The German Government has signed an agreement with Georgia aimed at limiting asylum claims.
In a press release published on December 19, Germany’s interior ministry praised Georgia as having already been “extremely co-operative” in taking back migrants whose asylum claims were rejected.
As part of the agreement, Georgia and Germany will set up a joint task force aimed at promoting the welfare of temporary Georgian workers in Germany, and increase cross-border exchanges of students and experts in various fields.
In return, Georgia will be designated a “safe country” under German law, a change that should speed up the deportation process for any Georgians who try but fail to claim asylum.
Georgia will aim to take back illegal migrants and failed asylum seekers as swiftly as possible and engage in efforts to reintegrate them into local society.
The Georgian Government is reportedly concerned about the number of legal migrants permanently leaving for Germany and officials want to keep that to a minimum to prevent “brain drain”.
The German Government continues to insist the country needs more migrants, although greater effort is being made to ensure that those arriving contribute to the economy.
“We enable the immigration of skilled workers that we urgently need in many industries,” interior minister Nancy Faeser said.
“At the same time, we make a binding agreement that people without the right to remain in Germany will return [to their country of origin].”
.@JensSpahn, vice parliamentary leader of Germany’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has called for all immigrants who enter the European Union in breach of regulations to be deported to third countries. https://t.co/Hqq6F7BCOc
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) December 18, 2023
The German interior ministry has attempted to bill the deal as evidence the country is taking the issue of illegal mass migration seriously.
“From January to November 2023 alone, 15.6 per cent of rejected initial asylum applications in Germany came from Georgia and Moldova,” it said, insisting that the new Georgia agreement will help to reduce these numbers.
More than 300,000 would-be refugees from numerous nations arrived in the country between January and November 2023.
According to Die Tageszeitung, this figure represents a 60 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
Germany is reported to be examining the possibility of similar deals with other countries. Federal officials are said to be in active discussions with the Moldova.
Controversy surrounding mass migration has once again come to the fore in Germany after ethnic Turks booed the national football team during Germany’s game against Turkey on November 18. https://t.co/OmXS8EwJZk
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) November 20, 2023
