Georgia awaits historic decision:
Final vote on visa waiver comes today
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Today is the day Georgia has been awaiting for years.
Today the European Parliament (EP) will decide whether visa-free travel to the European Union (EU) for Georgians will be granted or not.
A draft law giving Georgian citizens the right to travel to the EU without a visa will be put to a plenary vote in the EP today. If the law is supported, Georgian citizens who hold a biometric passport will be able to enter the Schengen zone for 90 days within any 180-day period for a holiday, business or any other purpose, except work.
Debate in #EPlenary on #Georgia visa waiver starting at 9h45. Follow live: https://t.co/OrPCrWDxqw Vote at 11.30 | @GabrielMariya
— LIBE Committee Press (@EP_Justice) 2 February 2017
The EU and Georgia are both optimistic of the outcome of today's vote.
Today is a truly historic day… today’s decision will be a very important confirmation of the EU’s strong political support for Georgia. I am sure the decision will be made in favour of Georgia. Today’s decision will prove that Georgia’s strategic approach to the EU will have been effective for all Georgian citizens... at the same time it is a big opportunity for all our citizens living in the occupied territories”, said Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili at today’s government meeting.
PM Kvirikashvili said he was sure Georgian citizens will meet this privilege with responsibility and will follow the laws of the countries where they travel.
European Parliament and Council negotiators struck a deal on the legislation last December. The visa waiver will enter into force on the same date as the visa suspension mechanism, which allows EU member states to temporarily reintroduce visa requirements for reasons of public security.
Georgia’s Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze is paying his first working visit to Brussels to attend the vote today.
If the result of today's vote is positive – and EP members have long been promising it will be – Georgian’s will travel to the EU visa-free as soon as March or April.
Previously it was believed Georgia would receive the long-awaited EU visa waiver by the end of April 2017, but now European Parliament (EP) members are saying this could happen as early as the beginning of March.
The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) has given yet another green light to Georgian visa liberalisation.
The Government of Georgia is committed to utilise the opportunities created by the country’s political association and economic integration with the EU and let its citizens fully benefit from this process.
Green light for Georgia’s visa waiver
Today the European Parliament officially approved the rules of the Suspension Mechanism at its plenary session - the last thing standing in Georgia's way for visa liberalisation to the European Union.
Debates on visa waiver for Georgia come to an end
Georgia is waiting for the results of a historic vote.
The Government of Georgia has sent their thanks to the European Parliament (EP) for supporting visa-free travel for Georgian citizens to the Schengen Area.
As the European Parliament (EP) has given the decisive green light to visa-free travel for Georgia at today’s plenary session, European leaders congratulated Georgia with tweets.
European Union (EU) ambassadors have given the green light to the lifting of visa-requirements for Georgians and for the suspension mechanism to be implemented today at a meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper).