**EU Gives Georgia a Warning: Comply or Risk Losing Visa-Free Travel**
The European Union has sent a strong warning to the Georgian government, stating that visa-free travel for Georgian citizens could be suspended if the country fails to address several key concerns. The EU Commission’s letter, addressed to Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili, lists eight recommendations that must be fulfilled.
**What are the Recommendations?**
The EU wants Georgia to:
1. Repeal restrictive laws targeting civil society and sexual minorities.
2. Align its visa policy with the EU’s list of visa-required countries.
3. Strengthen anti-corruption efforts by setting up an Asset Recovery Office and amending the Law on Anti-Corruption Bureau.
4. Ensure the protection of fundamental rights, including freedom of association, assembly, and expression.
5. Address irregular asylum applications and strengthen border checks.
6. Implement a new anti-corruption strategy and action plan.
7. Amend the national strategy and action plan on human rights to ensure the rights of LGBTIQ persons are fully upheld.
8. Align the Law on Personal Data Protection with EU standards.
**A Warning, Not a Threat**
The EU Commission’s letter is not an empty threat, but rather a formal warning that Georgia must comply with these recommendations. If the country fails to do so, the Commission may activate the visa suspension mechanism, which could lead to the suspension of visa-free travel for all Georgian citizens.
**What Happens Next?**
Georgia has benefited from visa-free travel since 2017, and the EU wants to maintain this privilege. However, the country’s democratic backsliding and repressive actions have raised concerns among EU leaders. The Commission will assess Georgia’s compliance with these recommendations in its next report, expected by the end of the year.
**Civil Society Reacts**
42 Georgian civil society organizations (CSOs) issued a joint statement, saying that if visa-free travel is suspended, the full responsibility lies with the current government. Vano Chkhikvadze, a visiting lecturer at the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, believes that the EU’s letter reflects a formal use of the visa liberalization suspension mechanism.
**Will Georgia Comply?**
The fate of visa-free travel for Georgian citizens hangs in the balance. Will the country comply with the EU’s recommendations and maintain its privileged status? Only time will tell.
