EU Ambassadors Support Visa-free Travel for Georgia

Update: 

Yesterday at a meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives, European Union(EU) ambassadors approved the suspension mechanism required for Georgians to have visa-free travel to the EU.

The information was released by Brussels Reporter of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Rikard Jozwaik yesterday.

EU ambs have given green lights to visa free suspension mechanism & visa lib for #Georgia. Eu ministers will endorse this on 27 Feb.#Ukraine

— Rikard Jozwiak (@RikardJozwiak) February 22, 2017

Georgia’s State Minister for Euro Integration Viktor Dolidze says that the Council of Europe will discuss Georgia’s visa-free regime with the European Union on February 28th. He says that today the EU Council Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of Member States to the EU (COREPER) will hold a technical session where they will approve the EU Parliament’s decision. “After this the question will be put on the session agenda where I believe the answer will be positive,” the minister added.

The European Parliament (EP) voted in favor of visa-free travel for Georgian citizens to the Schengen Area at the plenary session on February 2nd. 553 MEPs supported Georgia’s visa liberalization during the vote, while 66 were against, and 28 abstained. The visa-free regime between Georgia and the EU will go into force as soon as the suspension mechanism is activated.

When the process is complete, biometric passport holders will be able to enter the Schengen area, which includes 22 EU member states (excluding Ireland, the United Kingdom, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria) in addition to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland for 90 days within any 180-day period for a holiday, business, or any other purpose, except work.

Voktor Dolidze says that only technical procedures are left and predicts the process will be finished by late March or early April.

By Thea Morrison