The Russian cruise ship Astoria Grande departed from the Black Sea port of Batumi after facing protests from anti-war demonstrators who threw eggs and demanded that its passengers leave. Georgia has been trying to attract Russian tourists, but many protesters and opposition parties object to Russia’s occupation of Georgian territory and its invasion of Ukraine. Demonstrations also took place in the capital, Tbilisi, against the cruises.
The ship recently started Black Sea cruises from the Russian port of Sochi, and its visit to Batumi sparked anger among residents. Some 800 Russian tourists arrived in the Georgian resort, and their parroting of Kremlin propaganda about the 2008 Russian invasion of South Ossetia and Abkhazia further fueled the protests. On Monday, singers who supported the war in Ukraine were hosted on the ship, leading to heightened tensions.
As the tourists disembarked, protesters waved Georgian, Ukrainian, and EU flags and chanted anti-Putin slogans. The demonstrations led to 23 arrests, including that of a Ukrainian woman. The Astoria Grande unexpectedly left port on Tuesday evening, signaling that Batumi may no longer be part of its cruise schedule.
The ruling Georgian Dream party’s efforts to improve relations with Moscow and reinstate direct flights between Georgia and Russia have caused discontent among many Georgians. Pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili praised the protesters for challenging the “latest Russian provocation,” referring to Russia’s suspension of a deal allowing Ukraine’s grain shipments and restricting shipping movements in the Black Sea.
On the other hand, the ruling party chairman, Irakli Kobakhidze, criticized the protests as violent and took issue with US ambassador Kelly Degnan’s statement that Georgians should not be expected to welcome tourists from a country occupying their territory.
According to Georgian reports, the Astoria Grande had planned to visit Batumi every two weeks as part of a cruise costing around £900 (€1,150). However, the ship’s website later removed Batumi from its route, opting for a path along the Turkish coast.
