Georgia kilt warning for Tartan Army

Published on Tuesday 9 October 2007 11:59

THE Tartan Army are being warned not to lift their kilts when they go to see Scotland play Georgia, as it could lead to trouble.

The British ambassador in Georgia, Denis Keefe, warned fans about the dangers in the ex-Soviet country ahead of the Euro 2008 match next Wednesday. Violent crime against Westerners is common in Georgia, and there is a risk of theft, extortion and even kidnapping.

He wrote: "Georgia is a conservative and proud society. Celebrations should take that into account. For example the lifting of the kilt would probably cause grave offence and possibly lead to confrontation."

Scottish fans are also warned about the tap water, erratic driving, poor standards of cars and to "exercise extreme caution when crossing roads."

One Briton, who works in the capital Tbilisi, said that simply wearing a kilt could be asking for trouble. He said:

"There have been numerous cases of foreigners getting into cabs, driven to a secluded area and extorted for money at gunpoint."