42 Georgian NGOs: "The government is responsible for putting the visa-free regime at risk"

Georgia: NGOs accuse authorities of risking EU visa-free access

42 Georgian non-governmental organizations issued a joint statement declaring that if the European Union suspends the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens, the responsibility will lie with the Georgian Dream government.

Opinion: "Georgia’s authorities pushing EU to end visa-free travel to redirect public anger by blaming Brussels"

Giorgi Rukhadze: “Moreover, Georgia will lose not only the visa-free regime but also its status as an EU candidate country and all the associated benefits”

The statement reads:

“According to reports from July 15, the EU has sent an official letter to the Georgian government regarding a possible reassessment of the visa-free regime. The letter reflects the EU’s serious concern over the current situation in Georgia – democratic backsliding, violations of legal norms, and disregard for European values.

We, the undersigned organizations, respond to the legitimate concerns raised by the European Union and firmly state the following:

• Georgian citizens earned visa-free travel not thanks to the government, but because of the efforts of society as a whole — it was a historic achievement based on the implementation of democratic reforms, respect for the rule of law, and the protection of human rights;
• It is obvious that the actions of the Georgian government in recent years have significantly deviated from the reforms agreed with the EU. The persecution of critical media, civil society, and political opponents poses a serious threat to the democratic future of the country and its European path;
• If the visa-free regime is suspended, full responsibility lies with the government, which has dismantled progress built through decades of hard work and is deliberately undermining Georgia’s Western future against the will of its people.
• We believe this warning from the EU is a message to both the Georgian Dream government and to society: it is clear that the European family will not tolerate the rejection of democratic values. This is a final warning urging a reversal of the destructive course pulling the country away from Europe.
• We emphasize that Georgian NGOs — like the vast majority of Georgian society — remain unwavering supporters of Georgia’s European integration. We continue to stand for the values that bind us to Europe not just on paper, but in essence — freedom, dignity, and the rule of law.
• We call on Ivanishvili to stop sabotaging the European choice of the Georgian people and the Georgian Constitution.”

"Repeal repressive laws, protect rights" – European Commission pressures Georgian Dream, visa-free regime at risk

The European Commission declared a “serious regression of democracy in Georgia”

Earlier, the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission sent a letter to Georgia’s Foreign Ministry requesting updated information on the country’s implementation of the Commission’s recommendations – or, if they have not yet been implemented, to take immediate steps to do so.

In response to what it calls “serious democratic backsliding” in Georgia, the European Commission is considering suspending visa-free travel.

The letter notes that, due to the government’s failure to take corrective measures, the EU already suspended visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports from Georgia as of January 2025 — a step supported by 12 EU member states.

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