Georgia enters second stage of Visa Liberalization Action Plan

Georgia is moving one step closer to Europe as it looks to enter the second phase of the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP).

Easing visa requirements will make it easier for Georgian citizens to enter certain countries within the European Union, Georgia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Maia Panjikidze believed.

"We have made significant progress in implementing the VLAP at a legislative stage. We hope that in the near future Georgia will move forward into second stage of the visa liberalisation. I do not want to name a specific date but this will allow us to have some type of visa free travel to EU countries,” Panjikidze announced.

Georgia already has finished the first phase of the Visa Liberalization Action Plan and looked to the European Commissioner Advisor’s assessment to move forward.

In order to achieve a visa-free regime with the EU, Georgia needed to meet a number of criteria listed in the Action Plans for Visa Liberalization (VLAP).

The Action Plan was structured in four blocks of measures that dealt with document security, border and migration management, public order and security and other relevant external relations issues.

EU-Georgia Visa Liberalisation Dialogue was launched on June 4, 2012, and the VLAP was presented to Georgian authorities on February 25, 2013.

According to the Commission, the EU will continue to assist Georgia in implementing the VLAP and, depending on the progress achieved, it will issue its next report in 2014.