The European Commission has formally launched a procedure to suspend visa-free travel for Georgian holders of diplomatic, service, and official passports, invoking a newly introduced EU mechanism designed to respond more swiftly to democratic backsliding in partner countries.
Speaking at a January 21 midday briefing, Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert said the suspension, once finalized, will be uniformly applied across all EU Member States, replacing the previous system that required individual national decisions.
Lammert emphasized that visa-free travel arrangements are intended to strengthen “people-to-people contacts” and promote “shared values,” including respect for human rights, democratic governance, and the rule of law. He said the Commission has concluded that recent actions by the Georgian authorities undermine these principles and are “inconsistent with the norms and values of the European Union.”
Commission says the developments in Georgia are also negatively affecting the “steady development of economic, humanitarian, cultural, scientific, and other ties between the Union and Georgia.”
“As a first step, the Commission has transmitted its assessment to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, Lammert said. “Once adopted, the suspension will ensure uniform application for diplomatic, service, and official passport holders in all member states.”
Possible Extension to the General Population
When asked whether the measure could be extended to all Georgian citizens, Lammert confirmed that such a step remains possible if there is “continued backsliding,” while stressing that any extension would not be automatic and would require a separate assessment and decision.
He also clarified that the suspension mechanism targets passport categories rather than individuals, responding to questions about whether sanctions could be applied selectively. “The suspension concerns passports, not people,” he said, noting that diplomats often also hold regular biometric passports.
Georgian holders of diplomatic and service passports initially lost visa-free travel privileges in January 2025, but under the previous system, the restriction depended on individual approvals by EU member states, resulting in uneven enforcement.
The current procedure is based on a new legal framework, which Lammert described as “more flexible” and “notably faster.” Unlike the earlier approach, which functioned largely as a recommendation, the new mechanism ensures mandatory and uniform implementation across the EU.
“Before, this was more a form of recommendation,” Lammert said. “Now we can ensure uniform application by member states.”
The move represents one of the strongest institutional signals yet from Brussels regarding concerns over democratic governance in Georgia, and comes amid heightened scrutiny of the country’s political trajectory and its strained relations with the European Union.
Image: EU Commission Spokesperson Markus Lammert speaks at EC Midday Press Briefing, January 22, 2026
