Expert in International relations, Kakha Gogolashvili, on Friday responded to misconceptions surrounding the potential cancellation process of the European Union's visa-free regime with Georgia, after the European Parliament has recommended such a money if the ruling party greenlighted the adoption of the controversial foreign transparency bill. 

Gogolashvili said his insights came in response to erroneous information propagated by high-ranking government officials, who suggested that the cancellation of the visa-free regime necessitated consensus among EU member states.

Gogolashvili clarified that, in reality, a simple majority of countries' appeal was all that was required for the European Commission to suspend visa-free travel with a third country. He noted the suspension lasted for a period of nine months initially and could be extended for an additional 18 months following a comprehensive study of the issue and confirmation of necessary cancellation conditions.

Highlighting recent precedents, Gogolashvili pointed to instances involving Albania, Vanuatu, Russia, and Belarus, where similar mechanisms were invoked due to concerns such as migrant influx, security challenges, and increased crimes committed by nationals within the EU. Drawing attention to Georgia's actions, Gogolashvili noted growing apprehensions among certain EU member states, including Germany and Belgium, regarding potential violations of stipulated criteria.

Despite current restraint, Gogolashvili cautioned that alleged continued strains on EU relations, democratic erosion, and patience-testing by Georgia's government could prompt member states to initiate the suspension procedure. He emphasized the importance of accurate information dissemination, suggesting that officials from the ruling party “may either lack proficiency in English or underestimate Georgian citizens' awareness”.

To substantiate his claims, Gogolashvili provided a link to the relevant regulation outlining the visa-free traffic suspension mechanism, accompanied by a quote in English reaffirming the procedural details. He urged readers to scrutinize the provided information and discern the truth for themselves.