Former Foreign Minister urges EU to preserve visa-free travel for Georgians

Papuna (Mikheil) Janelidze, former Foreign Minister of Georgia, has publicly appealed to European allies not to revoke visa-free travel privileges for Georgian citizens, despite potential escalations in sanctions on the ruling Georgian Dream government. In a social media post, Janelidze emphasized the positive impact visa liberalization has had since 2016, enabling Georgians to experience European culture, democracy, and social systems firsthand.

“While tightening sanctions appears inevitable, I urge our European friends to avoid penalizing innocent citizens,” Janelidze wrote. He highlighted how, during his time negotiating visa-free travel, the goal was to offer Georgians exposure to European values—a benefit that, he said, was clearly reflected in the younger generation’s strong support for Europe in the 2024 elections.

Janelidze warned that halting visa-free access could inadvertently harm ordinary citizens, fueling discontent with the government but also increasing frustration among the public, including Georgian Dream supporters. He noted that such a measure could backfire by providing the government with more possibilities for anti-European propaganda.

“This is roughly the same as not giving the compatriots living in the occupied territories the opportunity to cross the occupation line,” the ex-minister stressed.