Latvia Ends Visa-Free Access For Georgian Diplomats

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 18. The Latvian Cabinet of Ministers reinstated the visa requirement for Georgian diplomatic and service passport holders on June 17, terminating the bilateral arrangement that had allowed Georgian officials to travel visa-free, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.

The move came in response to Council Decision (EU) 2025/170, adopted earlier this year on January 27, which called for a partial suspension of the EU-Georgia visa facilitation agreement. The European Union and its member states have raised a red flag over the actions of Georgia's ruling authorities, especially the heavy-handed approach towards civil society and the political opposition, which they see as stepping on the toes of democratic principles and human rights.

The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the reinstated visa requirement applies only to holders of diplomatic and service passports issued by Georgia. Georgian citizens with regular passports can continue to enter Latvia without a visa under the existing visa-free regime.

Latvia joined a growing list of EU member states that have already completed national procedures to enforce this change, including Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, and Sweden.

This decision highlighted Latvia's strategic alignment with European Union principles and its unwavering dedication to upholding democratic benchmarks throughout the region.

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