Georgia’s ruling party official on visa-free suspension for diplomatic passport holders: standing in visa lines no issue if country's interests at stake

Irakli Kirtskhalia, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction in the legislative body, on Thursday said that representatives of the country’s leadership and the ruling Georgian Dream party had repeatedly stated that restrictions on holders of diplomatic passports would not pose an obstacle for them and would have no impact on their activities.

In a social media message, Kirtskhalia noted that if the choice were between national interests and standing in a visa line, the latter did not constitute a problem.

He added that the decision carried a largely symbolic meaning and resembled an attempt at self-assertion, as holders of diplomatic passports also possessed ordinary passports, with which they were able to travel to Europe visa-free.

The official further stressed that after two years of threats, changes to the EU’s decision-making mechanisms, and loud statements, the day came when the European Union supported the suspension of visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports.

“After two years of threats, amendments to decision-making mechanisms by the EU, and loud statements, the day arrived when ‘Eurobureaucrats’ - or, in reality, the so-called ‘deep state’ behind them - decided to take ‘effective steps’, and the EU supported the suspension of visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports”, Kirtskhalia said.

He recalled that on January 27, 2025, the EU had already adopted a similar decision based on a different legal framework, granting member states the right to individually impose restrictions on holders of diplomatic and service passports - an option used by 13 countries. The latest decision, he said, was mandatory for all EU member states and would therefore be applied uniformly.

Kirtskhalia described the move as absurd, arguing that the earlier suspension of visa-free travel for diplomatic passport holders by Baltic states had failed to influence the Georgian authorities, raising questions as to why repeating such measures or extending them to other countries would be decisive.

He further claimed that recent years had shown that the so-called deep state, which he said had brought Europe to the brink of crisis, had failed to exert influence over the Georgian Government.

Kirtskhalia pointed to assessments by Donald Trump and JD Vance as sufficient evidence of Europe’s deep value crisis, its inability to manage uncontrolled migration, and what he described as imposed ideological agendas.

“It is precisely through a weakened Europe and unquestioningly obedient bureaucrats that the so-called deep state seeks to exert pressure on the Georgian Dream Government. However, due to prudent policy and careful maneuvering, it failed to find leverage over the country’s ruling team, leaving it with only such foolish moves as the suspension of visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic passports”, he said.

“It should be recalled that individuals holding diplomatic status enjoy simplified, visa-free travel worldwide; therefore, this decision directly contradicts established rules of international relations. This means that the deep state disregarded international agreements and basic logic solely to adopt a decision against Georgian Dream - one that has zero impact on the ruling party. What could be more foolish or comical than this?, the official continued.

Kirtskhalia said that all of this points to only one conclusion - the Georgian Dream Government had “played” its hand successfully, anticipated every tactic of the so-called deep state in advance, and taken preventive measures, leaving it with only moves that were either ineffective or worked against its own interests.

“Therefore, solely in order to continue manipulating the EU issue, such absurd decisions have to be made”, he concluded.