) May 5, 2025
The Georgian Dream government has introduced a bill in the rump parliament to amend the Law on Diplomatic Service, introducing a legal basis for early recall of diplomats from foreign posts for violating ethical standards or acting against the officially declared foreign policy directions of the GD government. The bill, prepared by the Foreign Ministry, comes just days after reports surfaced of a planned reorganization of the MFA, including opposition’s warnings of politically motivated dismissals targeting pro-EU diplomats.
According to the proposed amendments, Article 4 of the law – which outlines the principles of the diplomatic service – will be supplemented with a new principle requiring the “unwavering observance of general rules of ethics and conduct.”
Additionally, the amendments envision the establishment of “general rules of ethics and conduct” within the diplomatic service. These will be approved by the Ministry through an administrative legal act.
As outlined in the explanatory note, the bill introduces a norm that will provide the grounds for early termination of postings in diplomatic missions and consular establishments. Specifically, violation of the Ministry’s approved general rules of ethics and conduct “which may harm the country’s interests and/or image, or committing an act that contradicts the main directions of foreign policy defined by the Parliament of Georgia and the interests of the Ministry,” will constitute grounds for early recall of the person.
Under the proposed changes, diplomatic officials and administrative staff employed in the diplomatic service, like other public servants, will now undergo performance evaluations at least twice a year, instead of once, and the maximum rotation period for heads of mission and other personnel will be extended from six months to up to one year.
The explanatory notes of the bill argues that the amendments are needed because the existing legislation fails to address “current challenges” and no longer reflects the present institutional reality.
The bill’s timing might draw scrutiny. On May 1, just days before the amendments surfaced, reports emerged about a possible reorganization within Georgia’s Foreign Ministry. The Ministry is reportedly planning to dismantle the stand-alone Directorate General for European Integration.
Grigol Gegelia of the opposition coalition Strong Georgia claimed that on top of this approximately 250 people are going to be laid -off due to the reorganization. He also alleged that the targeted employees were among those who, in late 2024, signed a joint statement in support of Georgia’s European Union integration and criticized Georgian Dream’s decision to halt the EU accession process.
The MFA denied the allegations, stating that instead of abolishing the Directorate General for European Integration, it plans to create a new Political Directorate for European Affairs under which the the Departments of Europe and European Integration will merge. The Ministry did not comment on the alleged intended lay-offs of the Ministry staff. It said the reform aims to strengthen the relations with European countries.
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On Georgia’s position towards Abkhazia
After 30 years of inactivity, the Sukhum airport has resumed operations — though it will only receive Russian aircraft.
The Georgian side reacted predictably negatively. But Abkhaz journalist Inal Khashig sees this stance as pointless and unconstructive.
In his column for Chegemskaya Pravda, Khashig explains why he believes it is time for Georgia to change its uncompromising position on Abkhazia.
Inal Khashig:
“The world is changing at a kaleidoscopic pace.
Trump befriends Putin and clashes with Brussels.
Tbilisi quarrels with Brussels and trades amicably with Moscow…
What recently seemed like a surreal fantasy is now taking real shape.
The only thing that remains unchanged is the official reaction of Tbilisi to developments in Abkhazia.
Even if Georgia were to return to the CIS, join the CSTO, or any other Moscow-led alliance, its view of Abkhazia would stay exactly the same — immune to time and circumstance.
And so, Tbilisi’s response to the reopening of Sukhum airport was entirely predictable and familiar: ‘Forbidden!’”
But how productive is this position?
No matter how much it may want to, Tbilisi cannot prevent the resumption of air travel between Abkhazia and Russia — just as it cannot influence any other area of Russian-Abkhaz cooperation.
The Georgian government is simply unable to intervene in relations between Sukhum and Moscow.
And the more the “rest of the world” remains closed to Abkhazia, the closer its ties with Russia become.
There’s another odd aspect to Tbilisi’s behaviour.
The restoration of air travel is in the interest of not just Abkhazia, but Russia too. And in recent years, the Georgian government has been actively engaging with Moscow — so actively, in fact, that it has earned the label of being “pro-Russian”. It seems likely that the ruling Georgian Dream party is quietly hoping the Kremlin will help it “bring back” Abkhazia.
At the same time, Tbilisi constantly refers to the Abkhaz as “brothers” and promises them the world if they come to their senses and return to the “fold of Georgia”.
Against this backdrop, the routine protest against air travel appears not only pointless but counterproductive — because in doing so, the Georgian authorities anger Russia, whom they count on to return Abkhazia, and further deepen the Abkhaz mistrust towards Tbilisi.
Of course, Tbilisi doesn’t need my advice. But I would still suggest a more rational approach to Abkhazia.
To start with, try learning to say “yes” — especially in situations where your opinion doesn’t really change anything. This could add a more positive emotional tone to relations between Tbilisi and Sukhum, as well as to business ties between Georgia and Russia.
And then, perhaps, the changes sweeping through the world might finally reach the Georgian-Abkhaz space too.
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