Georgia perceives EU's suspension of visa-free travel as "strategic mistake"

TBILISI, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili said Thursday that the EU decision to suspend visa-free travel for Georgian citizens would amount to a "major strategic mistake."

If such a decision is taken, it would represent a significant strategic mistake by the EU, particularly by the EEAS, the EU's diplomatic service, she told the Georgian Public Broadcaster in an interview.

"Georgia has fulfilled all requirements to ensure that its citizens face no obstacles when traveling to EU member states," Botchorishvili said, citing Georgia's readmission agreement over migration with the EU, enhanced law enforcement cooperation and joint border-control procedures.

The Georgian foreign minister made the remarks days after the European Council updated rules for suspending visa-free travel for citizens of third countries. According to the Council, the changes adopted on Nov. 17 will allow the EU to react "quicker and more vigorously" to situations in which visa-free travel is abused or works against its interests.

While expressing hope that the EU would reconsider steps that might affect Georgian citizens, Botchorishvili criticized the use of EU-related issues as an instrument of political confrontation.

She said most calls for suspending the Georgia-EU visa-free regime originated from opposition groups and certain non-governmental organizations acting "in a coordinated manner."

"This has become a tool of pressure aimed at shaping a radical political agenda in Georgia," she said. Enditem