Petro Poroshenko Recommends Ukrainians to Holiday in Georgia

Ukraine’s former president Petro Poroshenko has released a video in support of Georgia calling on Ukrainians to spend their vacations in Georgian resorts.

According to him, Russia is trying to weaken Georgia’s economy by attacking its tourism sector.

“Our political force expresses its full solidarity with the Georgian people, who resist Russia and its aggression. The Kremlin uses the same methods against Georgia that it uses in aitshybrid war against our state. Moscow wants to economically weaken Georgia by banning Russia’s airlines from flying to Georgia and  so attacks its tourism industry”, Petro Poroshenko said.

The former president of Ukraine calls on Ukrainians to travel to Georgia instead of spending holidays abroad or in the occupied Crimea.

“I ask you to change your plans and visit beautiful, sunny resorts in Georgia, where Georgians will demonstrate their hospitality!” Poroshenko added.

He also called on the Government of Ukraine to provide discounted travel to Georgia.

Additionally, Poroshenko posted online in Georgian: "The hearts of Ukrainians beat for Georgia".

Concluding his address, Poroshenko also proposed changing the official name for Georgia in Ukraine from the Russian-derived "Gruziya" to "Sakartvelo", the latter reflecting the way Georgians name their country. 

The visit of three Russian MPs to Georgia within the framework of a session of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy held at the Parliament building was followed by severe protests by the public and opposition MPs, especially due to the fact that Russian MP Sergei Gavrilov sat in the parliamentary Speaker’s chair.

The protests of Georgians was followed by the Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to ban Russia's airlines from flying to Georgia from July 8. 

By Ana Dumbadze