Georgia celebrates, hails EU visa waiver
Pro-Western former Soviet republic of Georgia yesterday hailed the “historic” first day of visa-free travel to Europe for its citizens as a waiver agreed with the European Union entered into force. The new regulation allows Georgians to travel to the EU for non-work purposes for up to 90 days, over any 180-day period, but does not apply to the United Kingdom or Ireland. “Historic day for Georgia to enjoy visa free travel to the EU! Thanks to our friends! Go Georgia towards European integration!” Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili wrote on Twitter. To celebrate the first visa-free travel day, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and his cabinet members, some MPs and a group of students flew from Tbilisi to Athens, and then on to the Belgian capital, Brussels. “Georgia is returning to the European family,” Kvirikashvili tweeted. “Today, together with students, we are travelling to the oldest cultural capital of Europe-Athens... Midday, we will travel to the political capital of Europe-Brussels-to celebrate this big achievement,” he said in separate televised remarks.