Waiting for the final green light:
Debates on visa waiver for Georgia come to an end
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Georgia is waiting for the results of a historic vote.
European Parliament (EP) members have just finished a debate on allowing for visa-free travel to the European Union for Georgian citizens.
EP member Mariya Gabriel, a rapporteur on Georgia’s visa liberalisation, said at the EP plenary session today that this is not only a "historic day” for Georgia but for the EU as well, because "Europe should be surrounded by friends”.
Calling it a "new stage” of political and economic relations between the EU and Georgia, Gabriel said Georgia deserves the recognition it has made on its "long road” towards democratisation and other European values.The power of #EP is in the continuity of our actions : #Visa waiver should be granted when all benchmarks are fulfilled #Georgia@EPPGroup
— Mariya Gabriel (@GabrielMariya) 2 February 2017
Gabriel urged MPs to vote for the legislation, arguing that "when we are talking about visas, we are talking about citizens, our common security, our future. Let’s finalise the procedure”, she said.
#EPlenary: Commissioner @Avramopoulos & Rapporteur @GabrielMariya support a positive vote on visa liberalisation with #Georgia#visapic.twitter.com/sZuWVZSgqi
— EUHomeAffairs (@EUHomeAffairs) 2 February 2017
A majority of EP members agree that the Government of Georgia has done an "excellent job.” Those who were less inclined to wave the visa requirements for Georgia pointed at immigration, corruption and organised crime as "threats” to the EU.
Several EP members mentioned in response that Georgia was "the only pro-Western country in the region”, and that it is politically expedient to support allied countries.
Final vote on visa waiver comes today
Today is the day Georgia has been awaiting for years. The European Parliament (EP) will decide tomorrow whether visa-free travel to the European Union (EU) for Georgians will be granted or not.
Previously it was believed Georgia would receive the long-awaited EU visa waiver by the end of April 2017, but now European Parliament (EP) members are saying this could happen as early as the beginning of March.
The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) has given yet another green light to Georgian visa liberalisation.
Green light for Georgia’s visa waiver
Today the European Parliament officially approved the rules of the Suspension Mechanism at its plenary session - the last thing standing in Georgia's way for visa liberalisation to the European Union.
European Parliament approves visa-free travel for Georgian citizens
Today is the final stretch of a long marathon Georgia has been running for years: starting in spring, Georgian citizens will be able to travel visa-free to most countries of the European Union.
The Government of Georgia has sent their thanks to the European Parliament (EP) for supporting visa-free travel for Georgian citizens to the Schengen Area.
As the European Parliament (EP) has given the decisive green light to visa-free travel for Georgia at today’s plenary session, European leaders congratulated Georgia with tweets.
Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Georgia Janos Herman congratulated Georgia on the historic show of support from the European Parliament (EP) in abolishing visa-requirements for Georgian citizens.
"More welfare, democracy, energy and enthusiasm....more success for our country on its rapid road to development!” – this is how Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili described the benefits Georgia is expected to receive from visa-free travel with the European Union today.
European Union (EU) ambassadors have given the green light to the lifting of visa-requirements for Georgians and for the suspension mechanism to be implemented today at a meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper).