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European leaders “proud of Georgia’s success”

This is what Tbilisi International Airport looks like today in celebration of the EU visa waiver for Georgian citizens. Photo by Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Agenda.ge, 28 Mar 2017 - 12:09, Tbilisi,Georgia

Today the regulation lifting visa requirements for Georgian citizens has come into force.

This is a day Georgians have awaited for years.

A number of international leaders have taken to Twitter to share their happiness for Georgia. Some of them even issued a congratulatory video message in Georgian.

Below, Agenda.ge has gathered a series of reactions to the good news from high-ranking foreign officials.

Georgia's traditional friends from the Baltic nations were some of the first to congratulate the country on this big day.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite first wrote on Twitter that the EU’s door opened to Georgians and wished Georgians safe travels.

She then filmed a video address, stating that Georgia a regional example of success and adding in Georgian that she is proud of its success.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius also released a video address, congratulating Georgia on the success and adding in Georgian that "Georgia is Europe.”

The Estonia Foreign Ministry also offered its warm wishes for Georgia via Twitter.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn wrote on Twitter:

The German Foreign Ministry congratulated Georgia and said we should build bridges, not barriers.

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek also joined in the celebration. He wrote:

Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak wrote on Twitter that the visa waiver for Georgia was well-deserved.

Member of the European Parliament Mariya Gabriel, a rapporteur on Georgia’s visa liberalization, also congratulated Georgia.

The Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrm wrote:

The EU Council also shared the good news on Twitter and wrote that "Georgians won't need visa anymore for short trips to the EU thanks to a new regulation starting today.”

We will be updating this collection throughout the day.