Lambert: ‘we are seriously concerned about violations of fundamental rights in Georgia’

The European Commission is “seriously concerned” about the violation of fundamental rights in Georgia, said Markus Lambert, spokesperson for the European Commission, during a press briefing on Thursday.

“We are seriously concerned about the violations of fundamental rights in Georgia. We have already issued recommendations regarding the visa-free regime and everything else will come in due time,” Lambert stated.

Commenting on the visa suspension mechanism, Lambert explained that it was a horizontal measure applying to all countries enjoying visa-free travel with the European Union.

“We welcome the adoption in the European Parliament of the new rules on the visa suspension mechanism, which we proposed in 2023. Before they enter into force, the Council must also approve them.

The mechanism can already be activated in cases of a sudden increase in uncontrolled migration flows, lack of cooperation on readmission, or security risks. The new rules introduce additional grounds for activation, including non-alignment with EU visa policy, cases of citizenship falsification, hybrid threats, the use of migration as leverage, or deterioration of the EU’s external relations with a third country.

This may also include serious violations of fundamental freedoms and international legal standards.

In short, the new rules allow for faster and more decisive steps regarding the suspension of the visa-free regime. The procedure will become simpler and more flexible under the new conditions,” Lambert said.