Georgia’s decision to file an interstate lawsuit against Russia at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is an “unfriendly” move, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on March 27.

In a lawsuit submitted to the ECHR on March 26 Tbilisi is seeking pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages from Moscow for the alleged violation of the rights of hundreds of ethnic Georgians who have been deported from the Russian Federation since late September 2006.

“The Russian side has clarified the situation on several occasions and has denied all allegations made,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in the statement.

The statement goes on to state that Georgia’s decision to file the lawsuit was part of its “anti-Russian propaganda” which aimed at securing “foreign support for its [Tbilisi’s] irresponsible policy regarding the Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts.”

“The Georgian side had an opportunity to continue the joint work towards the improvement of relations, which seemed to have been underway, in a calm and non-confrontational line; but unfortunately, Tbilisi has chosen other options. The Georgian side should understand that this is yet another unfriendly move against Russia and that it will be bad news for bilateral relations,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.