EU Ambassador: "The Georgian people should not be punished, the likelihood of visa-free regime cancellation is low"
No visa cancellation for Georgia
The EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński, speaking to students, stated that the Georgian people should not be penalized for the government’s adoption of the “foreign agents” law, and that the likelihood of the visa-free regime between Georgia and the EU being canceled is low.
“I have repeatedly called on the EU that the Georgian people should not be punished and should not have to pay for something they did not do. On the contrary, people protested, and we still see these protests today. Therefore, the likelihood of canceling the visa-free regime is low precisely because it would primarily affect ordinary citizens,” said the ambassador.
According to him, the EU continues to support Georgia, and in this regard, its position has not changed.
“Our support is evident, and we have not changed our position. We collectively decided to grant Georgia candidate status [for EU membership]. A place is reserved for you, which is currently empty, and I do not know how long it will remain so. We want a representative from Georgia to take this seat with the same rights and obligations as other members.
The most alarming thing is that other countries aspiring to join the EU and being candidates are moving forward and do not want to waste time. The big challenge is for Georgia not to miss this opportunity.”
Regarding individual sanctions against members of the Georgian government, Herczyński called it a “difficult but not impossible” process. The decision on this issue must be made by EU countries by consensus.
- The visa-free regime between Georgia and EU countries was implemented on March 28, 2017. From March to December 2017, 170,000 Georgian citizens took advantage of it.
- The European Union reserves the right to review the visa-free regime if Georgia fails to meet its obligations. The Georgian government states that despite existing problems, there is no danger of a review at this stage.
- Georgian citizens seeking asylum in Europe most often cite unemployment at home as their reason. Many also travel to Europe for health reasons, due to issues in the country’s healthcare system.
- Georgian crime remains a serious problem in Europe, with Germany being the most vocal about it. German officials have even requested that the Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs take effective measures.
No visa cancellation for Georgia
