The European Union may suspend visa-free travel for Georgia after the October 16 parliamentary elections if violations in the context of free elections are found.
Following the 2017 agreement, Georgians are eligible to travel to EU countries inside the Schengen Area for up to six months a year without being required to apply for a visa at first, Schengen.News reports.
However, the EU may revoke such benefits from Georgians. Suspending visa-free travel does not require full consensus among EU countries. The approval of 15 countries is sufficient.
EU-Georgia relations have deteriorated in the past year following the Georgians Dream Party’s introduction of authoritarian laws and strengthening ties with Moscow.
However, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze believes that relations with Western partners will improve starting next year.
Kobakhidze told Jam News that he believes that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will end next year, which, according to him, will lead to the normalisation of relations between the Georgian government and its partners.
I want to emphasise that we have certain challenges in our relations with partners, but I believe that once the war in Ukraine ends, all problems will be resolved, and relations will return to normal. Regarding our forecast, we have great hope and belief that the war in Ukraine will end next year.
The Georgian PM considered the improvement of relations between Georgia and the EU “crucial”.
Therefore, starting next year, relations between the Georgian government and our partners will significantly improve, which is crucial for avoiding any obstacles to economic development.
Suspension of Visa-Free Travel Not the Right Answer
In May this year, several EU countries called on the EU to impose sanctions against Georgia, including suspending the visa-free travel regime.
The request resulted from the passing of the “foreign agents” law by the government of Georgia.
The law urges organisations in this country that receive a specific amount of funding from abroad to be labelled as “foreign agents”.
In addition, the bill, similar to a law in Russia, gives Georgian authorities the right to monitor internal discussions of these organisations.
In June, The EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński, said that following the adoption of the “foreign agents” law, the member states may decide to suspend visa-free travel for Georgians for six months.
The proposal was not considered the right answer by the German Bundestag member Robin Wagener.
