MARCH 6 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) – Officially, at least, Russian health inspectors had to visit and pass 36 Georgian wine and four mineral water producers before allowing them to resume imports.
Unofficially, politics is behind the return of Georgian wine to Russia.
Allowing the companies into the Russian market effectively lifts a seven year ban on Georgian wines and, importantly, signals a major shift forward in Georgia-Russia relations.
Russian health inspectors imposed the ban in 2006 just as, apparently coincidentally, relations between the countries were disintegrating. Now, it’s a different scenario and over the last couple of years there were two important shifts that smoothed relations further.
After rounds of negotiations, Georgian officials agreed to lift their block on Russia joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Separately, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili surprisingly won a parliamentary election in October and is now Georgia’s PM.
Mr Ivanishvili is Georgia’s richest man, a fortune he made in Russia. He campaigned on a cautiously pro-Russia ticket.
Confirmation of the return of Georgian wine to Russia’s restaurants is due on March 25 but Georgia-Russia relations are clearly improving.
ENDS
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(News report from Issue No. 126, published on March 8 2013)