The Georgian government is discussing a package of amendments to the Criminal Code and the Administrative Code aimed at tightening immigration policy. The goal is to strengthen the fight against illegal migration and prevent abuse of the asylum system.
Main amendments:
Deportation statistics:
How many foreigners are there in Georgia?
According to Geostat data for 2024, 135,811 people entered the country, including:
In addition, up to 100,000 Russians were in Georgia at the peak of the migration flow, of whom 60,000 remained and 30,000 left the country in 2023. According to estimates by the UN and migration centers, approximately 26,000 refugees live in Georgia, mainly Ukrainians, but also Syrians, Iraqis, Iranians, and Russians.
Georgia is tightening migration controls, introducing deportation with long-term bans, increasing fines, and speeding up the processing of applications. This is part of efforts to combat illegal migration and abuse of the asylum procedure.
However, the visa waiver remains in place and requirements for stays of up to one year are being simplified. Tens of thousands of foreigners, mainly from Russia and Ukraine, reside in the country, making the reforms both sensitive and controversial. The changes to migration legislation will have long-term consequences for both new arrivals and Georgia’s migration practices.
Ukraine has resumed ferry service with Georgia, operating two sailings from the Chornomorsk port to the Georgian port of Batumi for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion.
“Two flights were made on March 18 and 26 from the port of Chornomorsk to the port of Batumi, and the third flight is planned for next week,” said Tymofiy Murakhovsky, Director of Commercial and Logistics at Ukrzaliznytsia JSC, at a meeting on the Restoration of the Ukraine-Georgia Ferry Service within the TTM Corridor.
According to him, the project is being implemented with the participation of the shipping company Ukrferry (Odesa) and UZ Cargo Poland, a subsidiary of Ukrzaliznytsia, in Warsaw. According to Murakhovsky, the first voyages in March were carried out in a mode of information silence. He urged businesses to become more actively involved in the direction. As you know, since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggression in February 2022, there has been no maritime traffic between Ukraine and Georgia.
The shipping company Ukrferry announced the resumption of the Chornomorsk-Batumi ferry service on July 9, 2024, but this did not happen.
Ukraine defeated Georgia 1-0 and secured their first win in the Nations League soccer draw, Suspilnoe Sport reported on Friday night.
Despite the first victory, Ukraine continues to go in last place in the Nations League group, behind Albania in head-to-head meetings: 1. Georgia – 6 points (3 matches), 5:2 (goal difference); 2. Czech Republic – 6 points (3), 6:6; 3. Albania – 3 (3), 2:4; 4. Ukraine – 3 (3), 4:5.
It is reported that the next match Ukraine will play against the Czech Republic on Monday, October 14.
Active Group and Experts Club have conducted a joint study on the attitudes of Ukrainians towards the countries of East Asia and the Middle East. The research was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine news agency in June 2024. The research was presented by Maksym Urakin and Oleksandr Poznyi. The results of the study are as follows:
The results of the survey are as follows:
Completely positive – 15.3%.
Mostly positive – 46.9 %.
Mostly negative – 13.6
Completely negative – 3.6
Difficult to answer – 20.6%.
Positive – Negative – 45.0%.
On April 5, 1994, the Embassy of Ukraine in Georgia began its work, and on August 19, 1994, the Embassy of Georgia in Ukraine.
The joint research by Active Group and Experts Club on the attitudes of Ukrainians towards the countries of East Asia and the Middle East was conducted in April-May 2024. It covers such countries as Turkey, Iran, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, India, China, Republic of Korea, DPRK, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Syria, and Iraq. Full information on the research is available on the website of the Club of Experts at
Brussels will continue to support Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia in carrying out pro-European reforms, according to a statement issued on Friday following the EU summit.
“The European Union will continue to work closely with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia and support their reform efforts on their European path,” it said.
The statement says that the meeting also decided that Brussels will support Moldova in addressing the challenges it faces due to the events in Ukraine.
Last March, Georgia applied for EU membership, but has not yet been granted candidate status.
In February 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Ukraine’s application for EU membership. In June of the same year, the EU Council granted Ukraine candidate status.
In June 2022, Moldova was also granted candidate status.
People’s deputies have submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a draft resolution on the use in Ukraine of the historical name of the country Georgia – Sakartvelo.
The card of the document under the number 9329 appeared on the website of the parliament.
The authors of the project are a group of people’s deputies, including the head of the parliamentary committee on the integration of Ukraine into the European Union Ivanna Klimpush-Tsintsadze, members of the faction “European Solidarity” Alexei Goncharenko, Irina Gerashchenko, Irina Friz, Vladimir Aryev, Sofia Fedina, Victoria Syumar and others.
“To introduce the use in Ukraine at the official level, official correspondence and communication, as well as in the media of the official and historical name Sakartvelo instead of Georgia. In accordance, the Georgian people (Georgians) shall be called – Kartvels,” – is stated in the text of the draft resolution.
The authors of the bill in an explanatory note notes that the relations between Ukraine and Georgia are deep and multifaceted, but one of the steps of additional rapprochement on the part of Ukraine could be the official use of the historical name of Georgia – Sakartvelo. It is also stressed that for almost fifteen years, official Tbilisi has been persuading its international partners to abandon the name “Georgia,” which is considered russified, and the name itself is Russian.
“Therefore, Georgians are asking to use the historical name of their country – Sakartvelo,” emphasize the authors of the project.
It is also noted that the name “Georgia” is used in the world by about 20 countries, including Ukraine. Most of these countries are post-Soviet countries or those that experienced significant Soviet influence.
“Ukraine, which is a separate subject of international law and historically builds friendly relations with Georgia and which, especially at the present time of Russian aggression, gets rid of everything russified and manifestations of colonial policy, should start using the historical name of the country Georgia – Sakartvelo, and the name of the Georgian people (Georgians) – kartveli”, – think MPs.
