Poland issues travel advisory for Georgia following border entry denials

The Polish Embassy in Georgia has warned its citizens that they could be denied entry into Georgia or face heavy fines for participating in or sharing information on social media related to the ongoing anti-government protests.

‘Due to numerous cases of refusal to enter [Georgia], including citizens of [EU]: countries, we ask you to consider whether there are factors that increase the risk of receiving such refusal in your individual case’, the Polish Embassy wrote Thursday morning in a thread on X.

The embassy highlighted the risks as including ‘attending demonstrations, being around them, as well as specific social media activities’.

The embassy additionally noted that Georgian authorities can refuse entry even to holders of a valid Georgian residence permit.

Besides entry denial, the embassy warned its citizens that foreigners ‘may be fined for participating — even if they are alleged — in demonstrations, and re-entering Georgia may require immediate payment’.

Since the start of the protests in late November 2024 — following the Georgian government’s decision to halt EU accession until 2028 — there have been a number of high-profile cases where citizens of EU countries have been deported at the border, ostensibly due to their presence at the demonstrations, journalistic coverage, or statements on social media.

On 21 May, Simon Vandenbroucke, an Enlargement Programme Officer working for the EU Delegation to Georgia, was denied entry to Georgia without explanation.

After the delegation addressed the Georgian Foreign Ministry regarding the matter, however, the Georgian authorities ‘presented oral apologies for the regrettable incident and confirmed that the staff member is welcome to come back to his place of posting’.

EU diplomat denied entry to Georgia

It remains unclear so far on what grounds Vandenbroucke was denied entry to Georgia.

OC MediaMikheil Gvadzabia

Prior to that, in March, Lithuanian women’s rights advocate Regina Jegorova-Askerova, who had lived in Georgia for 15 years, was denied entry into the country. The relevant document provided by Georgia’s border control service did not provide any explanation for the decision.

‘After exactly 15 years in my beloved Georgia, I have now been NOT allowed to enter the country!’ she wrote on Facebook.

She reportedly had a family in Georgia, including two children, and also held permanent residency.

According to Jegorova-Askerova, she was given a document stating that she was barred from entering due to ‘other cases envisaged by Georgian legislation’, making it difficult to understand the specific reasons why the state denied her entry.

Lithuanian women’s rights advocate, who has lived in Georgia for 15 years, denied entry

The reasons behind the decision remain unclear.

OC MediaMikheil Gvadzabia

The phrase ‘other cases envisaged by Georgian legislation’ is frequently used in cases of individuals turned away at Georgia’s borders, including with dissidents and journalists from various countries.

Since the October 2024 parliamentary elections, which gave the ruling Georgian Dream party 54% of the vote, this phrase has been used to deny entry to a number of foreign journalists from Georgia, including French journalists Clément Girardot and Jérôme Chobeaux and, most recently, UK journalist Will Neal.

Romanian comedian Victor Patrascan ‘denied entry to Georgia’ ahead of show

Victor Patrascan was denied entry to Georgia hours before a scheduled show in Tbilisi.

OC MediaYousef Bardouka