MP Makhashvili: Georgia’s visa-free is not under threat, but some EU members may exploit it for political gain

“The new rules that the EU is developing regarding visa-free travel apply to Georgia in exactly the same way as they do to the other sixty countries enjoying a visa-free regime with the EU,” said MP Levan Makhashvili, Chairman of the European Integration Committee of Parliament.

According to Makhashvili, naturally, these new rules are also significant for Georgia, but the assessment process is increasingly becoming political.

“Why haven’t they singled out Georgia so far? Georgia has consistently met the criteria set out for the visa-free regime. One of the key principles of this regime was that countries should not pose a threat to the European Union’s security. However, with the new changes, the process, currently quite merit-based, with specific stages and clear assessment criteria, is undergoing a significant shift. It is increasingly subject to political and subjective evaluations, first by the European Commission and then by EU member states.

It’s only natural that, when politics come into play, the visa-free regime has historically been used as a tool for political leverage. Therefore, some member states or EU bureaucrats might attempt to exploit this issue as a political weapon.

However, if assessments are based on objective criteria, this would be unfair, as Georgia has diligently fulfilled its obligations to the EU and poses no threat. On the contrary, Georgia’s efforts actually support EU interests, helping to protect borders, manage migration, and combat organised crime.

According to impartial evaluations, Georgia faces no issues in these areas. However, if some member states choose to weaponise this process for political purposes, then anything can be expected,” warned Makhashvili.