Georgia in anticipation of visa-free regime with EU

The EU decision to lift visa requirements for Georgian citizens is a joint achievement of the Georgian society, the authorities and Georgia's friends, the country's President Giorgi Margvelashvili said.

"I want to congratulate our citizens on this step towards the integration into Europe. It is a joint achievement of the Georgian society, the Georgian state and Georgia's friends. As a result of this step, we are given more opportunities to integrate into Europe and achieve the main goal for which our society and the state are working together, which is a full integration into Europe," Margvelashvili said.

Margvelashvili's video address was published on his Facebook page.

The agreement will come into force on March 28, the Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze said.

"On March 8, the regulation be published, it will come into force on March 28, and after it all citizens with biometric passports will be able to carry out short visits to Europe," the head of the Georgian Foreign Ministry explained.

The regulation enabling Georgia's citizens to travel visa-free in the Schengen Area was signed yesterday by the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation, Youth and Sport, Chris Agius, Sputnik Georgia reported.

Earlier, the Georgian Foreign Ministry called the introduction of visa-free regime a historic event.

The head of the Center for Security Studies and International Relations of Georgia, Nika Chitadze, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that this event will positively affect the life in Georgia, because at the current stage it will not lead to emigration into Europe: visa-free regime will apply only in respect of short-stay trips.

"On the other hand, it will allow businessmen, who already have some links or intend to establish contacts with European companies, to run joint ventures, visit the EU and establish cooperation," the expert said.

Chitadze added that achieving visa-free regime will have a positive impact on the positions of the Georgian Dream party in the political field. "But on the other hand, I think that the Georgian Dream's position, and in general, the position of any ruling party in any country, can be strengthened only in the case of improving the socio-economic conditions. It is true for any state, including Georgia, which undergoes the transition period," he concluded.

The head of the Institute of Management Strategy, Petre Mamradze, in turn, drew attention to such consequence of achieving visa-free regime as improving Georgia's image. "Tourists and potential investors in Europe and the world in general will know that Georgia has reached the level, which allows its residents the right of free movement in the Schengen area. It's really good for Georgia's political image," the expert noted.

However, he said that only few citizens will be able to take advantage of the visa-free regime. "They need money and certain documents, invitations. In this case, even if a person has the necessary resources, they may refuse his entry at the EU border," Mamradze explained.

Another limitation is that the visa-free regime does not give the right to study or work. "For example, it can be useful to only some of the business, as Georgian entrepreneurs are focused on imports, not exports," the head of the Institute of Management Strategy stressed.

"So, on the one hand, it is a very positive development for Georgia in its current state, but on the other hand, there will be no real privileges or concessions," he stressed.

The expert recalled that the EU itself is now experiencing hard times. "And if the regime is canceled, it will be a heavy blow to Georgia's image," the political scientist warned.

In any case, he noted, this event is seen as a cause for national pride. "Earlier, only Moldova, being the EU partner, has received a visa-free regime, and now - Georgia. After Saakashvili we drifted from the EU Partnership, because he did not fulfill the EU requirements. The new government, despite all criticism, was able to achieve it," Peter Mamradze concluded.