BRUSSELS, January 24. /TASS/. The permanent representatives of 27 European Union member states have approved the suspension of the EU’s visa waiver for Georgian diplomats due to the country’s so-called diplomatic setback, a source in an EU nation’s delegation told TASS.

"Yes, this morning, the permanent representatives agreed on the decision to suspend the visa waiver for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports," he said.

According to the diplomat, the decision should now be formally approved by the Council of the EU, which can be done at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on January 27.

On December 20, the European Commission officially suggested that the visa waiver for Georgian officials and diplomats be suspended.

Georgia held its parliamentary elections on October 26. According to the Central Election Commission, the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party got 53.93% of the vote, securing 89 out of 150 seats in parliament. Four opposition parties also cleared the five-percent threshold but refused to recognize the election’s outcome. Opposition leaders started to hold protests on November 4.