**European Commission Calls on Georgia to Implement Recommendations**
The European Commission has sent a letter to the Georgian government, urging them to take action on several key recommendations. The letter was addressed to Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Botchorishvili, as well as Minister of Internal Affairs Gela Geladze and Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia Pawel Herczynski.
The Commission’s report highlights serious violations of fundamental rights and freedoms in Georgia, including non-discrimination and protection of LGBTQ people. The Commission has issued several recommendations, including repealing the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence and the legislative package on Family Values and Protection of Minors.
These laws have been at the center of controversy, with many arguing that they are discriminatory towards minority groups. The Commission is also calling for amendments to be made to the National Human Rights Strategy and Action Plan to ensure full protection of the rights of LGBTQ people.
**Visa Liberalisation Deal Under Review**
Georgia has benefited from a visa-free travel agreement with the EU since 2017, following successful completion of its visa liberalisation dialogue. However, the Commission’s report underlines serious breaches of fundamental rights and freedoms in Georgia, which could lead to the suspension of this agreement.
The Commission has recommended that the Georgian authorities take action on several key issues, including amending the Law on Anti-Corruption Bureau to address recommendations from the Venice Commission.
**European Union Imposes Visa Requirements**
In response to Georgia’s failure to act on these recommendations, the EU has imposed visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and service passports. Twelve Member States have already done so, with more expected to follow.
The European Commission is calling on the Georgian government to update them on the implementation of these recommendations and take necessary measures to address the issues raised. The Commission will assess compliance with these recommendations in its next visa suspension mechanism report, and may consider further action if non-compliance persists.
**Strong EU-Georgia Relations**
In a statement accompanying the letter, Director-General Beate Gminder reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to strong and values-based relations with Georgia. She expressed hope that the Georgian authorities would respond constructively and take necessary measures to fully implement the Commission’s recommendations.
The full list of recommendations is enclosed in the annex to the letter, which can be found on the European Commission’s website.
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