Sozar Subari, a member of the People’s Power faction of the ruling Georgian Dream party, has stated that the suspension of Georgia’s visa-free regime with the European Union is a possibility. He made the remark during an interview with Radio Sivrce, saying simply: “It’s possible.”
The topic gained attention after Rikard Jozwiak, editor at Radio Free Europe, reported that the EU is expected to adopt new legislation in the coming months that would make it easier for Brussels to suspend visa-free travel with third countries.
Subari linked the potential suspension of visa-free travel to the propaganda spread by Georgian Dream, which claims that European partners are trying to turn Georgia into a “vassal.” He posed a rhetorical question: “If the visa-free regime is suspended, Georgians will have to choose—do they prefer the visa-free regime or preserving Georgia?”
The planned updates to EU rules are technical and apply to all partner countries. Under the proposed changes, the EU will have new grounds to suspend visa-free travel, including:
– When a third country does not align with EU visa policies, leading to an increase in irregular migration—especially if the country is geographically close to the EU.
– If the country offers investor citizenship schemes, granting citizenship in exchange for payments or investments.
– In cases involving hybrid threats or weaknesses in the country’s document security and legal procedures.
Additionally, the EU would have the option to suspend visa-free travel if bilateral relations with a third country deteriorate significantly, particularly concerning human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Georgia’s relations with the EU have worsened in recent months, especially after the government announced about the suspension of the EU accession processes until 2028. The Georgian Dream party also passed a controversial “foreign agents” law and dispersed mass protests, ongoing already for 142 days.
