Opposition leader warns EU may suspend visa-free for Georgian citizens

Zurab Japaridze, a leader of the Coalition for Change, said that EU officials have raised concerns about serious democratic issues in Georgia, which could affect the country’s visa-free regime.

Japaridze claimed a recent letter noted significant problems related to the rule of law and corruption in Georgia, warning that these issues could threaten the visa-free travel agreement with the Schengen Area.

“The letter indicates that, initially, the mechanism might be applied to holders of diplomatic and service passports. However, as a next step, it directly mentions the possible suspension of visa-free travel for all Georgian citizens,” Japaridze stated.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also warned that if the Georgian government failed to address these problems, visa-free travel could be suspended for the entire population.