Georgia, Germany intensify police cooperation

Georgian and German police forces are forging closer ties to better fight crime and enhance the already strong cooperation between the agencies of the two nations.

Georgia’s Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Mgebrishvili is currently on his second official visit to Germany to discuss and promote closer bilateral bonds between the police.

While in Germany Mgebrishvili was scheduled to meet the Interior Ministers of three federal German lands including Saxony, Hessen and Baden-Wurttemberg.

Mgebrishvili started his German visit in Saxony where he met the region’s Interior Minister Markus Ulbig. German media reported the two sides agreed on a range of issue including deepening bilateral cooperation in:

• Fighting crime;
• Training law enforcers; and
• Readmission of Georgian citizens whose requests on asylum were turned down.

Following the meeting Ulbig said German officials knew "very well” that no one was discriminated in Georgia based on their political views or other reasons, which meant no Georgian citizen should seek asylum in Germany and commit a crime while their request is pending.

German media also reported Mgebrishvili and Ulbig agreed on closer security cooperation too.

"Despite that we already have good cooperation with Georgia’s law enforcement agencies, it is very important that we further intensify collaboration between the police of the two countries,” said the German official.

This is Mgebrishvili’s second visit to Germany since he was appointed as Georgia’s Minister of Internal Affairs a year ago.