Number of Georgian Asylum Seekers Increased to EU But No Threat to Suspend Visa Lib
Diplomats from the European Union member states, who discussed the first report under the suspension mechanism in Brussels on Tuesday, expressed concern over two countries in particular: Georgia and Albania.
However, no country requested that the suspension mechanism be triggered for these countries.
The information was released by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Brussels reporter, Rikard Jozwaik, who tweeted that the EU member states are worried about the increased number of asylum seekers from Georgia.
“The EU aren’t happy with Ukraine’s draft law on establishing an anti-corruption court, but there is no real threat to suspend visa lib. EU member states are actually more worried about asylum seekers from Georgia,” Jozwaik tweeted.
The first report of the European Commission under the suspension mechanism, which was issued on December 20, 2017, reads that the number of Georgian asylum seekers to the EU has increased. However, the report reads that between late 2016 and mid-2017, the trends for illegal stays and refusal of entry remained stable.
The assessment also added that refusals of entry decreased by 39% and illegal stays by 3%, while asylum applications increased by 7.2% in the given period.
The Commission also underlined that organized criminal groups (OCGs) from Georgia are still reported as one of the most frequently represented non-EU nationalities involved in serious and organized crime in the EU.
“Georgian OCGs are highly mobile, are mainly involved in organized property crime (particularly organized burglaries and thefts) and are especially active in France, Greece, Germany, Italy and Spain,” the report reads.
The fact that Georgia’s issue was discussed at Tuesday’s meeting by the EU diplomats raised concern among the Georgian opposition parties, who call on the government to ensure fulfillment of all benchmarks in order not to lose the benefits of visa-liberalization with the EU states.
United National Movement member, Nino Kalandadze, says that the government needs to improve the economic situation in the country in order to prevent mass emigration of Georgians to the EU.
“The government should create more jobs and improve living conditions in the country in order for our citizens to have a reason to stay in Georgia,” she stated.
Another parliamentary opposition party, European Georgia, blames the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party for the increased number of Georgian emigrants to EU countries.
“The GD is unable to create the good economic conditions in Georgia that would stop the wave of Georgian emigrants to the EU,” Zurab Chiaberashvili, member of European Georgia, said.
In response to the opposition’s criticism, the ruling party says there is no threat of suspending Georgia’s visa-liberalization.
Tamar Khulordava, Head of Parliament’s Euro-integration Committee, says Georgia continues to fulfill the benchmarks and there is no threat that the EU will reconsider the visa-free regime with the country.
“The EU assessed Georgia’s achievements very positively and there are no grounds that something will pose a threat to Georgia’s main achievement of the last year- visa liberalization,” she said.
The visa-free regime for Georgia was activated on March 28, 2017.
Thea Morrison