Shalva Papuashvili: There is absolutely no basis for suspending the visa-free regime. As for arbitrariness and the search for a pretext, we cannot take responsibility for others’ arbitrariness and lack of good faith

According to the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, there is no basis for the European Union to suspend Georgia’s visa-free regime.

As Papuashvili stated, the suspension of visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports already constituted a violation of an international agreement by the EU, since no legal justification was presented.

“If we try to objectively analyze what decisions may be taken, of course, there is no basis for such a step. But when someone is not looking for a basis but rather a pretext, they will always find one. Let me remind you that by suspending visa-free travel for diplomatic and service passport holders, the EU violated an international treaty with Georgia. To this day, they have not named a single article or legal basis on which that decision was made. Brussels blatantly violated an international agreement, which is inappropriate behavior for an organization. Given this, let’s wait and see what decision they make—especially when we see party bias and harmful intent toward Georgia from certain actors.

There is absolutely no basis. As for arbitrariness and the search for a pretext, we cannot take responsibility for others’ arbitrariness and lack of good faith,” Papuashvili stated.