TBILISI, June 16 – What would happen if Brussels extended the visa-free entry ban to all Georgian citizens?
The EU suspended visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic, service and official passports from March 6 for an initial 12-month period. The European Commission said the step was a response to what it described as violent repression against peaceful protesters, political opponents and independent media.
Ordinary Georgian passport holders can still enter the Schengen area without a visa for short stays. But the Commission also instructed EU border authorities to carry out enhanced checks on all Georgian citizens crossing the bloc’s external borders, to prevent the restrictions from being bypassed.
But even tougher measures are now under consideration, according to Radio Free Europe journalist Rikard Jozwiak, who said a blanket suspension of visa liberalization was discussed at a meeting in Brussels on June 11. The meeting formed part of the EU’s visa suspension mechanism. Such talks are required under EU rules when the suspension mechanism is activated.
Georgia’s Foreign Ministry called the talks constructive and said delegation head Giorgi Tabatadze remained “positive” about future developments. But Georgia Today reported that an EU official described the dialogue as “rather unfruitful” and said Brussels was unimpressed by Tbilisi’s defence of laws the EU wants repealed. Georgian officials reportedly said they were a technical delegation and could not decide political questions, while the Georgian side continued to reject the visa restrictions as unfair and called for talks at a higher political level.
Tougher measures would still be some months off, as according to information cited by Interpressnews, the European Commission is expected to publish its annual visa report in December, with EU member states then due to consider the issue in January.
A blanket suspension would mean ordinary Georgian citizens would need visas for short trips to much of the EU, affecting tourism, family visits and business travel.
But analysts interviewed by Rezonansi said the direct economic effect would probably be limited.
Economist Giorgi Tsutskiridze said worsening relations with the EU would not automatically trigger an economic crisis or a sharp fall in the Georgian lari. He argued that any real economic cost would appear more slowly, through weaker investment, reduced financial assistance and a fading EU integration perspective.
He estimated that political risks could reduce Georgia’s growth potential by around 0.5 to 1 percentage point if uncertainty rises and Western capital becomes more cautious. He also said the EU had frozen around 120 million to 150 million euros in financial support since 2024, affecting resources intended for infrastructure, institutions and social projects.
At the same time, Tsutskiridze said Georgia’s economy remains strong. The International Monetary Fund estimated growth at 7.5% in 2025 and recently raised its 2026 forecast from 5.3% to 6.5%.
He warned, however, that China, Russia and Middle Eastern markets could not fully replace the EU in terms of financial resources, technology and institutional influence.
Analyst Davit Chikhelidze, on the other hand, said a suspension would affect the population rather than business, arguing that experienced businesspeople would still obtain visas and maintain contacts with European partners.
He also said visa-free travel is separate from Georgia’s trade agreements with the EU and argued that the country’s economy is diversified across partners including Russia, China, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey.
However, a full suspension is unlikely, according to both analysts. Nonetheless, the possibility of a blanket visa-free entry ban has been picked up by government officials and opposition figures and fueled an intense debate in recent weeks.
Georgian Dream officials accuse the opposition and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of lobbying Brussels to punish Georgian citizens. Ruling party MP Levan Machavariani said opposition groups hoped visa restrictions would create “chaos, unrest and agitation” inside the country.
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze made a similar accusation, saying he could not rule out that opposition figures were working to restrict visa-free travel for Georgian citizens.
The opposition blames the government instead. Lelo politician Salome Samadashvili said Georgian Dream was putting one of the country’s main achievements with the EU at risk through policies that had damaged relations with Brussels.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has described discussion of visa suspension as an attack on the Georgian people, while saying his government remains ready for dialogue with the EU. Other Georgian Dream figures have called the visa issue a tool of political pressure and “blackmail”.
Meanwhile, Estonian Ambassador Marge Mardisalu-Kahar told Interpressnews that visa-free travel is a conditional privilege tied to commitments on democracy, document security, borders and asylum policy.
“Visa-free travel really is a privilege that must be earned,” she said.
