EU ends visa-free travel for Georgian diplomatic passports
Members of the EU Foreign Affairs Council decided on December 16 to suspend the visa-free regime for Georgian diplomatic passport holders. This was announced by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.
She also stated that the council discussed the possibility of imposing sanctions on high-ranking Georgian officials.
What Kaja Kallas said:
“The situation in Georgia is not evolving in a positive direction for its people. We see increasing pressure on the opposition and restrictions on media freedom.
We are halting funding and political contacts with the Georgian government.
Today, we agreed to revoke the visa-free regime for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports, and the Council will issue a statement on this matter soon. We also discussed imposing sanctions on state officials involved in actions against peaceful protesters.
We will continue to support the Georgian people. Assistance previously provided to the authorities will be redirected to civil society and independent media.
Just as the Syrian people were supposed to determine their own future, so should the people of Georgia decide what their future will look like,“ Kaja Kallas said.
The Georgian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty previously reported that the Council of the European Union had tasked the European Commission with preparing a formal proposal to revoke the visa-free regime for Georgian diplomatic passport holders.
According to their sources, this decision was supported by a qualified majority within the Council of the EU. The European Commission has already begun work on the matter and is expected to draft the relevant document in the coming days.
At today’s meeting of EU foreign ministers, at least 55% of member states, representing no less than 65% of the population, supported the decision to revoke visa-free access for Georgian diplomatic passports.
As reported by Politico, this move was spearheaded by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, who also chairs the EU’s Foreign Relations Council.
Hungary and Slovakia opposed the decision.
On December 15, Estonia imposed sanctions on 14 additional members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, including the party-appointed Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.
On the same day, Lithuania sanctioned 17 Georgian politicians, also including Kobakhidze.
Earlier, on December 5, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree sanctioning the Georgian Dream government. Zelensky stated that the sanctions target “the part of the government that is surrendering Georgia to Putin.”