Press Digest 23.12.2014
Georgia to establish visa-free travel with Schengen states
Even if the present authorities chase after the GEL, they will fail to catch it, expert Demur Giorkhelidze says
Georgia’s priorities: a key U.S. ally or a NATO member state?
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Georgia to establish visa-free travel with Schengen states
“As parliamentary majority member Levan Berdzenishvili announced at the Riga Summit, Georgian citizens with biometric IDs will soon enjoy visa-free travel in the Schengen Area states,” reports the Rezonansi newspaper.
“In the words of Levan Berdzenishvili, if everything runs smoothly, the Georgian people will enjoy visa-free travel in different countries of Schengen Area no later than the first half of 2016.
“In May, at the Riga Summit, a paramount decision on granting Georgia visa-free travel in different European countries is likely to be made; after this, our people will have an opportunity to live in Schengen area states without a visa for 90 days out of a year,” states Mr. Berdzenishvili.
“A Georgian citizen will be able to live in different European states for 90 days without a visa. Plus, all procedures for obtaining visas for the purpose of travel in Europe will be simplified,” declares the parliamentary majority member.
Vano Chkhikvadze, manager of the European Integration Program of Open Society Foundation Georgia, has described all procedures we have to undergo in order to implement a political decision by the Riga Summit in our country.
“If the commission makes the decision to establish visa-free travel between Georgia and the Schengen Area member states, its members will appeal to the Ministers Council as well as the European Parliament to approve the decision. They will openly state that the Georgian authorities have succeeded in accomplishing their entrusted duties as well as passing rational reforms in the country.
A final decision will be made by the ministers of the Schengen Area Countries after a vote is held. If the European Parliament as well as the Council of Ministers approve the decision, it will be implemented in the country soon afterwards,” states Chkikvadze.
Even if the present authorities chase after the GEL, they will fail to catch it, expert Demur Giorkhelidze says
"It’s no longer a secret that our ministers have performed different misdeeds as well as terrible offences while announcing tenders. As far as I am concerned, corruption was particularly rampant in the Ministry of infrastructure. This was one of the reasons we are seeing a steep drop in the value of GEL. Precisely because of their reluctance to declare tenders on schedule as well as their eagerness to put different projects on hold, our national currency has depreciated recently,” states Economics expert, Demur Giorkhelidze in his interview with the Alia publication.
“Our national agencies take money to declare tenders; however, they fail to spend it which is why they rush to exchange booths and buy USD. Soon after, the demand for American currency increases, GEL is devalued and thanks to this, they make money. Thus, today when so many people seek to live at the expense of their own country and people, all talks regarding our advancement seem extremely ridiculous,” contends Mr. Giorkhelidze.
“In my mind, on the threshold of a New Year, they are just trying not to annoy the people by shedding light on the wheeling and dealing going on in the National Bank.
All things considered, one thing is clear today; figuratively speaking, even if the present authorities chase after the GEL, they will fail to catch it – its exchange rate against USD is strongly expected to increase soon,” claims the respondent.
“The Government’s policy will be of decisive importance in the future. However, today, we are expected to face problems caused by a lack of money throughout the country rather than by the GEL exchange rate,” the respondent concludes.
Georgia’s priorities: a key U.S. ally or a NATO member state?
“The European Parliament will soon make a paramount decision which will launch a new era in our history. In fact, we have already entered a new era and our motivation to speed up our integration within the European Union has increased.
The President, as Head of the country, has attended this landmark event and this was obviously beneficial for us and our country,” states Head of Defense and Security Committee Irakli Sesiashvili.
“As you know, the European Parliament is a very liberal collegial body, and even an ordinary citizen can attend it. As it was expected, Mr. Saakashvili, who was invited to the session, tried to use this for his own PR; however, personally I have not paid great attention to this fact,” states Mr. Sesiashvili.
“Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are not eligible for key U.S. ally status without NATO membership. As it appears, this decision was made by the President’s Administration in the WH.
However, this decision ultimately changes nothing for Georgia. A Charter on Strategic Partnership has always connected us with the U.S. and we have always known that as one of our key strategic partners, the U.S. has always helped us to move closer the Alliance,” says the respondent.
“As it seems, the Senate has made this decision due to the present situation in Ukraine. However, this changes nothing significant to us. Personally, I would give advantage to the status of America’s key ally country over the integration with NATO,” concludes Irakli Sesiashvili.
