The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Ahmed Davitoghlu. Besides the relations between two countries, they spoke about the Turkish captain, who was detained because of illegal attempt of crossing the Abkhaz border. As the President stated, everyone who crosses the Georgian border must adhere to the laws existing in Georgian legislation.

"Our country is open for people who cross the border legally, but Georgia has laws, that should be kept in the process of border crossing.

I call on any Turkish citizen not to violate those minimal laws that the Georgian legislation requires. Unfortunately, a simple procedure of crossing the Georgian border was violated, so we had to detain the Turkish captain and some limitations were put on the company. We created such mechanisms that will help any foreign citizen and Georgia to avoid the problems", stated the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili during the meeting.

The tanker sailing under Panama's flag will not return to the owner, as for the captain of the ship on the basis of a procedural agreement he was condemned to a conditional sentence of three years and 30 000 GEL penalty.

Press Office
of the President of Georgia