TBILISI, September 1 – The European Commission confirmed that it has received a formal response from the Georgian government regarding a letter sent on July 14.
Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert told reporters the reply arrived yesterday and will now be evaluated in Brussels. He declined to reveal the content of the letter.
“The Commission does not make such correspondence public,” Lammert stated.
He said the Commission expects Georgia to take concrete steps on the issues highlighted in its recommendations.
The EU and Georgia have had a visa-free travel agreement since 2017, allowing Georgian citizens to travel to the Schengen area for short stays without a visa. Within the framework of the agreement, the EU can review Georgia’s compliance and make recommendations.
The Commission made use of this mechanism to make eight demands for Tbilisi to reform its laws in relation to LGBT rights and protection for non-governmental organizations, with a deadline for a response set for August 31.
