Georgia celebrates positive visa liberalisation progress report (VIDEO)
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Georgia celebrates the release of a positive progress report on Georgia's implementation of its Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP).
The European Commission today released the report that said Georgia met all the benchmarks of the VLAP, meaning in early 2016 the European Union (EU) would propose a legislative amendment to let Georgian citizens travel to the EU visa free.
To celebrate this occasion the EU flag was projected on the wall of the Georgian Government Administration building and iconic Tbilisi TV Tower and many other important buildings and monuments across the country were illuminated in the colours of the EU flag.
Government Administration building in Tbilisi on December 18, 2015. Photo by Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
The EU flag being projected on the front wall of the Government Administration building and Tbilisi TV Tower illuminated in the colours of the EU flag. Photo by Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
A banner in an illuminated Tbilisi street reads "towards Europe". Photo by Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Georgia meets all the benchmarks of its Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP), meaning in early 2016 the European Union (EU) will propose a legislative amendment to let Georgian citizens travel to the EU visa free.
"Georgia has showed once again that it is a frontrunner of the Eastern Partnership. In response, Europe says that it is open to Georgian citizens." Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said.
Below in this live Twitter feed you can see all the messages using the hashtags #VisaLiberalisation, #Georgia, #EUGeorgia, #VisaFreeTravel, #EUvisa. Join the discussion.
The Government stressed the successful completion of its VLAP obligations was thanks to joint efforts by all state structures.
“More Europe in Georgia and More Georgia in Europe”
Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili has published an open statement about the fourth and final progress report on Georgia’s implementation of its Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP), released by the European Commission today.
Georgia sees the European Union (EU) visa liberalisation as not only a foreign policy success but also an opportunity for the country’s unification. Georgian authorities believed now more people from Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions will ask for a Georgian passport.
As Georgia celebrates the start of its visa liberalisation process with the European Union (EU), leaders in Europe are voicing their support for Georgia's success.
Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikahsvili has today met Ambassador of the Netherlands to Georgia Johannes Douma to discuss Georgia’s visa liberalisation prospects with the European Union (EU).
President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said the European Commission "fully and unconditionally” supported Georgian citizens to travel to the EU without a visa for a short stay.
The foreign ministers of 12 European countries are calling for immediate cancellation of the EU visa regime for Georgia and Ukraine and allow these citizens to travel to the EU visa-free.
Lawmakers in the European Parliament (EP) say Georgia has met all its European Union (EU) visa liberalisation requirements and believe the country should be granted a visa-free regime as soon as possible.
This afternoon Georgia's President Giorgi Margvelashvili sat down with Council of Europe (CoE) president Donald Tusk to discuss the country's visa liberalisation.
The European Union (EU) Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn says Georgia has fulfilled all requirements for visa-free travel to the Schengen zone and the country "deserved” a quick decision from EU authorities about being granted a visa waiver.
The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) has backed the plans to grant citizens of Georgia the right to travel to the Schengen area without a visa.
The European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini , says the situation in Georgia is "extremely positive” and the EU should respond appropriately and deliver visa liberalisation for the country.