Lithuania has officially revoked the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens holding diplomatic and official passports, amid rising concerns over democratic backsliding in Georgia.
The decision comes as part of a broader response by Lithuanian authorities to what they describe as growing authoritarian tendencies by Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party, particularly in its treatment of civil society and alignment with non-Western powers.
By suspending visa-free travel privileges, Lithuania aims to signal disapproval of recent developments in Tbilisi, including the controversial “foreign agents” law and the government’s crackdown on opposition protests.
While ordinary Georgian passport holders retain their current visa-free status for Lithuania and the wider Schengen Area, the move serves as a warning that further steps could follow if the Georgian government does not realign with European democratic standards.
Lithuania has also called on the European Union to consider coordinated action and to re-evaluate its engagement with Georgian officials if the current political course continues.
Header image: Anti-government protests in Georgia/GIORGI ARJEVANIDZE | AFP / SCANPIX
