According to a message of the European Commission released today, Georgia needs to realize more reforms before establishing a visa-free regime with the EU. The main priority is implementation of legislative and institutional reforms, especially in providing asylum, combating corruption, human and drug trafficking, RIA Novosti reports.
Petre Mamradze, the head of the Institute of Management Strategy, admitted that the EU did have flaws to point out. He noted that it was clear that a big step backwards from the summit in Vilnius will be made. The EU, according to the expert, seeks cooperation with Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova in a way that would minimize irritation in Russia. Overall, Mamradze considers the EU statement a gesture of reluctance to see Georgia in its ranks. The free trade and association documents signed last year were great, but the Georgian government failed to fully comply with them, the analyst believes. Since August, Georgia has been losing tens of millions of dollars a month.
Political analyst Giorgi Nodia said that the EU was unprepared to lift the visa regime for Georgia without Russia's approval. In his opinion, the EU lacks the political will needed to do it. In any case, Georgia needs to comply with EU demands, but that does not guarantee a visa-free regime, Nodia speculated. He concluded that even full compliance with the norms would become a subject of interpretation.
