Europe’s World: “The EU should depoliticise Georgia’s visa liberalisation process”

Much has been written and said by people from all parts of society about Georgia’s efforts to gain visa-free travel with the European Union (EU).

A piece published yesterday by Europe’s World, author Fraser Cameron explores the necessity to depoliticise the decision to grant Georgia visa-free travel, so the country isn’t "lumped together” with Ukraine on visa liberalisation. "This would be a huge and costly mistake,” he says.

The small South Caucasian country is the one bright spot in a region characterised by conflict and corruption. In the past decade, successive Georgian governments have consistently pursued a path towards closer European integration.

Now, under a new Prime Minister, Georgia is "making good progress” in implementing its Association Agreement and Free Trade Agreements with the EU, and has scored top marks in international ratings for economic development and ease of doing business.

NGOs rate Georgia miles ahead of its neighbours in democracy, human rights and the rule of law, so to link Georgia with Ukraine means that despite the country having fulfilled all the EU’s requirements, Georgia would still need to wait until Kiev also made the necessary reforms, explains Cameron.

Cameron, director of the EU-Russia Centre and a former European Commission adviser, believes EU member states are hoping for "double success of visa liberalisation for Ukraine alongside Georgia” but others are looking to bury visa liberalisation in the face of domestic concerns about immigration.

It would be entirely wrong to deny the citizens of an advanced country like Georgia the opportunity to travel to the EU without a visa just because of the current refugee crisis.

He says visa liberalisation would allow Georgians to come as tourists and as businessmen, not to stay or seek employment. And when Ukraine has fully met its criteria, it too should be granted a visa-free regime.

It is time for the EU to accept its own procedures. Georgia is a rare success story and fully deserves to be treated on its own merits.

Read the full article here: www.europesworld.org