PM Holds Emergency Meeting on Challenges Facing Visa Liberalization

Today, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili convened an emergency meeting dedicated to solving the challenges facing visa liberalization; attendees Vice Prime Ministers: Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia, also Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani, Chief Prosecutor Irakli Shotadze, and Head of the Security Service Vakhtang Gomelauri. 

The Government of Georgia plans to enforce stricter measure to eliminate the challenges facing visa liberalization, and the meeting discussed the steps to be taken in the near future to reduce the numbers of asylum seekers in the EU member states from rising any further, before it undermines the entire visa liberalization program. The Government is taking the matter very seriously, paying close attention to the concerns of its partner states, with plans in place to take the necessary steps towards greater cooperation with partner states, enforcing tougher legislation and leading an active information campaign across Georgia. 

The initiation of legislative amendments that introduce a set of preventive measures will be proposed at the next Government meeting. Said measures include readmission costs paid by the readmitted persons themselves and further restrictions for changing last names, amongst others. 

As per the order of the Prime Minister, the Interior Ministry will continue to strengthen the format of biliateral cooperationn with partner states, especially in the realm of combatting organized crime. Moreover, Interior Minister Gakharia will visit a host of EU member states to further cement the office of police attachés. 

Furthermore, the active information campaign to be run throughout the country will aim to educate the populace on the risks used by a failure to comply with the rules for visa-free travel in the Schengen Zone, and the punishments that it may entail. 

By Máté Földi