Salome Samadashvili: Cancelation of free-visa regime does not require the support of all EU member states, the votes of some of the states will be enough
Salome Samadashvili, the former ambassador of Georgia to the European Union, one of the leaders of Lelo, explains in what cases it is possible to cancel the visa-free regime of Georgia with the Schengen zone.
As Samadashvili writes on the social network, the said decision does not need the support of all EU member states, and the votes of some of the states will be enough.
"Many people ask me how realistic it is to cancel the visa-free regime with the Schengen zone?
- It is technically possible if even a part of the EU member states supports it - that is, the support of all countries is not necessary.
- Russia has tried unsuccessfully for many years to get a visa-free regime, but they were only given a simplified visa regime, and it was canceled because of the attack on Ukraine. A number of countries have also stopped issuing visas to Russians.
- Why would anyone maintain visa-free travel with Georgia, which has turned into the possession of Russian oligarchs instead of a state and into a "laundering" facility for sanctioned Russian money?
So yes, it is quite possible...but not tomorrow or the day after, we have time - at least until October, hopefully...
People will make the right choice, I know. The majority is not thinking of emigrating forever", says Salome Samadashvili.
For information, Georgian Dream Secretary General Kakha Kaladze called the entry in the European Parliament's resolution regarding the "revision of visa liberalization" absurd and said that the initiation of this process requires the consent of 27 member states of the European Union.
