European structures provisionally agree non-acceptance of documents issued in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, Georgia

The agreed text is subject to approval by the two European structures before going through the formal adoption procedure. Photo: Reuters

Agenda.ge, 11 Nov 2022 - 12:15, Tbilisi,Georgia

The European Council and European Parliament on Thursday reached a provisional agreement on non-acceptance of Russian travel documents issued in the occupied territories of Ukraine and Georgia. 

This decision is a response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and Russia’s practice of issuing Russian international passports to residents of the occupied regions. It also follows Russia’s unilateral decision to recognise the independence of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2008”, the statement of the European Council said.

The statement also noted Russian travel documents issued in, or to persons resident in, Russian-occupied regions in Ukraine or “breakaway territories” in Georgia would not be accepted as valid travel documents for obtaining a visa or crossing the borders of the Schengen area.

Documents issued in these regions are already not recognised, or in the process of not being recognised, by European Union member states, with the new decision aiming to set out a common approach.

The agreed text is subject to approval by the two European structures before going through the formal adoption procedure.