Ireland Puts Georgia on the Safe Country List
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, May 2
The Republic of Ireland has put Georgia on a list of safe countries.
The decision means no one from Georgia will be able to receive asylum in the country, as with the decision Ireland says that no one in Georgia is politically persecuted.
Ireland is the ninth country to make similar decision regarding Georgia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia says that this decision once again demonstrates the recognition of the protection of fundamental human rights through democratic reforms by western partners in Georgia.
Georgia has been recognized as a safe country by Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Bulgaria, Austria, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
The decision of the Republic of Ireland has already come into play.
Germany may also put Georgia on the safe country list.
German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told Deutsche Welle last month that Germany intends to add Georgia and Armenia to the list of safe countries.
Stefan Meier, the representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Germany, stated that a big number of Armenians and Georgians request asylum in Germany, but only "very few” gain a positive response.
According to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees of Germany, 3,462 citizens of Georgia and 3,857 citizens of Armenia applied for asylum in Germany last year.
The government of Georgia stated about two months ago that they requested Germany to put Georgia on the safe country list in order to prevent the illegal flow of Georgians to Germany.
