The European Union is ready to suspend the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens in response to the anti-democratic actions of the Georgian authorities and their anti-Western rhetoric.
Points of attention
- The EU is considering suspending the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens due to anti-democratic actions and anti-Western rhetoric of the authorities.
- Georgia's parliament passing laws criticized by the EU might lead to the suspension of the country's European integration.
- Russia's investments in Georgia's political direction through collaborators could hinder the country's democratic development.
- The Georgian National Legion's involvement in supporting Ukraine's struggle for independence raises concerns about external influences in Georgian politics.
- The potential suspension of visa-free travel for Georgia highlights the importance of upholding democratic standards and respecting human rights for countries seeking European integration.
The EU may close visa-free travel for Georgia
A representative of the EU's executive body confirmed that if the party in power "Georgian Dream" continues its authoritarian course, all options for response are possible, "including a potential temporary suspension of the visa liberalization scheme."
Within the framework of the visa liberalization dialogue between the EU and Georgia and the corresponding Action Plan, Georgia was required to achieve specific indicators, in particular ensuring the protection of fundamental rights and prevention of discrimination.
The interlocutor of Politico noted that in the event of the development of "events that pose a risk to the internal security of the Schengen area, as well as in the event of further decline of democracy in Georgia," an appropriate assessment will be made.
According to the terms of the visa-free agreement concluded in 2017, citizens of Georgia can visit the EU countries that are part of the Schengen zone for up to six months a year without visas.
Confirmation that Brussels is considering such measures comes after Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said this week that any changes to the visa deal would be "cheap blackmail".
They are trying to tell people that if Georgian society does not return to power the bloody regime, the "United National Movement", then society will be punished — this is the message... This is some kind of cheap blackmail, and Georgian society will respond to this blackmail on October 26.
How Georgia can be deprived of a visa
After the Georgian parliament passed the scandalous law "On transparency of foreign influence", which has been compared to the Russian law on "foreign agents", the EU summit declared that it effectively suspends the process of European integration of Georgia.
On September 17, the Parliament of Georgia adopted in the third reading a legislative package on "family values and protection of minors", known as "laws against LGBT propaganda", which was criticized in the EU and the Council of Europe. It should be noted that respect for minorities is one of the criteria of the Visa Liberalization Action Plan.
Georgia already meets the conditions under which Brussels gets the right to deny its citizens access to visa-free travel.
The visa-free suspension mechanism adopted in 2018, among other things, allows such a punishment to be applied to "countries that have ceased to meet certain requirements for visa liberalization."
Such a decision is automatically activated by the European Commission in the event that "a simple majority of the member states informs the commission" of a violation by Georgia. The visa liberalization action plan that Georgia followed in order to become visa-free required it to meet a number of criteria regarding the functioning of democracy and respect for human rights, which Tbilisi currently does not meet.
EU legislation provides for a procedure of temporary suspension of visa liberalization (for a period of 9 to 27 months), after which the offending state may be deprived of visa-free status on a permanent basis.
So far, there have been no precedents for the activation of the new visa-free suspension mechanism by the European Union.
The government in Georgia is occupied by the Russian Federation
In 2014, Mamuka Mamulashvili created the "Georgian National Legion". The main goal is to help the Ukrainian people to preserve their independence. The "Georgian Legion" has become one of the largest foreign military formations in Ukraine.
Mamuka told Online.UA why Georgian volunteers are fighting for Ukraine, how many criminal cases have been opened against them in Russia, how the FSB works in his native country and why the victory of Ukraine is important for Georgia.
Russia was able to invest huge amounts of money in the political direction of Georgia. Georgian collaborators, such as former Prime Minister Ivanishvili, infiltrated Georgian politics by promising that the authorities would lobby for Georgia's accession to NATO and the European Union.
