Georgia and Ukraine agree on simplified travel laws for citizens with ID cards

REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili, 2014

At a meeting on 27 November in Tbilisi, the Prime Ministers of Ukraine and Georgia touched upon the issue of simplifying travel between the two countries for their citizens. The Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman proposed allowing passport-free travel at border crossings using only ID-cards.

The meeting of the prime ministers took place in the administrative office of the government in Tbilisi. After the discussion, the heads of both states made statements.

Volodymyr Groysman emphasized that Ukrainian businesses are interested in the Georgian economy and vice versa – Georgian businessmen are interested in Ukraine. According to him, economic collaboration is a priority in relations between the two countries.

In his speech, the head of the Georgian government expressed support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity in internationally recognized borders. He called Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territory ‘a continuation of its ‘aggression’ against Georgia back in August 2008 which resulted in the occupation of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia/Tskhinvali region’.

The Georgian Prime Minister also mentioned the pro-Western foreign policy course that both countries are interested in. According to Kvirikashvili, Georgia and Ukraine are united by one goal: to become full members of the European and Euro-Atlantic space.