Georgian FM: it’s up to Brussels whether visa liberalisation becomes a tool to punish Georgian citizens - I hope it won’t

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Monday said it was up to Brussels to what extent it would use visa liberalisation as a tool to punish Georgian citizens.

In her remarks, Botchorishvili noted that issues related to European integration and visa-free travel were being used as a tool of blackmail against Georgia.

“We see that issues related to European integration, including the issue of visa-free travel, were being used as a tool, very often as a tool of blackmail, in relation to Georgia. To what extent Brussels will use visa liberalisation as a tool to punish Georgians, Georgian citizens, this is Brussels' business. I hope that this will not be the case”, the FM said.

“I hope that the discussions that are taking place in Brussels will not be used undeservedly against Georgian citizens. All this that we see is a tool of blackmail, although I hope that it will not turn into an instrument of punishment”, she concluded.