The border with Georgia should be opened, we should be freed from the monopoly of AZAL!

"The land route is closed and the air fares are so high that it is practically impossible for people with halal income to travel frequently"

Azerbaijan's national air carrier AZAL once again reminded passengers planning to visit Georgia about the requirements in force when entering the country.

According to AZAL, from January 1, 2026, the requirement for the existence of a health insurance policy for all foreign citizens entering Georgia came into force. This requirement applies to passengers traveling to Georgia for tourism, business or transit purposes.

According to the rules, foreign citizens visiting Georgia must be provided with a health insurance and accident insurance policy valid during their stay in the country - from the date of entry to the date of exit. The minimum amount of insurance coverage should be 30,000 Georgian Laris (GEL).

Insurance policy can be issued by insurance companies of Georgia or foreign countries. The document must be submitted in electronic or paper format, in Georgian or English.

The airline recommends that passengers take out medical insurance before the flight to avoid fines, delays or additional procedures.

AZAL said that checking the insurance policy of passengers during flight registration is only for the purpose of providing advance information about the entry rules.

The new requirement is applied according to the Law of Georgia "On Tourism" and the decision of the Georgian government "On approval of the rules and conditions of compulsory health and accident insurance for tourists coming to Georgia".

Chairman of "Borchali" Public Union, socio-political figure Zalimkhan Mammadli in his statement to "Sherg.az" emphasized that the issue is quite urgent and said that if Georgia's mandatory medical insurance requirement for foreign citizens is established by law, all tourists entering the country must comply with these requirements.

The expert also noted that our more serious problem in the current situation is the difficulties experienced at border crossings. According to him, our compatriots face serious difficulties during travel because Azerbaijan keeps its land borders closed for a long time: "We must solve this problem of our compatriots. I, Zalimkhan Mammadli, have to go to Georgia once a month, but now I can hardly go once a year. The land route is closed, and the prices of the airlines are very high, so it is practically impossible for people with halal income to travel often. This is not only a financial problem, but also a problem of social and family relationships. creates serious difficulties in terms of protection".

Z. Mammadli added that citizens of Azerbaijan should respect the decisions made by the government of Georgia, just as they follow the rules adopted by their own country. According to him, the demand for health insurance is in accordance with international standards, and politicizing this issue is not the right approach. At the same time, the expert reminded that Azerbaijan and Georgia are strategic allied countries and said that the continuation of the movement between the citizens of the two countries in a traditional and convenient way would meet the interests of both sides: "Azerbaijan, in turn, should create an opportunity for land movement on the border with Georgia, and save people from the monopoly created by AZAL. The opening of land borders is important not only from the social point of view, but also from the point of view of improving economic relations. This would facilitate the daily life of our compatriots, as well as the development of humanitarian and economic relations between the two countries. will give an impetus".