Budrys: Banning Visa-Free Travel for Diplomatic Passports Is the Minimum Step

“We hope to agree on the steps that are necessary in light of what we are seeing on the streets of Tbilisi. When we see political opposition leaders being detained, we see violence against protesters, this is something that we cannot ignore. In Lithuania, we have already imposed sanctions on about 30 people who were directly involved in the violent suppression of the opposition protests. We call on the European Union to also impose sanctions against these individuals,” said Kestutis Budris.

After addressing personal sanctions, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister identified the visa-free regime as the second issue to be discussed with Georgia.

“We should ban it [visa-free regime] for holders of diplomatic and service passports. This is the minimum we need to do, and we should also send a strong message that we may expand this ban in the future.

The third issue is to hold technical and political negotiations with Georgia within the framework of the Georgia-EU Association Agreement, as well as to suspend all institutional negotiations with Georgian government institutions, and also to suspend financial support for these institutions. 

On the other hand, we need to send a strong message to Georgian civil society that we will support them and we need a financial package for this, to show that we are serious. So, right now we need to send a message to the Georgian people who have taken to the streets that Europe is not abandoning you, Europe is with you and Europe needs you," said Kestutis Budrys.

Over the past two weeks, Lithuania has sanctioned 28 Georgian officials and politicians. The list of those sanctioned is as follows:

1. Bidzina Ivanishvili - Honorary Chairman of the Georgian Dream
2. Irakli Kobakhidze - Illegitimate Prime Minister
3. Vakhtang Gomelauri - Illegitimate Minister of Internal Affairs
4. Zviad Kharazishvili (Khareba) - Director of the Special Tasks Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
5. Grigol Liluashvili - Head of the State Security Service
6. Kakha Kaladze - Secretary General of the Georgian Dream, Mayor of Tbilisi
7. Mamuka Mdinaradze - Executive Secretary of the Georgian Dream, Member of Parliament
8. Shalva Bedoidze - Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
9. Ioseb Chelidze - Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
10. Aleksandre Darakhvelidze - Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
11. Giorgi Butkhuzi - Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
12. Mileri Lagazauri - Director of the Special Tasks Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
13. Mirza Kezevadze - Deputy Director of the Special Tasks Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
14. Vazha Siradze - Director of the Patrol Police Department
15. Teimuraz Kupatadze - Director of the Criminal Police Department
16. Mikheil Chinchaladze - Chairman of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal
17. Levan Murusidze - Judge of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal, Member of the High Council of Justice
18. Irakli Rukhadze - Owner of the government propaganda TV company Imedi
19. Viktor Japaridze - Member of Parliament from the Georgian Dream
20. Dimitri Samkharadze - Member of Parliament from the Georgian Dream
21. Goga Khaindrava - Director, propagandist for the Georgian Dream
22. Giorgi Kobakhidze - Father of Irakli Kobakhidze
23. Shalva Tadumadze - Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court
24. Tea Tsulukiani - Georgian Dream MP
25. Zviad Shalamberidze - Georgian Dream MP, former Governor of Imereti
26. Irakli Karseladze - Member of the illegitimate government, Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure
27. Kakhi Bekauri - Chairman of the National Communications Commission
28. Otar Partskhaladze - Former Chief Prosecutor