PM hopes European Parliament supports Georgia’s Visa liberalization
By Mariam Chanishvili
Friday, June 10
“We continue working towards visa liberalization, and hope this process will be concluded before the parliamentary elections in Georgia,” Georgia’s Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, stated at the International Energy Security Conference organized by the Embassy of the United States and Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC) held in Tbilisi on June 9.
Georgia’s Prime Minister declared that despite the challenges and sensitive aspects of the visa liberalization process, he hopes that the process will be concluded before October.
Kvirikashvili noted that Georgia has fulfilled all of the obligations according to the Visa Liberalization Action Plan and has positive expectations.
“We hope that the European Parliament will support the visa liberalization decision for Georgian citizens. We have always considered ourselves a part of the European family, because historically we have always been part of wider European culture. We consider membership in Europe to be our final destination,” stated Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
The PM thanked the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, Janos Herman, for his support during the visa liberalization process, and expressed hope that the process will be concluded before the 8 October parliamentary elections.
“Of course it is up to the EU member states to make a decision on the issue,” he added.
Georgia’s visa-liberalization issue was also mentioned by Georgia’s Parliament Speaker, Davit Usupashvili, during his visit to Germany, where he met the President of Bundestag, Norbert Lammert.
Usupashvili also noted that Georgia has implemented all the obligations under the Visa Liberalization Action Plan.
According to him, Georgia has done everything for the successful accomplishment of this process.
“We are very optimistic that the decision will be made soon and it will be positive,” he stated.
According to the Head of the Foreign Relation Committee, Tedo Japaridze, the visa liberalization process is very complex, because it is up to the 28 member countries of the European Union to make the final decision. He considers that the visa liberalization process is not connected to any Georgian criminal elements in Europe.
“We have to be patient and wait. The decision will be made,” said Japaridze.
