The closer the municipal elections get, the more we see and hear manipulation over the issue of visa liberalization, said Levan Makhashvili, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration.

According to Levan Makhashvili, there will be numerous attempts to pressure the Georgian population and influence their free will; however, public engagement and a clear expression of support for the Georgian government are important.

“Georgia obtained visa liberalization thanks to the full implementation of a number of reforms and the unwavering protection of EU security. Questioning this issue, including on the grounds of the ‘Family Values’ law or the ‘Transparency’ law, is entirely unfounded and unfair, and it places a false dilemma before the public.

There will be numerous attempts to pressure the Georgian population and influence their free will. Of course, if there is any lever or resource available, Brussels bureaucracy will use it. But this is exactly why public participation and a very clear voice from them—stating that they support the Georgian government, including the policies it pursues—are important. Therefore, we believe that a clear choice by the Georgian people will also be a very important signal to everyone who is trying to pressure Georgia or its government,” said Levan Makhashvili.