“While the EU member states remain divided on certain issues, speculation regarding visa-free travel persists. This indicates that some groups are using these topics to influence the election results,” Maka Botchorishvili, the Parliament’s European Integration Committee Chair, commented on the ongoing speculation regarding visa-free travel.

Her remarks followed a Politico article suggesting that the European Union might suspend the visa-free regime with Georgia if the ruling party, Georgian Dream, continues on an authoritarian path.

“We received ample information from the European Union in July,” Botchorishvili noted.

“Various institutions prepared proposals, and the Council of the European Union issued a critical assessment. However, these issues were not included in the conclusions, indicating a lack of consensus among EU member states. The persistent speculation around visa-free travel serves as a tool for some groups to manipulate public sentiment and influence election results.”

“These groups exploit these issues to manipulate the Georgian people and influence their decisions during the electoral process. There can be no other explanation for the speculation surrounding this topic, as it is premature to discuss election violations when elections are approaching.

Georgia has a history of conducting elections, and there is no justification for such dramatic assessments. These matters have specific legal foundations and prerequisites that must be addressed when member states make decisions.

Currently, there are no such preconditions in the relationship between Georgia and the European Union; these are merely speculations,” stated Botchorishvili.