A leading Georgian Parliamentarian says that a popular travel route from Georgia to Southern Europe goes through Finland. Konstantin Gabashvili, who chairs the Parliament's committee on foreign affairs, says that Georgian bus tours to other parts of Europe pass through Finland because it is easier to arrange for a Schengen visa in Moscow than in the Georgian capital Tbilisi.
"Getting a Schengen visa in Tbilisi is often impossible. Local tour operators use Russian go-betweens who have good relations with European consulates. The same people have also had good contacts with Finland ever since the days of Finnish 'vodka tourism'. That is why Georgians often travel to Europe in Russian buses through Finland."
Gabashvili says that foreign embassies have complained that there are fixed prices in Tbilisi for a variety of travel documents.
"It is an unfortunate fact that everything here is available for money, whether it is a Green Card, or a European visa."
The group of 48 Georgian women who were refused entry into Finland and flown back to Tbilisi last week were not victims of trade in human beings, in Gabashvili's view. He says that their purpose was to buy goods during the trip for resale back at home.
He also said that labelling the Georgians as prostitutes in Finland stemmed from an ignorance of their culture.
"The people of the Caucasus have never been known for that. They should be seen separately from the Slavs - the Russians and the Belarussians."
Georgia's Parliamentary Ombudsman has asked his Finnish counterpart for more information about the case of the 48 women.
In a fax sent to Finnish Parliamentary Ombudsman Riitta-Leena Paunio, Georgian Ombudsman Sozar Subari also asked for support in securing the rights of the Georgians.
In a response sent on Wednesday, Paunio noted that the appeal submitted on behalf of the women will go before the Kouvola Administrative Court, where the women will be represented by a Finnish lawyer.
