We respond to the recent statements made by Ivanishvili’s high-ranking officials—including representatives of the illegitimate parliament and government—regarding the potential suspension of visa-free travel for Georgian citizens to the European Union. These statements are outrageous and reveal that Georgian Dream itself recognizes that their actions and policies have placed the country’s European future in serious jeopardy. This is precisely why they are now attempting to justify to the public the consequences of their own agenda—dismantling Georgia’s European perspective—and to downplay the significance of this threat.

At a time when Georgian civil society has been fighting for years—responding to the will of the people—for the country’s European path, candidate status, and visa liberalization, Georgian Dream is deliberately putting these achievements at risk. For them, preserving their own power takes precedence—even at the cost of losing visa liberalization.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the deterioration of relations with the EU and restrictions on Georgians’ freedom of movement in Europe are not in the interest of the Georgian people, but rather serve the interests of Russia and Ivanishvili’s regime.

Our position is clear: international partners must impose sanctions not on the Georgian people, but on those individuals who are behind the adoption of unconstitutional laws, repression, and the persecution of groups supporting Georgia’s European path. However, it seems that Georgian Dream, through its policies and anti-Western propaganda, is doing everything possible to provoke the EU into quickly suspending visa liberalization—plunging the Georgian people into an extremely difficult situation. The regime is attempting to evade responsibility through propaganda tactics. They are fully aware that once visa-free travel is suspended, it will take many years to restore.

Western partners have already revoked visa privileges for high-ranking Georgian Dream officials—including those holding diplomatic and official passports—and many have been outright banned from entering specific countries. Now, Ivanishvili’s “Dream” wants to impose the same fate on the Georgian people.

We, the Georgian civil society, will do everything to prevent this from happening. Visa liberalization is a victory of the Georgian people! It is the result of their relentless struggle against Russia, years of hard work, and a firm choice in favor of the West—not of a government that today works against Georgia’s future and in favor of Russia’s interests.

Signed by:

Transparency International Georgia

Human Rights Center (HRC)

Economic Policy Research Center

Civil Movement for Liberty

Open Space Caucasus

Environmental Community Organization – ECO

European Orbit of Georgia

Scientific-Intellectual Club “Dialogue of Generations”

Prevention for Progress

Kvareli Euroclub

Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI)

Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

The European Fund

Rule of Law Center

International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED)

Georgian Reforms Association (GRASS)

Association for Integration and Development of Persons with Disabilities – Hangi

Civil Solidarity Fund

Democracy Defenders

European-Georgian Institute (EGI)

Sapari

Georgia’s Court Watch

Civil Society Foundation

Georgian Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT)