Georgia tries to reduce asylum seekers from the country to Europe
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Georgian Interior Minister has discussed steps taken by Georgia towards reducing asylum seekers from the country with his German colleague Horst Seehofer pointing out that there is a positive dynamic in terms of a decrease in their number.
During his official visit to Germany Giorgi Gakharia met with Horst Seehofer, German Minister of Interior to discuss bilateral cooperation between the two countries as well as measures aimed at reducing asylum seekers from Georgia.
"The existing practice shows that the possibility of recognising Georgian citizens as asylum seekers is very low while the recognition of Georgia as a secure country will be a further step forwards in a decrease in the asylum seekers number in the near future,” reads the statement by the Georgian Interior Ministry released today. The two ministers pointed out that there is a positive practice of cooperation in terms of readmission what is reflected in fulfillment of 100% German requests by the Georgian side.
The parties have agreed to further strengthen cooperation aimed at answering the challenge of illegal migration from Georgia and offences committed by Georgians throughout the Schengen area.
German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told Deutsche Welle that Germany intends to add Georgia and Armenia to the list of safe countries, which means that no one from those countries will receive asylum in Germany.According to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees of Germany, 3,462 citizens of Georgia and 3,857 citizens of Armenia applied for asylum in Germany last year.
The countries from which Georgians have been returned include Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Island.
Germany is offering about €253 million to Georgia for sustainable development. Georgia’s Finance Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze and German Ambassador to Georgia Heike Peitsch signed the financial agreement today.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has confirmed today that new regulations will be established concerning the changing of surnames to prevent Georgian citizens from violating the Georgia-EU visa free regulations.
Acting Interior Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia told lawmakers today that his body is launching a new project which envisages gifting flats to police staff in Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi and Rustavi.
The number of Georgian citizens seeking asylum in Germany has decreased dramatically in May, compared to the previous data, the statistics from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees of Germany has revealed.
The number of Georgian citizens seeking asylum in EU member states has significantly decreased, the Chair of the Committee on European Integration of the Georgian Parliament Tamar Khulordava said.
The Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has appointed Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia and Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Maia Tskitishvili as vice prime ministers today.
German and Georgian officials believe that putting Georgia on the list will decrease the number of Georgian asylum seekers in Germany, as well as the illegal stay of Georgians in the country, which may create threats to the Georgia-EU visa waiver.
Georgia granted asylum to 82 foreign citizens during the period of January 1 to December 20 2018, announces Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The German Bundestag has declared Georgia a safe country on January 18, meaning that Georgians will not be eligible to seek asylum in Germany.
The Georgian parliament has approved a bill with its third and the final reading which provides for imprisonment as punishment for providing support to a Georgian citizen to stay illegally in a foreign country.
The number of Georgian asylum seekers in Germany has decreased 10%, Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees reports.
Greek police have arrested a 40-year-old Georgian national who was caught driving a refrigerated truck with 41 migrants in the back, the Guardian reports.