Europe Welcomes Georgia
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, March 1
“Georgia is sending an important message to Europe. Congratulations and welcome to Europe,” Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, stated in Tbilisi in the wake of the Council of Europe’s adoption of a final regulation for the Georgia-EU visa waiver on February 27, with only procedural issues left.
"I am sure that Georgia will maintain the current level of progress and it will still succeed and continue to fulfil its duties with same sense of responsibility. Visa-free travel is particularly important because a number of reforms will be beneficial for your country,” the Commissioner stated.
“We are very happy”, European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn told Georgian media about the issue.
The Commissioner said that this will be a new opportunity for deepening partnership between Georgia and EU.
"Only administrative issues are left now and we should expect that within a few weeks visa-free regime will be actually launched. Congratulations, this is a fulfilment of the promise,” Hahn said.
“This result proves that the European Union does come through with its promises. The European idea triumphs in Georgia as nowhere else,” the Prime Minister said.
The adoption of the new regulation was the final approval of a visa waiver for Georgians travelling to Europe. The regulation will now be formally signed by the European Parliament President and a representative of the EU Council Presidency, currently held by Malta, on March 1.
The Georgian opposition also welcomed the end of the process.
However, the Free Democrats opposition stated that the current Georgian Dream authorities were taking steps and adopting laws which contradict European values.
