On Monday 27 January, the Council of the European Union decided to suspend parts of the 2011 agreement aimed at facilitating the issuance of visas between the EU and Georgia, in this case for Georgian diplomats and officials wishing to travel to the EU.
“For travels to a member state which has reintroduced visa requirements, Georgian diplomats and officials will also no longer benefit from shorter application times, lower visa fees, and the possibility to submit fewer supporting documents”, the Council announced.
This decision is a response to the adoption of the “Law on transparency of foreign influence” and the repression exercised by the Georgian authorities after the announcement of the abandonment of accession discussions (see EUROPE 13550/12).
The agreement will be suspended for: - members of official delegations taking part in official meetings and other events organised on the territory of an EU country by intergovernmental organisations; - members of national and regional governments and parliaments, the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court; - holders of diplomatic passports.
Georgian nationals with ordinary passports will continue to benefit from the exemption. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)