EU may suspend visa-free regime with Georgia

16:50 - 20.09.2024


September 20, Fineko/abc.az. The European Union is considering, among other things, suspending the visa-free regime with Georgia if the country does not return to the path of "rapprochement with Europe", ABC.AZ informs, quoting EU Ambassador to Georgia Pavel Gerchinsky as stating this to journalists.

"The EU, at the highest level of presidents and prime ministers, expressed concern about the trajectories of events developing in Georgia. Instead of reforms that will bring Georgia closer to the EU, unfortunately, in recent months there have been several events that increase the distance between Georgia and the EU. We discussed this within [the union], our members discussed it, and we clearly said several months ago that all options are on the table, including the temporary suspension of the visa-free regime with Georgia," he said.

According to the diplomat, the EU will monitor the processes in Georgia, including the holding of parliamentary elections on October 26. If the elections are not democratic and fair, as Gerchinsky said, the EU will have to resort to sanctions.