**Georgia on Brink of Losing Visa-Free Travel to EU**
As the summer holidays come to an end, Georgian citizens are facing a looming deadline that could change their lives forever. August 31st marks the expiration date set by the European Union for Georgia’s government to meet certain conditions to maintain visa-free travel. If these conditions are not met, Georgians will lose the privilege of traveling to EU countries without a visa.
According to Salome Samadashvili, leader of “Lelo for Strong Georgia,” this would be a nightmare for Georgian citizens and an insult to their national dignity. She emphasized that it’s essential to meet the relevant conditions set by the EU, which include protecting human rights and political rights in the country.
“We consider it fundamentally important to preserve this opportunity for Georgian citizens,” Samadashvili said during a briefing today. “This requires meeting the relevant conditions, which include protecting human rights and political rights in our country, areas where the EU has serious concerns.”
**Key Conditions Unmet**
The EU has set eight specific conditions that must be met by Georgia to preserve visa-free travel. These include:
* Repealing all the ‘Russian laws’ passed over the past year that restrict political and human rights
* Combating corruption in the country, with the Anti-Corruption Bureau fulfilling its functions
* Amending legislation in line with recommendations from the Venice Commission
Samadashvili asked representatives of the current government to reveal what steps have been taken towards meeting these conditions. She also pointed out that the U.S. Department of State’s report highlights the dire situation in Georgia regarding human rights and political freedoms.
**Consequences of Losing Visa-Free Travel**
Losing visa-free travel would not only be a practical nightmare for Georgian citizens but also an insult to their national dignity. It would mean being excluded from a group of countries that have the privilege and right to travel visa-free to democratic, civilized nations. The consequences would be severe:
* Obtaining study or travel visas to EU countries would become a dream
* Georgians would join the ranks of citizens from Russia, Belarus, or Central Asian countries
Samadashvili emphasized that Georgian citizens must not allow this illegitimate regime to take away their right to visa-free travel. She urged the government to address corruption and human rights concerns before it’s too late.
“The summer recess is ending, and the European Union will begin discussing how the conditions set for us have been met,” Samadashvili said. “We must ask the current illegitimate ruling regime: what steps have been taken to ensure we don’t face the enormous challenge in September of losing visa-free travel?”
**A Call to Action**
As the deadline approaches, Georgian citizens are calling on their government to take action and meet the conditions set by the EU. If not met, the consequences will be severe, and Georgian citizens may lose their privilege of traveling visa-free to democratic nations.
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