PM hopes Georgia will enjoy visa free travel with EU by 2016

Georgian residents could travel to Schengen countries without a visa using ordinary passports in the next two years, believes Georgia’s Prime Minister.

PM Irakli Garibashvili announced Georgia would enjoy visa-free travel to the European Union (EU) in the near future during a meeting with students today.

Asked if visa free travel would encourage an exodus of people from Georgia, Garibashvili responded: "If the young generation would have perspective in his own country they would not leave the country”.

"If [we] create such conditions for the younger generation to  gain knowledge at home, we will not face such challenges. If someone would like to leave the country, it does not matter whether Georgia is visa free with the EU or not,” Garibashvili said.

Twenty-two of the 28 EU member states and all four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members participate in the Schengen area.

Georgia is currently undergoing the Visa Liberalization Action Plan (VALP).

This process is divided into two parts - legislation and implementation. Georgian authorities emphasized the legislative part will be completed this summer and the next phase would begin immediately.