The European Union may consider the temporary cancellation of its visa-free regime with Georgia if upcoming parliamentary elections in the country are "not free and fair," the bloc's ambassador to Tbilisi said on September 20. Georgia's relations with the West have soured in recent months, with the United States and European countries accusing the government of authoritarian and pro-Russian tendencies. "If it is deemed that the elections were not free and fair, unfortunately, we will have to use the measures that we have in our toolbox," Pawel Herczynski told reporters, adding that one of those instruments is the "cancellation of the visa-free regime with the European Union." Georgian citizens have been able to visit Europe's Schengen zone of countries without a visa for up to 90 days since 2017. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Georgian Service, click here.
EU Envoy Says Visa-Free Travel For Georgians May Depend On 'Free And Fair' Elections
People walk past Georgian and EU flags painted on the wall in Tbilisi.