MEP: “If Georgia fails to meet the recommendations, its EU visa-free regime will be suspended”
EU to suspend Georgia’s visa-free regime
Member of the European Parliament Rasa Juknevičienė told the Georgian outlet Formula that Georgia’s visa-free regime with the EU could be suspended if the country fails to meet the required recommendations.
She said the ruling Georgian Dream party knows exactly what steps need to be taken to preserve visa-free travel. If those steps are not taken, Juknevičienė stressed, responsibility for the suspension would lie with Bidzina Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream.
The MEP also noted that the political situation in Georgia is worsening by the day.
Rasa Juknevičienė:
“The Georgian Dream regime wants to create the impression that the EU does not want Georgians to enjoy visa-free travel. But that is a lie. They lie every day, just like the Kremlin.
It is their duty to implement the recommendations. Everything is in the hands of Bidzina Ivanishvili and his party. The requirements are clearly set out in the relevant documents, and Georgian Dream knows perfectly well what steps the country must take to preserve visa-free travel.
When Georgia was first granted visa liberalisation many years ago, the situation in the country was different. Visa-free travel is not permanent. Each year, the EU assesses whether a country is complying with the conditions of visa liberalisation — and this applies to all countries, not just Georgia. If Georgia fails to implement the recommendations, the visa-free regime will be suspended.
The responsibility for that will lie solely with Bidzina Ivanishvili and his party. When I look at the requirements for visa liberalisation and compare them with what is happening in Georgia, I am astonished that anyone could claim Georgia is meeting all the necessary conditions, particularly when it comes to human rights. Arbitrary arrests are certainly not democracy.”
“The situation is getting worse by the day. Sadly, we predicted this, so it comes as no surprise. The hope now lies with people on the streets. The more people protest, the more hope there is. The more Georgians realise what Georgian Dream means for the country, the brighter its future will be.
EU member states can do more, whether through sanctions or pressure on the regime. It is crucial to support the Georgian people. Everyone knows that candidate status was achieved by the people, not by Georgian Dream, which failed to implement the EU’s recommendations.
That was our message to the people: we are on your side and will not let Russia use you. But Georgian Dream exploited the decision to manipulate public opinion and present itself as pro-European. Now the mask has slipped. The question is whether Georgian Dream voters understand they have been deceived.
To gauge the real mood of society, new free and fair parliamentary elections are needed, overseen by independent experts. As for the upcoming local elections, <…> opposition leaders are in prison and citizens’ access to information and media is restricted. That is certainly not an election.”
EU to suspend Georgia’s visa-free regime
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