promises mass expulsions and ‘labor veto’ starting March 1

The prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidzedeclared this Friday that “this issue of immigration is the one that most worries the European population” and that the Executive’s job is to “guarantee the application of the rule.”

He The country currently has almost 20,000 undocumented foreignersdata that the head of government himself has announced, in a territory that has almost 4 million inhabitants.

During his statements, the head of Government justified the measure by the social “concern” about migratory flows in Europe and the need to protect the country’s national and religious identity.

In this regard, he has announced that starting in March, with the new provision that will come into force, the employment of people in an irregular situation will be massively limited and has promised to “completely rid the country of illegal migrants in the coming years.”

“The concern our citizens have is understandable, since every Georgian patriot wants his national and religious identity to be firmly protected,” he said during a message posted on social networks.

Kobakhidze recalled that the number of foreigners represents only 6.6% of the population living in the Caucasian territoryalthough he has made special reference to those who are irregularly in Georgia.

Currently, regarding the origin of citizens who currently reside in Georgia legally, most come from ex-Soviet statesEU countries, the United States and Israel.

In recent years, the migration issue has raised tension between several member states of the European Union, with recurring disagreements over the distribution of asylum seekers, the reinforcement of external borders and return policies.

The issue related to immigration is present throughout Europe, beyond the borders of the Union.

The latest demonstration is the referendum that will be held in Switzerland, to limit the number of people who can live in the Swiss State, in a vote promoted by the populist right and that aims to put a kind of limit on the arrival of immigrants.

The southern countries have been demanding greater solidarity between European partners, while other governments have decided to tighten controlswhich shows that there is growing fragmentation in the bloc on how to manage migratory flows.

In this context, Georgia, which is not part of the EU, after the previous government suspended accession negotiations, tries to show a hard line on immigration, while observing the debate that occurs between European allies.

By not being subject to the common regulatory framework of the EU, Tbilisi retains room to define its own strategy and has chosen to anticipate with a legislative tightening that, according to the Government, seeks to avoid similar tensions and reaffirm sovereign control over its borders.

Approach to Moscow

The immigration hardening also coincides with a delicate moment in the geopolitical balance of Georgia, where sectors of the opposition and part of civil society denounce a gradual rapprochement with Russia, something that has provoked pro-European demonstrations in the streets.

Although the Government insists that it is maintaining the European course, some recent decisions and the tone of the official discourse have been interpreted by critics as signs of harmony with approaches closer to Putin, especially in matters of security and border control.

However, the authorities, for their part, reject these accusations and maintain that the immigration policy they are implementing responds exclusively to national interests.