PRAGUE – Czechia will end visa-free entry for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports and government officials, the cabinet decided on Wednesday.
“This decision comes in response to human rights violations, crackdown on protests, and the weakening of civil society in Georgia. This means Georgian officials will no longer have visa-free access,” Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský posted on X.
The measure will take effect at the start of October.
The move follows the Council’s 27 January 2025 decision to partially suspend the EU–Georgia visa facilitation agreement, allowing member states to restrict entry for Georgian officials.
According to the Czech Foreign Ministry, 16 member states have already imposed similar measures, including Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Portugal, Romania, the Netherlands and Bulgaria.
In Georgia, authorities continue to carry out raids against members of the pro-European opposition amid protests over disputed parliamentary elections last October and the government’s subsequent decision to suspend EU accession talks.