migration
Georgia and Moldova could become “safe countries of origin”.
According to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, 175,272 people had applied for asylum in Germany for the first time by the end of July. photo
© Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa/symbol image
From the ranks of the Greens there had been criticism of the planned classification of the two countries as safe countries of origin in the spring. At the beginning of September, however, there could now be a cabinet decision.
The classification of Georgia and Moldova as so-called safe countries of origin could be decided in the cabinet at the beginning of September. This was reported by the “Tagesspiegel”.
At the same time, the federal government wants to reach agreements with both states that are intended to simplify the legal migration of trainees and workers to Germany for people from Moldova and Georgia. In the spring, the Greens criticized the planned classification of Moldova and Georgia as safe countries of origin.
Special Envoy: Priority to Georgia and Moldova
The federal government’s special representative for migration agreements, Joachim Stamp (FDP), told the newspaper: “For me, Georgia and Moldova have priority because we could reduce irregular migration here immediately and both countries want partnerships.” They are also particularly relevant “because more than ten percent of the rejected asylum applications in Germany come from these two countries alone”.
Safe countries of origin are countries where it is generally assumed that there is neither persecution nor inhuman or degrading treatment and that the foreigner concerned is therefore not threatened with any serious harm in his home country. This currently applies to the member states of the European Union, Ghana, Senegal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro.
“In many cases, the drafting of migration agreements requires confidentiality,” a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior told the “Tagesspiegel”. “Current talks in Georgia, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and preparations for talks in Kenya and Morocco can be mentioned.”
According to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, 175,272 people had applied for asylum in Germany for the first time by the end of July – around 78 percent more than in the same period last year. So far this year, Georgia ranks sixth on the list of top countries of origin for asylum seekers, behind Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran and Iraq.