Dutch Foreign Minister Veldkamp welcomes EU proposal to suspend visa-free travel for Georgian officials

Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp has expressed support for the European Commission’s proposal to suspend visa-free travel arrangements for Georgian officials, calling it a necessary response to “undemocratic and violent actions” by the Georgian authorities. In a statement on X, Veldkamp welcomed the measure, highlighting that ”the Netherlands has actively advocated for this measure, in response to the undemocratic and violent actions of the Georgian authorities.”

The European Commission’s proposal, made on Friday, would require Georgian diplomats, officials, and their families holding diplomatic and official passports to obtain a visa for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The move follows growing concerns over the erosion of democratic standards in Georgia and its government’s response to domestic unrest, which has raised alarm among EU member states.