On possible visa regime with Belarus

Belarus Border Protection officials stated on March 30 that there is a possibility of lifting a visa free regime for Georgian citizens entering Belarus. This would be done to prevent crossing of the Belarus-Russian border by the Georgian citizens, who enter Belarus and then continue their way illegally further into Russia by crossing the Russian-Belarus border unofficially through different means by cars, on foot etc. According to Belarus mass media, for the last two years a number of Georgian citizens crossed the border illegally. According to unconfirmed data there are around 1 million Georgians currently in Russia of which only 1 percent live there legally. Georgian analysts suggest that the possible introduction of a visa free regime between Georgia and Belarus might be enforced in Minsk under Moscow’s pressure. It is also possible that, being a member of the same customs union, Kazakhstan could also close a visa free regime.