Key Takeaways:
- MPs from several EU member states have called for a reassessment of the visa liberalisation regime with Georgia.
- They suggested that the EU should not rule out the possibility of fully suspending the regime.
- The MPs also urged the EU to impose sanctions on Georgian officials and political leaders implicated in a major electoral fraud scheme.
Lawmakers from several EU member states have once again called on the European Union to reassess its visa-free travel arrangement with Georgia.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday, the lawmakers urged the EU to consider imposing sanctions on Georgian officials and political leaders involved in electoral fraud, in addition to reviewing the existing visa liberalisation agreement, according to Schengen.News.
The statement follows claims from the opposition that last week’s elections, in which the ruling Georgian Dream party emerged victorious, were marred by electoral fraud.
The document was signed by Members of Parliament from Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, as well as the European Parliament.
The lawmakers emphasized that the EU Commission and Council should revisit the visa liberalisation regime with Georgia and keep the option of fully suspending the agreement on the table.
We know how important visa freedom is, especially for young people. We call on the EU Commission and Council to reexamine the visa liberalisation regime with Georgia without excluding the possibility of its full suspension if the above-listed conditions are not met.Document Signed by MPs
Suspending the visa-free travel regime would have significant consequences for all Moldovan passport holders. If the EU proceeds with such a decision, all citizens of Moldova would be required to obtain a visa in order to enter the Schengen Area.
MPs Said Sanctions on Officials & Political Leaders Are a Must
As reported by Yle News, observers have gathered evidence of a sophisticated and large-scale electoral fraud scheme in Georgia, allegedly aimed at manipulating the election results in favor of the Georgian Dream party.
In response, MPs have urged the European Union to impose sanctions on Georgian officials and political leaders implicated in the electoral violations. Specifically, they called for sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream party and a known critic of the West, for his alleged role in undermining the electoral process.
The MPs’ joint statement demands that the EU and its transatlantic allies take action by freezing the assets of individuals involved in the fraud, as well as those participating in projects that do not serve the interests of the Georgian people. The MPs also called for sanctions against those who used state institutions and administrative resources to influence the election.
