FM Botchorishvili says Georgia discussed visa suspension mechanism with European Commission

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Thursday said an initial meeting with the European Commission had already been held to discuss the visa suspension mechanism and issues related to the suspension of visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports.

Botchorishvili noted the Georgian side would continue working on the issue, adding that it had an opportunity to raise concerns about the measure during talks with the European Commission.

The Minister added applying a visa suspension mechanism specifically to diplomatic passport holders is an “unusual step” in international relations.

"Visa-free travel has already been suspended in a classified manner. Such a mechanism was activated for holders of diplomatic passports, which is generally unimaginable in international relations," Botchorishvili said.

She argued that diplomats typically enjoy certain privileges because they are responsible for maintaining dialogue and resolving difficult issues between states. The Minister also said it remains unclear what criteria could be used to extend a visa suspension mechanism to other categories of citizens.

The European Union in March suspended visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic and service passports, while visa-free travel for ordinary passport holders remains in force.