On the way to visa liberalization Georgia has fulfilled all the requirements of the EU before Ukraine, so the Ukrainian bezveza moved a couple of months. Comments about this “Segodnya” said a member of the Committee on civil liberties, justice and home Affairs of the European Parliament Michael Boni.
“Both countries had to undergo a similar procedure on the process of visa liberalization with the EU. Georgia began to carry out these reforms a little earlier in Ukraine and the fulfillment of all requirements imposed by the EU, took them (Georgia) in less time. Therefore, the positive evaluation of the process was given a little earlier, and the report on Georgia was adopted at the Committee meetings before the same in Ukraine. That is why Georgia is a bit closer to a visa-free regime with the EU than Ukraine, but only for a few months. I think this is the only reason of this order. Ukraine is a large country on the path of reforms and these reforms actively developing positive changes in the economy, reform of the police, customs, security, transparency of party funding. There are several currently open tasks and visa liberalisation is only one of them. We must also remember the opportunities of the single market, European investments and Ukraine’s accession to the EU in the future. All these steps make Ukraine closer to the EU”, – said the MEP.
Recall, 12 January the European Parliament’s Committee on civil liberties and home Affairs (LIBE) voted for a visa-free regime for Georgia. “Legislative changes regarding the exclusion of Georgia from the list of countries whose citizens need a visa to enter the EU and move them to the list of countries exempt from this requirement, to be confirmed in plenary in General, is likely in February. After the adoption by the Council of Ministers, the text will be signed and published in the official journal of the European Union”, – said the press service of the Committee. It is expected that the abolition of visas for Georgian citizens to the vote at the plenary session of the European Parliament will make simultaneously with the mechanism for suspending the visa-free regime 1-2 February. Ukraine, which like Georgia has passed all stages of approval, committees of the EU Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission is likely to receive a visa-free regime after the elections in France – the second round of there scheduled for 7 may.
