Politico: EU mulls suspension of visa-free travel for Georgians

The European Union is considering significant repercussions for Georgia, potentially revoking agreements that allow its citizens to travel freely across the continent.

This warning comes as relations between Brussels and Tbilisi sour, following concerns over the ruling Georgian Dream party's increasing authoritarianism, Caliber.Az reports, citing Politico.

A spokesperson for the European Commission stated, “all options are on the table” in response to Georgia’s political trajectory, including the temporary suspension of the visa liberalization scheme established in 2017.

This arrangement has permitted Georgian nationals to travel visa-free to EU countries within the Schengen zone for up to six months a year, a measure that has been widely appreciated by the public for eliminating cumbersome visa processes.

“As part of the EU-Georgia visa liberalization dialogue and the corresponding Action Plan, Georgia was required to meet specific benchmarks, including ensuring the protection of fundamental rights and preventing discrimination,” the spokesperson went on.

The European Commission official further said, “An assessment would of course take place in case of developments posing a risk to the internal security of the Schengen area, as well as in case of a further democratic decline in Georgia.”

Confirmation that Brussels is considering the measures comes after Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze insisted any change to the visa agreement would be “cheap blackmail.” Leading Georgian Dream politicians were sanctioned earlier this week by the United States after passing a string of Russian-style laws that critics say will have a chilling effect on civil liberties.

Earlier this year, authorities brutally cracked down on peaceful protesters rallying against a bill that brands Western-backed NGOs and media outlets as foreign agents. Georgia’s EU candidacy was effectively frozen in the wake of its passage through parliament.

Then, on September 17, Georgian Dream MPs voted through a Moscow-inspired “LGBT propaganda” bill that will outlaw all public mention of same-sex relationships, including Pride events and even requiring censorship of films and other content. The country’s most prominent transgender woman, 37-year-old Kesaria Abramidze, was killed the following day and her alleged attacker has since been detained.

Georgians will head to the ballot box on Oct. 26, and polls show the governing Georgian Dream party is likely to win the largest share of votes. If it is able to achieve a supermajority, it has vowed to “punish” its opponents by banning virtually all other parliamentary parties.