Sergi Kapanadze, head of the Georgian Reform Association believes that the European Commission’s recent letter to the ruling Georgian Dream party signals a high likelihood of suspending Georgia’s visa-free regime with the EU.
Speaking on a TV program Analytics, Kapanadze said the EU had already warned the government in December 2024 and is now requesting an update by August 31 on the steps taken to address concerns. However, he believes the ruling party has not made any progress and is unlikely to provide a satisfactory response.
“The EU’s approach is clear, you were warned in December and since then things have worsened. If your answer by August is ‘we’ve done nothing,’ which seems likely, then a reaction will follow. Unfortunately, that reaction appears to be the suspension of the visa-free regime,” Kapanadze stated.
He warned that such a move would create immediate logistical problems for citizens, as many EU embassies in Georgia have scaled back their visa-processing infrastructure due to the visa-free agreement.
“Embassies do not have the staff or systems in place to switch back to visa issuance overnight,” he added, predicting long delays and complications for Georgian travelers.
Kapanadze also pointed out that while the suspension of visa-free travel would be painful for the public, personal sanctions—especially against individuals and groups supporting the ruling regime financially or through media—would be more painful for Georgian Dream itself.
The European Commission’s letter refers to the seventh report of the Visa Suspension Mechanism from December 2024 and requests updates on Georgia’s compliance with EU recommendations. Failure to meet those expectations may lead the Commission to trigger Article 8 of the mechanism and initiate the process of suspending visa-free travel for Georgian citizens.
