Denmark says number of Georgian asylum seekers decreased
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, December 24
Danish Minister for Immigration, Integration and Housing says that the number of Georgian asylum seekers has decreased in her country.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has stated that they have received a letter from Danish Minister for Immigration, Integration and Housing Inger Stojberg, which reads that the Georgian government “has met the challenges created after the signing of the Georgia-EU visa-free agreement.”
The ministry reports that Denmark welcomed the efforts of the Georgian Government to adopt laws and raise public awareness against illegal migration and asylum seeking.
Georgian Foreign Ministry also stated that the decreased number of asylum seekers could also be connected with the decision of the Danish government to put Georgia on the list of safe countries.
Denmark granted the safe country status to Georgia in November 2018.
The decision was made by the Danish Immigration Service, the National Police and Refugee Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia reported.
“The decision once again emphasizes the positive aspects in terms of human rights and security, economic developments and political stability in Georgia which is also supported by our partners”, Stated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.
The status means that no one in Georgia is politically persecuted and thus there are low chances for Georgians to receive asylum in Denmark.
Georgia has complicated rules for changing of surnames and readmission procedures in order to prevent Georgians’ illegal migration to the EU member states, as the increased number of Georgian migrants may cause the suspension of the Georgia-EU visa-free agreement.
Since March 2017 Georgian citizens holding biometric passports can travel to the EU’s Schengen Zone for a period of 90 days within any 180-day period for purposes other than working.
