On December 18, the German Minister of Interior and Community, Nancy Feaser accompanied by a delegation arrived in Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia reported. As part of the official working visit, Nancy Feaser met on December 19 with the Georgian Minister of Interior, Vakhtang Gomelauri. The meeting was marked by the signing of an Agreement on Migration and Mobility between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.
“The Agreement aims to bolster collaboration between Georgia and the Federal Republic of Germany in the field of labor migration and education, with an emphasis on enhancing educational and internship initiatives for Georgian students and researchers,” – reads the Georgian MIA press release. The agreement also aims “to intensify efforts against illegal migration, which includes strengthening cooperation on the readmission and reintegration of Georgian citizens of who have violated visa-free travel regulations.”
According to the Georgian Ministry of Interior, the discussion also focused on the future prospects of cooperation between the two countries in the fight against illegal migration and organized crime.
During the meeting, the Georgian Minister of Interior emphasized the importance of Germany’s decision to include Georgia in the list of safe countries of origin, noting that the decision “serves as a validation of Georgia’s democratic governance and attests to the effective protection of human rights by the state institutions of Georgia.”
On December 15, the German Parliament passed a legislative act, recognizing Georgia as a safe country of origin. The move is aimed at speeding up the processing of asylum applications and facilitating faster deportations for those who are rejected. The Germany Ministry of Interior defines safe countries of origin as those where there is generally no fear of state prosecution and where the state protects its citizens.
According to the Georgian MIA, “the German side acknowledged successful implementation by Georgia of the Readmission Agreement with the European Union.” The German Minister also positively assessed the measures taken by Georgia to respond to the challenges of visa-free travel with the EU. At the end of the meeting, “both parties expressed their optimism for increased cooperation in the future”, underpinned by the signed agreement.
- 23/11/2010 – EU, Georgia Sign Readmission Treaty
After the meeting, the ministers held a joint press conference where the details of the signed agreement were clarified.
According to Gomelauri, under the agreement, the parties will prevent and combat illegal migration, human trafficking, misuse of documents and visas. “Many [people] left, as if for work, and then they disappeared… We found them in other countries, sometimes there were cases of theft,” – said Gomelauri, adding that if a person works legally, he/she will have no problem. He also said that individuals will not be deported if they are in Germany for medical reasons, for example for medical operations that cannot be done in Georgia.
The German Minister also stressed the importance of the signed agreement. She said that the circular migration will continue under the agreement “to ensure that the better work opportunities will be created on the German market”.
More to follow…
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