Risk of Georgian asylum seekers cooperating with members of organised crime in Europe neutralised, Interior Minister says
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Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that threats coming from the possibility of Georgian asylum seekers cooperating with members of organised crime have been ‘neutralised’ as the result of ‘effective cooperation’ with the country’s European partners.
Speaking at the Parliament of Georgia as a part of discussions ahead of the approval of the new cabinet presented by Prime Minister Bakhtadze, Giorgi Gakharia answered the questions of lawmakers today.
"Georgia has become an operative European partner meaning that we already have protected and closed channels for the exchange of information with Europe giving us the possibility to cooperate even more effectively. This is very important since we are trying to combat organised crime,” Gakharia said.
He said the institute of the police attachees is very helpful in terms of neutralising risks threatening the visa free regime between EU and Georgia considering the situation in some European cities. The existing challenges are being appropriately addressed, Gakharia said.
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 and French interior ministers signed an agreement in Paris today to create a joint working group against the transnational organised crime.
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 arrests come in the wake of the capture of four Georgian criminal bosses and 34 Georgian members of criminal groups in France and Greece on April 16-17 through cooperation with the Georgian Interior Ministry.
The new format was announced by PM Bakhtadze last month. The format will entail a meeting between the Georgian PM and EU President once a year to assess the progress made by Georgia on its way to the EU and involve different ministers upon necessity.
Giorgi Gakharia and Christopher Wray have also agreed that Georgian law enforcers will be involved in operations against international and transborder organised crime.
Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia spoke at a conference today providing local and international organisations with information regarding the investigative system reforms in the police.
Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze, has emphasised the importance of the responsible implementation of the visa liberalisation tool by Georgians.
The German Bundestag has declared Georgia a safe country on January 18, meaning that Georgians will not be eligible to seek asylum in Germany.