First hearing: European Parliament supports introduction of visa-free travel for Georgia
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The European Parliament has positively assessed Georgia’s progress towards visa liberalisation and supports Georgian citizens to travel to the Schengen area visa-free.
This message was voiced at the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) meeting yesterday.
LIBE held its first hearing on lifting visa requirements for Georgia last night. European Parliamentarian Maria Gabriel, who is a rapporteur of Georgia’s visa liberalistaion, started her speech by congratulating the Georgian delegation on fully meeting all the requirements envisaged in the country’s Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP).
Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said following the meeting everyone at the European Parliament supported Georgia’s visa liberalisation.
"The committee discussion was very positive,” he said.
"All the speakers – the main rapporteur, European Commission representatives, head of the Georgia-European Union (UN) Association Committee – positively assessed the work Georgia had carried out within its VLAP.”
The second hearing was scheduled for the same Committee on April 28, after which the question of Georgia’s visa removal will be put forward at a European Parliament’s plenary session for voting. The date of voting has not been announced.
The last stage will see the resolution, approved by the European Parliament, be sent to the European Council for final approval.
Zalkaliani believed European Parliament’s decision would be a historic moment and he was optimistic of a positive outcome.
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.
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.
Vice President of the Parliament of Europe believes Georgia should be offered a visa-free regime with the European Union (EU) as it would encourage Georgian citizens to support democratic reforms in their homeland.
Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze began his official visit in Stransbourg, France today by attending high-level meetings to show the importance of Georgia’s fast integration into Europe.
Georgia is the European Union’s (EU) key ally in the region, says European Parliament (EP) President Martin Schulz. The EP high official spoke highly of Georgia and of its EU visa-free aspirations while meeting Georgia’s Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili in Brussels, Belgium today.
The European Union's (EU) top enlargement official hopes citizens of Georgia, Ukraine and Kosovo will be able to travel without visas to the EU in 2016.
The Czech Republic is a strong advocate and supporter of allowing Georgian citizens the right to travel visa-free to the European Union (EU), says a leading Czech official.
Georgia’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani has left for Canada with his team to hold political consultations with top Canadian officials.
Georgia’s Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze is in Strasbourg, France today to meet European Union (EU) and European Parliament (EP) officials and discuss the country’s visa liberalisation perspectives.
The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) has given yet another green light to Georgian visa liberalisation.