EU member states have voted in favor of suspending visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports, says Rikard Jozwiak, Europe Editor at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Posting on X, Jozwiak wrote that the decision was approved by a majority of member states, with Hungary and Slovakia voting against the measure.
“Enters into force in early March,” he added.
The move applies specifically to diplomatic passport holders, not to ordinary Georgian citizens traveling to the European Union.
Georgia has benefited from visa-free travel to the Schengen area since 2017 under the EU’s visa liberalization framework. The current decision does not suspend visa-free travel for regular biometric passport holders.
The measure is widely viewed as a targeted political step, aimed at Georgian officials rather than the broader population.
Tensions between Brussels and Tbilisi have increased in recent years amid EU concerns regarding:
* Democratic standards and rule of law
* Media freedom and civil society environment
* Alignment with EU foreign and security policy
Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023, but progress toward accession has since faced political and institutional scrutiny.
The suspension of visa-free access for diplomatic passport holders signals a calibrated response from Brussels, short of broader sanctions or changes affecting ordinary citizens.
Further official details from EU institutions are expected in the coming days regarding the formal adoption process and implementation mechanism before the measure takes effect in early March.
Image source: Sova News
