The fifth President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, has addressed an open letter to the Foreign Ministers of the European Union member states.

In the letter, Salome Zurabishvili calls on EU representatives to “demand that the Georgian authorities release prisoners of conscience, abandon anti-European rhetoric, and repeal anti-European legislation.”

“The ruling regime’s continued political course is in stark contrast to the will of the Georgian people, whose overwhelming majority consistently and unconditionally supports European integration. Instead of advancing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory, the ruling government is pursuing a policy that undermines the foundations of the country’s partnership with the European Union.

It is against this backdrop that we approach the upcoming Foreign Affairs Council with clear expectations and call on ministers to reaffirm their support for the democratic and European aspirations of the Georgian people, to demand the release of prisoners of conscience, and to call on the regime to abandon anti-European rhetoric and repeal anti-European legislation.

At the same time, we expect that all targeted measures that were previously blocked due to the unanimity requirement will now be seriously considered.

Despite the fact that the restriction of access only for diplomatic and official passport holders proven ineffective in practice, any broader measure should be approached with a clear principle in mind: the Georgian people should not be punished for the policies of the regime.

Visa-free travel to the EU is not a procedural formality - it is Georgia’s most tangible European achievement, achieved through decades of painful democratic reforms and the unwavering will of the people. It is a living expression of Georgia’s European identity and a living bond between the Georgian people and the European family.

Therefore, any threat to suspend the visa-free regime should be viewed critically. Such an outcome will not serve the interests of Georgian citizens; it will serve the ruling regime, which seeks to consolidate power by severing Georgia’s ties with the democratic West, as well as Georgia’s opponents, who have a strategic interest in alienating the country from its European partners. This should not be allowed to succeed! - writes Salome Zurabishvili