The European Commission proposed Wednesday to grant citizens of Georgia visa-free access to the European Union, with hopes high that the special right will be finalized in coming months, dpa reported. The EU has used the removal of visa requirements for short-term travel to its Schengen area as an incentive to encourage reforms in eastern neighbours. "Today's proposal recognizes the efforts of the Georgian authorities to carry out far-reaching and difficult reforms with a significant impact on the rule of law and the justice system," EU Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said. "Visa-free travel will further facilitate people-to-people contacts and strengthen business, social and cultural ties between the EU and Georgia," he added. But EU governments and the European Parliament will have to approve the measure before it can come into effect. The move could face resistance, as Europe's surge in migration may make some EU capitals wary of granting more people unfettered access to their bloc.
