European Union Considers Suspension Of Visa-Free Rules For Georgia If Next Month's Elections Are Not Free And Fair

JAKARTA - The European Union could consider temporarily suspending visa-free rules with Georgia, if the parliamentary elections on October 26 in the EU candidate country were not free, fair and peaceful, the bloc's ambassador to Tbilisi said on Friday.

Georgia's relations with the West have deteriorated in recent months. The United States and European countries accuse the Georgia Government of having an authoritarian and pro-Russian trend.

"All options are on the table, including a temporary suspension of the visa-free regime with Georgia," EU Ambassador to Georgia Pawel Herczynski said.

If the Georgia general election is not considered free and fair, Herczynski said, the EU could take similar action against Belarus, a Russian ally sanctioned after the 2020 general elections that Western countries and Belarusian opposition activists say were rigged.

Although the ruling Georgia Dreamland Party said it wanted the South Kaupas nation to join the EU and NATO, the party has moved in the last two years to deepen ties with Russia.

Former prime minister and billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, widely seen as Georgia's most powerful man, has accused the West of trying to drag his country into war with Russia.

Last week Ivanishvili suggested that Tbilisi apologize for the brief 2008 war with Russia which caused Moscow to recognize two Georgian rebel areas, Georgia media reported.

It is known that Georgian citizens can visit the Schegen zone in Europe without visas of up to 90 days from 2017.

The EU gave Georgia a candidate status last December, but its membership offer frozen after Tbilisi approved a law on foreign agents in June that the West said was authoritarian and inspired by Russia.

Western countries have also criticized the "family values" bill approved by lawmakers this week which curbs LGBT rights.