Georgia: no visa liberalisation without democratic standards

"The upcoming decision to be taken by the European Parliament on granting visa-free movement to Georgia should take into account whether European democratic standards have been met. This means no selective justice, no political prisoners and implementing standards on the freedom of the media and the independence of the judiciary, including the Constitutional Court, ahead of hopefully free and fair elections," declared Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, EPP Group Vice-Chair for Foreign Affairs, and Jaromír Štětina, member of the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia and Permanent Rapporteur on Georgia, after a meeting of the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee today.

"The Georgian people deserve a visa-free regime but Georgia, as a state, is still violating democratic standards. It is only once Georgian authorities free political prisoners, stop harassing independent media, especially Rustavi2, and cease harassing the Constitutional Tribunal that a visa free-regime can be granted," insisted Mr Saryusz-Wolski.

"In today's Georgia, numerous representatives who served under the previous government still remain in prison. The criminalisation of former political structures is not acceptable in Europe," said Jaromír Štětina.