European Parliament committee backs visa-free travel for Georgia

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament approved the visa waiver for Georgia by 44 votes to 5 and that for Kosovo by 25 votes to 24 with 2 abstentions, the Parliament's website said.

The EU-Georgia visa liberalization dialogue started in 2012 and by the end of 2015, the EU Commission had concluded that the country had fulfilled all the benchmarks. Mariya Gabriel (EPP, BG), Parliament’s rapporteur for the proposal, believes that the visa waiver is an important instrument for stepping up economic and cultural relations and intensifying political dialogue, including on human rights and fundamental freedoms.

“More efforts are necessary, however, in areas such as freedom of the media, independence of the judiciary, the fairness of elections and increased participation of women and national minority representatives,” said Gabriel.

One of the 95 criteria Kosovo should fulfil before obtaining the visa waiver is to ratify the border agreement with Montenegro, still pending.

The Committee approved the opening of negotiations with the Council on the Georgia proposal (with 44 votes in favour, 5 against and 1 abstention), with a view to reaching an agreement at the first reading, as well as the composition of the negotiating team. On Kosovo, MEPs rejected starting talks with the Council, with 24 votes to 25.

Once Parliament as a whole and Council endorse the legislative changes, Kosovars and Georgians will be able to enter the EU visa-free for 90 days in any 180-day period, provided they hold a biometric passport.