"We congratulate Georgia on visa freedom," spokespeople quoted Paul Teesalu, director of the Political Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as saying. "Estonia will be glad to welcome Georgian citizens to Estonia. It is an important step in relations between the EU and Georgia. As a result of the visa freedom, relations between people will become stronger, tourism will become more popular and business relations will be strengthened.

"Visa freedom for Georgian citizens who want to travel to the EU and the Schengen area is the result of successful reforms that have been carried out in Georgia," he highlighted. "By fulfilling the conditions necessary for gaining visa freedom, Georgia demonstrated its unwavering will to integrate with Europe."

The decision which entered into force on Tuesday grants Georgian citizens the right to travel visa-free for 90 days in the 30 countries that make up the Schengen area.

In 2016, Estonia issued 1,713 short-stay Schengen visas to Georgian citizens. In the first three months of 2017, the Estonian Embassy in Tbilisi has issued 437 short-stay visas.