GD coalition leader: Today EU begins final phase for Georgia’s visa liberalisation

The leader of the Georgian Dream (GD) coalition Zviad Kvachantiradze revealed the EU will begin visa liberalisation legal procedures today only for Georgia, meaning Georgians will soon be granted a visa free regime to the EU.

Kvachantiradze wrote on his official Facebook page late yesterday he was "extremely happy” to share the great news with the people of Georgia. 

My friends, I am extremely happy that I can share the very positive news I have already received from my friends from the Parliament of Europe,” Kvachantiradze wrote. 

Tomorrow Brussels will officially launch legal procedures only for Georgia, which is the final step for Georgians to be given an opportunity to travel visa-free to EU states,” Kvachantiradze said. 

Kvachantiradze did not mention Ukraine in this context, which is also striving to gain the visa-free travel with the EU states. 

Zviad Kvachantiradze's post on Facebook. 

By launching legal procedures, the European Commission must now officially address the Council of Europe and European Parliament to discuss the issue of visa-free travel for Georgia and begin relevant legal amendments.  

The European Commission released its positive visa liberalisation report for Georgia on December 18 last year. 

Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhel Janelidze said after the European Commission appealed to the Council of Europe and European Parliament, some legal amendments should be introduced in the Council of Europe’s legislation that would enable Georgia to use the visa-free opportunities. 

The Minister did not specify when the European Commission might appeal to the Parliament and Council of Europe to launch the procedures for Georgia.  

Janelidze  said it would not take too much time for the two European organisations to discuss the issue and he expected Georgians would be able to travel to Europe without a visa in several months. 

Head of Georgia’s Mission to the EU Natalia Sabanadze said Georgia would support the notion for Ukraine and Georgia to be jointly granted visa-free travel regimes but she noted the EU would make separate decisions on the countries after taking their individual Visa Liberalisation Action Plan progress efforts into account.