PM: EU’s visa suspension for diplomatic passports ‘anti-Georgian step’

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has criticized the European Union’s decision to suspend visa-free travel for Georgian diplomatic passport holders, calling it an “unequivocally anti-Georgian step.”

Speaking at a press conference at the Government Administration, Kobakhidze said the move “undermines the credibility of European institutions in the eyes of the Georgian public”.

“This recommendation, though symbolic in nature, should be assessed as an anti-Georgian step. It damages the perception of European structures within Georgian society,” he claimed.

Kobakhidze linked the decision to a decline in public trust toward EU institutions, citing a recent Eurobarometer survey that showed a six percent decrease in trust over six months.

He warned that such actions risk further eroding confidence in European structures, which he described as “a serious problem.”

The bloc’s move came following the Georgian Government’s recent move to halt the EU integration process until 2028 and subsequent forceful dispersal of rallies protesting the decision.