The European Union's executive Thursday proposed ways to make it easier for Georgians to obtain visas, in the EU's latest show of support for Georgia after August's war with Russia.
The European Commission recommended that the council of EU member states launch talks with Tbilisi on how best to facilitate the EU's visa regime and on how to ensure the return of illegal migrants to their homeland, a press release said.
Improvements to the visa regime should include a simplification of the types of documents needed for Georgians to obtain a visa, the creation of long-term multiple-entry visas, and a reduction or complete abolition of visa fees for certain as yet undefined groups, the commission said.
The move from the Brussels-based body follows a call from EU leaders at an emergency summit in September to ease the visa regime for Georgian citizens in a show of support after August's Georgian-Russian war.
Under the EU's rules, it is up to the commission to propose a negotiating mandate on visa facilitation. Member states then have to approve the mandate, after which the commission's experts begin talks on technical aspects of the deal.
On September 15 the commission announced a 500-million-euro (733.7-million-dollar) aid package for civilian reconstruction in Georgia. The EU is set to host an international donors' conference with the same goal in mind in Brussels on October 21 or 22.
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