Tightening EU Relationships by Ruling Party Figures in Georgia, Simultaneously Challenging Visa-Free Access for Citizens
In a stark warning, Transparency International Georgia (TI-Georgia) has expressed concerns about members of the Georgian Dream party deepening their personal and financial ties with Europe, potentially putting Georgia's visa-free access to the European Union at risk.
In a statement published on Tuesday, TI-Georgia highlighted that current and former Georgian Dream officials are acquiring real estate, establishing companies, and obtaining EU citizenship in various European countries. This behaviour, the watchdog argues, contradicts the Georgian Dream government's dismissal of the EU's warnings on visa liberalization, which could be suspended due to governance and political issues.
The report specifically notes that Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili’s family owns numerous companies registered in Europe and holds personal property in France. This behaviour, TI-Georgia contends, is concerning given the Georgian Dream government's continued downplaying of the EU's concerns about potential suspension of visa-free travel for Georgian citizens due to the ruling party's authoritarian policies.
The European Parliament has also expressed concerns over Georgia's democratic backsliding. These concerns involve recent legislation seen as undermining civil society and media freedom, as well as the erosion of democratic norms. The Parliament has cautioned Georgia about these developments and has warned that Georgia's visa-free regime could be suspended if democratic norms are further eroded.
TI-Georgia has warned of a growing double standard, as ordinary Georgians may face increasing barriers to travel, study, or work in Europe, while the elite safeguard their own European privileges through wealth and political connections. The issues raised by TI-Georgia involve the Georgian Dream party's authoritarian policies and their potential impact on Georgia's relationship with the EU.
This criticism comes amid broader tensions between Georgia and the EU following Georgia’s halting of its EU accession bid and subsequent sanctions on Georgian Dream officials by Western countries. The European Parliament has expressed its concerns over Georgia's democratic backsliding and recent legislation seen as undermining civil society and media freedom.
In light of these developments, TI-Georgia has explicitly voiced concern that Georgian Dream members' deepening personal and financial ties in Europe contrast with their political actions that jeopardize visa-free access to the EU for all Georgians. The watchdog has called for transparency and accountability from the Georgian Dream party and urged the government to address the EU's concerns about democratic backsliding in order to safeguard Georgia's relationship with the EU.
- The growing concerns about Georgian Dream party members' accumulation of European assets, including real estate and companies, has sparked a debate on policy-and-legislation, as this behavior contradicts the EU's warnings on visa liberalization, which could be suspended due to governance and political issues.
- The announcement by Transparency International Georgia (TI-Georgia) about the potential risk to Georgia's visa-free access to the EU, due to ties between Georgian Dream officials and Europe, has also raised questions in the casino-culture, particularly considering Bidzina Ivanishvili’s family’s businesses registered in Europe and property in France.
- The casino-and-gambling world is not the only sector exposed to allegations, as the European Parliament has expressed concerns over Georgia's democratic backsliding, which involves recent legislation seen as undermining civil society and media freedom, creating a possible link between crimes-and-justice and politics.
- Beyond the concerns about Georgia's visa-free regime, general-news outlets have reported a growing double standard, as ordinary Georgians may face increasing barriers to travel, study, or work in Europe, while the elite safeguard their own privileges through wealth and political connections, potentially raising issues related to war-and-conflicts, as tensions between Georgia and the EU continue to escalate.
