Kobakhidze: suspension of visa-free regime for diplomatic passport holders is an ‘anti-Georgian’ decision

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated during a briefing this morning that the EU foreign ministers’ agreement to suspend the visa-free regime for holders of diplomatic passports is ‘an unequivocally anti-Georgian step’.

‘Despite the fact that this recommendation also has an essentially symbolic meaning, it should be assessed as an unequivocally anti-Georgian step, which, of course, undermines the credibility of European structures in the perception of Georgian society’, he said.

Kobakhidze thanked countries — including Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Italy, and Spain — which, according to him, have opposed the sanctions.

According to local media, Kobakhidze also stated that ‘it is not yet clear whether this act will be issued or not’.

‘In addition, everyone knows that people who have diplomatic passports, whether they are politicians or ambassadors, also have non-diplomatic passports, and therefore can enter European countries without a visa. This was also confirmed by European politicians themselves. Accordingly, no privileges are being canceled and this is another political gesture and anti-Georgian decision’, Kobakhidze said.