25 April 2024,   11:16
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The government has no leverage to stop this process - experts discuss suspension of visa-free regime

"The government does not actually have any leverage to stop this process," - said the founder of the Center for Strategic Analysis of Georgia, Director of European Studies, Giorgi Rukhadze regarding the increase of the number of asylum seekers from Georgia in the EU.

The European Commission Expert Group will present a report on the suspension mechanism to the European Council. This report expresses dissatisfaction of several EU countries due to the increase in number of asylum seekers from Georgia.

Experts do not see the danger of enacting the suspension mechanism, however, they say that the requirement for asylum will continue.

Giorgi Rukhadze claims that increasing the number of asylum seekers is natural because the social situation has not improved in the country.

"The government does not actually have any leverage to stop this process except that the situation in the country should be improved, the better the conditions in the country, the fewer people will go to another country, the government can not forbid people to to look for better living conditions, "- said Rukhadze.

According to Tornike Sharashenidze, the founder of Georgia"s Strategic Analysis Center, the demand for citizens to move to another country is due to two factors, free movement and socio-economic hardship.

"The combination of two factors - free movement and socio-economic hardship. If the government wants people not to ask for asylum, they should correct the economic situation, as we can see, it is very difficult, so far, the government has not been able to do it, "said Tornike Sharashenidze.

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