The suspension of visa-free travel with the European Union, a key milestone symbolizing Georgia’s European aspirations, is now under serious threat, raising concerns among civil society organizations.
Speaking on BMGTV’s Business Morning, Goga Tushurashvili, Head of Research at the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), emphasized that suspending visa liberalization would cause significant reputational damage to the country and negatively impact sectors such as tourism and air travel.
“Unfortunately, visa liberalization, one of Georgia’s most important achievements in recent years, is now at risk. This is the result of the current political course taken by our so-called government,” said Tushurashvili. “What’s especially troubling is that the very officials who once hailed this development as a historic step forward are now attempting to downplay its importance.”
According to Tushurashvili, visa liberalization has had a broad and measurable impact on various sectors of the Georgian economy and society. “There is no area that has not benefited from visa liberalization. It has positively affected tourism, airlines, remittances, trade, healthcare, and education. In some cases, the benefits are clearly quantifiable; in others, they’re more difficult to measure, but they are no less significant,” he noted.
One of the most visible effects has been in the tourism sector. Since the introduction of visa-free travel in 2017, the number of tourists arriving from EU countries has more than doubled within just two years. Although the pandemic temporarily disrupted this growth, by 2024, tourist numbers had rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, levels that were already twice as high as those recorded before visa liberalization.
Tushurashvili also highlighted the social impact, particularly for the Georgian diaspora. “The entry of low-cost airlines into the Georgian market made it possible for many Georgian migrants to visit home once or even twice a year, strengthening family ties and reducing the emotional toll of migration.”
As discussions continue about the country’s alignment with European standards, IDFI warns that undermining visa liberalization could signal a step backward, not only diplomatically but also economically and socially.
