The Council’s decision means that Georgian diplomats and officials will have to apply for a visa when travelling to the EU. In addition, they will no longer benefit from shorter application times, the possibility to submit fewer supporting documents and lower fees.
Announcing the new changes, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, said the measure now needs to be implemented by EU countries in their domestic regulations.
However, Budapest has been distanced from the EU’s recently implemented measures. Therefore, diplomats and officials from Georgia will be eligible to travel to Hungary freely without being subject to any visa restrictions.
Strengthening Bilateral Ties
In addition to not implementing visa restrictions on Georgian diplomats and officials, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, and his Hungarian counterpart, László Kövér, signed yesterday, January 27, an agreement aimed at further strengthening bilateral ties.
Emphasising the historical friendship between these two countries, the framework aims to further encourage a mutually beneficial exchange of experiences, in particular, related to Georgia’s aspirations for becoming part of the European Union.
In this regard, the Hungarian National Assembly will offer its expertise concerning European Union integration, helping Georgia in its efforts to enter the EU.
EU Visa-Free Travel Suspension for Georgia “Hypocritical”
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has criticised the decision of the Council of the European Union to suspend the visa liberalisation agreement for Georgian diplomats and officials, considering its basis false and hypocritical.
The reelection of the Georgian Dream Party (the ruling party in this country for 12 years) in the parliamentary elections in October 2024, amid accusations of a “stolen election”, as well as concerns of distancing Georgia from the EU, are among the reasons that sparked controversies among Georgia’s opposition and the EU.
However, protests erupted on October 28, 2024, after the announcement of Georgia’s PM to halt EU integration until 2028, which continues to this day.
The decision is also a reaction to the adoption last year by Georgia’s authorities in Law on transparency of foreign influence as well as a legislative package on family values and protection of minors.
