“We assert that blackmailing the Georgian people with visas is unacceptable, while the radical opposition claims it is acceptable. This fundamental difference is why we are in power, and the radical opposition finds itself protesting in the streets,” declared Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of Parliament, in a social media post.

Papuashvili noted that the passport of a Georgian citizen has risen to the 43rd most powerful in the world, with the number of countries accessible without a visa increasing from 60 to 123.

“We insist that blackmailing the Georgian people with visa restrictions is intolerable. In stark contrast, the radical opposition views such coercion as acceptable. This distinction underscores our governing mandate while the radical opposition remains on the streets.

True national progress cannot be achieved through blackmail. In just a few years, we have elevated the Georgian passport to the 43rd most powerful in the world and expanded the number of countries that Georgian citizens can enter without a visa from 60 to 123. To the dismay of Georgia’s adversaries, this number will only continue to grow,” Papuashvili concluded.