Georgian, Russian Prominent Politicians To Be Admitted To Georgia-Russia Football Match in Tbilisi?

Chairman of the Georgian parliament Nino Burdzhanadze and chairman of the Russian Federation Council Sergei Mironov are going to visit the football match between Russia and Georgia held on April 30th at the Lokomotiv stadium in Tbilisi, Burdzhanadze said at a press conference in the Georgian capital. It is held within the qualification rounds for the European Football Cup 2004.

In compliance with the UEFA decision, no fans will be admitted to the match. The sanctions were imposed on the Georgian Football Federation after a fan threw a penknife at an Irish player during the match between Georgia and Ireland on March 29th (Ireland won 2:1). However, high-ranking officials from Russia and Georgia will be allowed to visit the match.

The event may be attended not only by Sergei Mironov, but also by Russian Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov.

He will take part in the CIS Interior Ministers' summit due in Tbilisi at the end of April. The date was fixed three months ago and all the participants were expected to visit the match.

It is still unknown whether Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze will attend it. So far he has not applied to the Georgian Football Federation to be included in the list of those allowed to attend the match.