BRUSSELS, September 19. /TASS/. The European Union may consider canceling visa-free regime with Georgia in case of further "backsliding on democracy" in the country, Politico reported, citing a spokesman for the European Commission.
According to him, the EU has "all options are on the table, including the potential temporary suspension of the visa liberalization scheme." "As part of the EU-Georgia visa liberalization dialogue and the corresponding Action Plan, Georgia was required to meet specific benchmarks, including ensuring the protection of fundamental rights and preventing discrimination [against certain groups of the population]," the spokesman added.
"An assessment would of course take place in case of developments posing a risk to the internal security of the Schengen area, as well as in case of a further democratic decline in Georgia," he emphasized.
According to the newspaper, under the 2017 agreement, Georgian citizens do not need visas to visit EU countries, where they can stay for six months a year.
Georgia's relations with the US and the EU deteriorated amid the Georgian parliament passed a law on foreign agents in May. The US State Department said it was imposing visa sanctions on dozens of Georgian citizens, including members of the government, parliament, their relatives and law enforcement officials, in connection with the law. In July, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the decision to suspend the program of assistance to Tbilisi in the amount of more than 95 million in aid to Tbilisi in connection with the foreign agents law. For the same reason, the EU froze 30 million euros earmarked for the Georgian Defense Ministry.
Georgia will hold parliamentary elections on October 26. The ruling Georgian Dream party, which has been in power for 12 years, will try to win for the fourth time. Its main rival is the United National Movement party. The party with the most votes will nominate a candidate for prime minister, who will form the government.