UNM leader: party working to ‘prevent’ Georgians losing EU visa-free travel

Petre Tsiskarishvili, Secretary General of the United National Movement opposition party, on Monday claimed his party was “actively working” with international partners to ensure Georgian citizens do not lose visa-free travel to the European Union, amid growing concerns over the country’s democratic trajectory.

In his comments, Tsiskarishvili warned there was a “real danger” that Brussels could suspend the arrangement, but insisted responsibility laid solely with the ruling Georgian Dream party.

“Our task, on which we are working very actively, is to ensure that sanctions apply only to Georgian Dream representatives and not the whole of society,” Tsiskarishvili said. He argued that the risk of losing visa-free access was the result of what he called the government’s “anti-democratic steps” and failed reforms.

He added that the EU was expected to take a decision on Georgia’s status between late September and the end of October.

Georgia was granted visa-free access to the EU’s Schengen zone in 2017, but Brussels has repeatedly warned that backsliding on democratic standards could put the arrangement at risk.