4970 Georgians Requested Asylum in EU in Q1 2018

Eurostat reports that 131,000 people requested asylum in European Union countries in quarter 1, 2018, out of which, 4% - 4970 are Georgians.

According to the agency, in the last quarter of 2017 (October-December), 3615 citizens of Georgia requested asylum, 4970 in January-March 2018 (January - 1730, February 1655, and March 1585).

Among the asylum seekers in the EU Syrians take the top position. In January - March, 2018, 15,800 Syrian refugees requested asylum in EU as which is 12 percent of the total requests. The second place take Iraqis (9200-7%), Afghans are on the third place (7700 requests, 6% of the whole asylum seekers).

The largest number of asylum seekers was registered in Germany in the first quarter of 2018. In this country, 34,400 migrants demanded asylum, which is 26% of the total number. In this index, France occupies second place with 25,300 requests (19%), followed by Italy - 17800 (14%).

According to Eurostat, as of March 2018, 892,000 applications for asylum seekers are in the process of consideration in the EU member states.

By Thea Morrison