European Union Foreign Ministers agreed to take moves to end visa-free travel for Georgia's diplomats and government officials following the ruling party's crackdown against pro-EU protesters.

"The situation is not going to a positive direction for the Georgian people," the EU's new foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said after meeting with the ministers on Monday.

"Today we agreed the need to halt the visa-free regime for diplomatic passport holders," she added.

EU ministers also considering sanctions

The ministers have proposed the move the to the European Commission, the bloc's executive body that will have to vote on implementation.

Diplomats said they believed the Commission would vote in favor of the proposal.

Kallas said there had also been a discussion about imposing sanctions on Georgian government individuals responsible for the violent crackdown against protests and opposition politicians.

"There was very intense discussion and there was also a lot of will to do more," she said.

Monday was Kallas' first meeting with EU foreign ministers in her new role. After Hungary vetoed proposed sanctions against certain Georgian police officials, Kallas said: "It's my first Hungarian veto, but I can guarantee it's not the last."

Georgia heading away from EU

Protests broke out in Georgia after the ruling Georgian Dream party won the October election amid accusations of fraud and then went on to say it was delaying plans to progress accession talks with the EU.

The bloc granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023, but then put the bid on hold and cut financial support following the passing of a Russia-inspired "foreign influence" law, seen as an attack on democratic freedoms.

On Saturday, former soccer player Mikheil Kavelashvili was chosen as the new president, marking a shift from the pro-EU outgoing president Salome Zourabichvili.

ab/rc (Reteurs, AP)