The European Union is calling on the Georgian government to withdraw laws restricting the activities of independent media and NGOs, as well as to protect the rights of the LGBT community.
Otherwise, visa-free entry for citizens may be suspended. In response, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze accused the EU of blackmail.
Some experts suggest that the government is deliberately attempting to undermine the visa-free regime in order to instill the perception among the population that Europe is "not good."
According to human rights activists, many people use the visa-free regime to travel to Europe, particularly to Germany and Poland, to earn money through seasonal work. For them, obtaining long-term visas is nearly impossible.
