Georgia’s top diplomat in Strasbourg to advance Georgia’s EU visa waiver

Georgia's Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze's meets EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn in Strasbourg, France. Photo:Johannes Hahn/Twitter
Agenda.ge, 13 Sep 2016 - 15:44, Tbilisi,Georgia

UPDATED: 3.44pm

Georgia's Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze has concluded his meeting with European Union (EU) Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn in Strasbourg, France.

After the meeting Hahn went on Twitter to sum up the meeting.

Here is what he wrote.

The Georgian top official met Mariya Gabriel too, European Parliament’s rapporteur for a visa waiver proposal for Georgia.

EARLIER: 12.23pm

Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze is heading to Strasbourg, France today to meet European Union (EU) and European Parliament (EP) officials and discuss the country’s visa liberalisation perspectives.

During his two-day visit Janelidze was scheduled to meet an EP Vice President and representatives of several fractions and committees. The Georgian Minister will also meet Mariya Gabriel, EP’s rapporteur for a visa waiver proposal for Georgia.

A meeting with EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn was also planned.

Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said all the meetings would discuss Georgia’s visa liberalisation process.

Janelidze’s visit comes a week after the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) backed plans to grant Georgian citizens the right to travel to the Schengen area without a visa.

The Committee voted and approved a visa waiver for Georgia with 44 votes in favour, five against and one abstention on September 6.

After the voting and the adoption of the regulation by LIBE, the amendment must now be approved by the Council of the EU then at an EP plenary session.

Once the European Parliament as a whole and the EU Council endorse the legislative changes, Georgians will be able to enter the EU without a visa and stay for 90 days in any 180-day period, provided they hold a biometric passport.

Georgia is interested in completing this process as soon as possible so its citizens can travel without a visa to the EU and the Schengen zone.