Blue and yellow lights for the European Union approval of visa liberalisation for Georgian citizens

The lights of the telecommunication tower turn blue and yellow to celebrate Georgia’s Visa Liberalisation.

The European Parliament voted in favour of visa free travel for Georgian citizens to the Schengen Area at a plenary session at noon on Thursday 2 February 2017.

This was the final vote on the Georgian issue, after which only technical procedures remain: 553 members of parliament supported Georgia’s visa liberalisation, while 66 were against, and 28 abstained.

On 20 December 2016 the EU Council Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of Member States to the EU (Coreper) approved the amendments to enable Georgia’s visa liberalisation, a move which occurred on 12 January 2017.

Now, the regulations will be formally approved by teh EU Council at ministerial level. By March or April, Georgians will be able to enjoy full implementation of the visa liberalisation. The government of Georgia will also offer the benefits of visa liberalisation to residents of Georgia’s occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The government of Georgia views the visa liberalisation vote as EU’s strong support for the country.

Whe the process is complete, biometric passport holders will be able to enter the Schengen Area, which includes 22 EU Member States (excluding Ireland, the United Kingdom, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania, and Bulgaria) in addition to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland for 90 days within any 180-day period for a holiday, business, or any other purpose except work.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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