Georgian Parliament official: blackmail over visa-free travel will only fuel skepticism toward EU

Maia Bitadze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Environment Protection and Natural Resources Committee, on Wednesday said that using visa liberalisation as a political instrument of pressure would not affect Georgian citizens and would instead deepen public scepticism toward the European Union.

In her interview with Imedi TV, Bitadze commented on discussions regarding the possible review of visa liberalisation for Georgia, arguing that the EU has already lost most of its leverage tools over Georgia and that remaining instruments are being used unfairly.

“Every time they begin blackmailing us with visa liberalisation, we should all clearly remember which tool of pressure has already been taken away from them. This refers to the opening of accession negotiations after granting candidate status, which we stated we would not place on the agenda for several years”, she said.

The official further noted that the “chain of leverage” previously used in relations with Georgia has been significantly weakened, particularly after Georgia was granted EU candidate status.

“The suspension of the visa liberalisation instrument is not a simple process, because it was not a tool that was simply given to us. It is a right granted to Georgian citizens as a result of fulfilling obligations under a mutual international agreement, which was achieved through significant effort by Georgian citizens under the Georgian Dream government”, Bitadze stressed.

She also recalled earlier stages of visa liberalisation discussions, including its initial application to diplomatic and service passport holders, and criticised what she described as unjustified restrictions imposed at that time.

“We remember that discussions about visa liberalisation initially began in relation to diplomatic and service passports, and the justification for its temporary suspension was that holders of those passports allegedly posed a threat to EU security. Later, amendments were made specifically for Georgia to reinforce this unjust decision”, she noted.

Bitadze highlighted that it was shameful that an international organisation, once considered a global symbol of human rights, democracy, and justice, was now using visa liberalisation as a tool of blackmail.

“If visa liberalisation with Georgia is being used as a tool of blackmail, then Euro-bureaucracy is using other forms of pressure instruments with other candidate states”, Bitadze concluded.