86 Georgians Illegally Living in EU Sent Home

Eighty-six Georgian citizens who were residing illegally in the European Union (EU), were returned to Georgia last week, the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia announced.

The statement of the Ombudsman Ucha Nanuashvili reads that the Georgian citizens were handed over to the escort of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia by border police officers of Germany and Greece (in Dusseldorf and Athens).

“The process was coordinated by the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union FRONTEX,” the statement reads.

Nanuashvili adds that a representative of the Department of Prevention and Monitoring of the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia monitored the joint return operation of the Georgian citizens residing on the territory of the EU countries without permission.

“Representatives of the Department left Tbilisi International Airport for the airports of the German city of Düsseldorf and Greek capital Athens, where they attended the return of 86 Georgian citizens from European countries,” the statement reads.

The Ombudsman’s Office reports that no incident took place and no force or special means were used during the return operation.

The statement highlighted the handover of information booklets, which provided information about the State Program on Reintegration of Returned Migrants, to the Georgian citizens on board.

“Telephone communication with family members was still problematic. Like the previous monitoring, the Georgian citizens were allowed to use phones only after the representatives of the Department of Prevention and Monitoring of the Public Defender's Office requested they be allowed to do so by FRONTEX representatives,” the Ombudsman’s Office reports.

Thea Morrison