PM Garibashvili: “New possibilities are opening up for Georgia”
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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.”
These are the words Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said when commenting on this afternoon’s positive visa liberalisation report by the European Commission.
The PM stressed "brand new possibilities are opening up for Georgia,” thanks to the historic milestone reached today.
Today is a historic day for all Georgians. Today Georgia took a step forward on its path to European integration, a step which will define our future in the European family of nations,” Garibashvili said.
In his statement this evening Garibashvili also touched on the procedures and regulations Georgians must adhere to if they wanted to enjoy visa free travel with EU member states. Initial predictions state this could happen as early as five months from now, when all necessary legislative procedures are completed by the EU side.
The Government Administration building and Tbilisi TV tower light up in EU colours. Photo by N.Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Based on the Commission’s recommendation, next year Georgian citizens will be able to travel to the European Union without a visa. Obviously it does not mean that they can buy tickets and travel to Europe right away. It may take several months,” said the country’s top official.
Our citizens will be able to stay in the European Union for up to 90 days in a six month period. They will be able to plan last-minute family trips or business meetings, surprise their friends and relatives, attend summer schools and participate in conferences and trade fairs,” Garibashvili added.
The PM thanked the Georgian nation for its centuries-old European choice and commitment to European values.
"The word Europe embodies everything we strive to attain: freedom for every citizen and rule of law, prosperity and equality, peace and a bright future for our children, and equal development opportunities for all. Most importantly, Europe is an environment where we can fully realize our uniqueness," underlined the Georgian leader.
And this is the path to Georgia’s unification! Only by building a modern European state can we be attractive to our Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers and sisters. A day will come when they will also enjoy the benefits of European integration," stated PM.
This afternoon the European Commission released its fourth and final progress report on Georgia's implementation of its Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP). The report was positive for Georgia and promised visa-free travel within the Schengen zone for all Georgian citizens.
Now legislative procedures lasting several months will launch in the EU to allow Georgian citizens to travel to EU states without a visa.
A top EU official said in Moldova’s case, it took about five months for the EU to carry out all the necessary legislative procedures before the visa-free regime came into effect.
Tbilisi 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.
The Government stressed the successful completion of its VLAP obligations was thanks to joint efforts by all state structures.
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.
A top European Union official accredited in Georgia has this afternoon revealed Georgia’s progress report on visa liberalisation with the European Union (EU) will be released tomorrow.
The release of visa liberalisation progress reports for Georgia and Ukraine has been postponed but officials say the important document will be released before the end of the year. The European Union (EU) said the reports – due to be released today – had been delayed for "only technical reasons” and the reports will be published in the next two weeks.
The release of visa liberalisation progress reports for Georgia and Ukraine could be postponed. The documents were scheduled to be published tomorrow but the release stood under a question mark after a press briefing by one of the European Commission speakers earlier this afternoon.
Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs has high expectations of an upcoming Council of Europe (CoE) report because the Ministry has fulfilled all its obligations necessary to gain a visa-free regime.
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.
Georgia is now in full New Year mode - celebrating the achievements of 2015 and looking ahead to 2016, starting with the official lighting of the country’s main New Year tree. The large tree in front of the Parliament Building on Rustaveli Ave in Tbilisi was illuminated last night to mark the start of the festive season.
Georgia’s citizens fully deserve to be able to travel to the European Union (EU) without a visa, says Estonian Foreign Minister. Marina Kaljurand voiced her glowing praise for Georgia’s efforts to implement necessary reforms that lead to visa-free travel to the EU.
Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Garibashvili has met with the US Army Lieutenant General Christopher Cavoli, who commands the US Army Europe, in Tbilisi, thanking the US for supporting Georgia’s self-defence capabilities.
Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Garibashvili has left for the US to hold meetings at the Pentagon and sign a Georgia-US security agreement, the Defence Ministry press office reports.“The agreement will be signed at the US Department of Defence,” the press office said.Garibashvili is scheduled to start his trip by visiting a US Army Fort Benning.