Lithuania adopts document supporting Georgia-EU visa waiver
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Lawmakers in Lithuania are wholeheartedly supporting Georgia and its bid for a visa-free travel regime to the European Union (EU).
Yesterday the Foreign Affairs Committee of the unicameral Parliament (Seimas) of Lithuania adopted a special document, where the country’s lawmakers address the EU to grant Georgian citizens with a visa waiver to travel to the EU "in the nearest future”.
In the document Lithuanian lawmakers appealed to the Council of Europe and European Parliament to ensure all necessary and legal procedures are carried out "as soon as possible” to allow Georgians to travel in the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone without a visa.
The Lithuanian Seimas stressed Georgia has fulfilled "all obligations” outlined in the Georgia-EU Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP), which was earlier confirmed in a positive report of the European Commission.
The document also noted Georgia had gained support from the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) in the European Parliament on September 5, when the Committee voted in favour of Georgia receiving a visa waiver to travel to the EU.
Granting visa-free travel to Georgia will increase Georgians trust in the EU and its institutions, and that’s important because it support the country to continue its democratic reforms and continue striving towards Europe,” the document read.
Adoption of the document was preceded by Georgian Ambassador to Lithuania Khatuna Salukvadze’s meeting with Lithuanian lawmakers on September 19, where the diplomat briefed Parliament members about the reforms carried out in Georgia and the country’s foreign, political priorities.
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.
European Union (EU) Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn is confident Georgia will be granted visa liberalisation later this year.
About 150 officials from all over the European Union (EU) involved in European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) have voted in favour of Georgia gaining visa-free travel to the Schengen Zone.
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 deserves the long-promised visa free regime,” says Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius. "Georgia did what it promised on visa liberalisation and we shouldn't be changing rules in the middle of the game," he added.
The European Council agreed it was time to begin negotiating with European Parliament about the right to grant Georgian citizens with a visa waiver and allowing visa-free travel to the European Union’s (EU) Schengen Zone.
The Foreign Minister of Georgia says today is a "historic day” for the country, as European lawmakers have agreed to engage in final discussions about Georgia’s visa-free travel to the European Union (EU).
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili congratulated the people of Georgia for "another significant success and international recognition” in the country’s efforts to gain visa liberalisation with the European Union (EU).
