EU suspends visa-free travel for Georgian officials

The European Commission said on Friday it has suspended visa-free travel privileges for Georgian officials holding diplomatic, service, and official passports.

The decision was taken in response to what Brussels described as a “deliberate and persistent violation” of commitments linked to the European Union’s visa-free regime with Georgia, News.Az reports, citing EU.

According to the Commission, representatives of Georgian authorities must use diplomatic or service passports when traveling to the European Union for official purposes. Failure to comply with the rules may lead to entry bans.

Georgia was once viewed as one of the most democratic and pro-Western countries among former Soviet states. However, critics say the country has shown increasing authoritarian tendencies in recent years while also strengthening economic ties with neighboring Russia.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada