Norway May Limit Travel for Georgian Diplomats
The Norwegian government is considering limiting travel for Georgian diplomats. This decision comes after the European Union suspended visa-free travel to the Schengen area for Georgian travelers with diplomatic and official passports.
Georgia’s recent elections were marred by widespread irregularities, according to a statement from Norway’s Foreign Ministry. The ministry also mentioned the government’s decision to abandon EU accession efforts, followed by protests that turned violent. The authorities’ use of force against demonstrators is highlighted in the statement.
Norway has already taken steps in response to these developments. It has not started any new projects with Georgian authorities, and reduced financial support for cooperation with them through multilateral channels. Instead, Norway increased its support to civil society organizations and suspended defense sector cooperation.
The OSCE Vienna Mechanism was invoked by several countries, including Norway, giving the Georgian authorities a deadline to answer questions about their adherence to certain principles and values.
The EU suspended visa-free travel for Georgian diplomats on January 27. This move may be followed by similar actions from Norway, according to its statement.
Georgian diplomats can still enter the Schengen area with ordinary passports, but there have been calls for the EU to close this loophole. Some people think that a list of individuals who should be banned from entering the EU without a visa, even with ordinary passports, should be created.