EU visa restrictions for Georgian diplomatic passport holders take effect
Restrictions on Georgian diplomatic passports
According to information from the Georgian government, EU visa restrictions on holders of Georgian diplomatic passports have already come into effect.
In particular, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze from the ruling Georgian Dream party had to obtain a visa to enter an EU country. He did not specify which country it was.
It is known that in early June, Irakli Kobakhidze traveled to Italy. Over the past month, he also visited Hungary, which did not join the EU’s visa restrictions.
“This restriction applies to diplomatic passports under a joint EU decision. Nevertheless, we are calmly obtaining visas – I personally traveled to one of the countries with a visa. There’s no problem here. It’s an absolutely shameful decision, but it’s their decision and their right. We are ready to act in accordance with it,” Kobakhidze told journalists.
On January 27, 2025, the European Union suspended the visa-free regime for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports. The decision affects members of official Georgian delegations participating in meetings and other events held by intergovernmental organizations on EU territory; members of Georgia’s national and regional governments and parliaments, the Constitutional and Supreme Courts, and other diplomatic passport holders.
On June 30, it was reported that the following countries had joined the decision to suspend visa-free access: Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Italy.
Sweden plans to implement the restriction starting in August.
Hungary and Austria have not yet joined the sanctions.
There is no official information yet regarding other EU countries such as Germany or Poland.
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