PM Garibashvili: Georgia offers Abkhazians and Ossetians visa free travel to EU

Georgia’s Prime Minister has offered his "Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers’’ visa free travel to European Union countries within the next two to three years.

The offer was subject to Georgia’s integration with the EU, and was available to breakaway region Abkhazian and Ossetian residents who hold Georgian passports. They will be able to travel to the EU like other residents of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili said in a speech at Columbia University today.

"After two to three years, people living in occupied territories of Georgia will understand the difference between how we live and how they live,” the Prime Minister said.

"We would like them to live with us and share all our benefits including the visa free travel regime with the EU that will soon be possible. […] We offer them better education, social and healthcare conditions,” Garibashvili said following a question about his approach to occupied territories of Georgia and how the international society could help them.

"We will offer them [Abkhazians and Ossetians] freedom, which is the most important thing that every nation needs in the world.”

Garibashvili believed this initiative was a positive way to persuade these residents to live in accordance with Georgia.

"There is no other better place for Abkhazian and Ossetian people to live,” he said.

The Prime Minister stressed that despite Georgia moving forward on its path to Euro-Atlantic and European integration, the country’s relationship with Russia "remained a challenge”.

"We appreciate the resolve and support of the international community, particularly the US, as we try to lower tensions in our relations with Russia,” he said.

Mulling over ways to solve problems in the breakaway regions, Garibashvili highlighted Georgia would never use force against them.

"Georgia remains committed to seeking a peaceful solution and normalizing relations. […] However, despite the progressive and peaceful efforts of my Government, Moscow continues its provocative and destructive activities, such as the installation of barbed wire fences along the occupation line,” Garibashvili said.

During his speech the Prime Minister underlined that the Government continued to work closely with the EU and other international partners and friendly nations to avert any further deterioration of the situation.

Watch the video of PM Irakli Garibashvili’s speech and Q&A session at Columbia University below: