In December 2023, Georgia was granted candidate country status for EU membership, with the condition that it implement nine specific reforms, including ensuring judicial independence, combating corruption, addressing human rights concerns, and aligning with EU policies. However, by mid-2024, the European Council noted significant backsliding in these areas. As a result, the accession process was effectively halted in June 2024. The European Commission‘s October 2024 enlargement report highlighted insufficient progress, particularly in four of the nine required areas, emphasizing the need for tangible reforms before resuming negotiations
Against the background of the events that are now taking place in Georgia, the situation of those Georgians living in Europe, who were at one time asked for refugee status has changed significantly. A large number of Georgians are leaving Georgia. But they were refused because theoretically, Georgia was a friend of the European Union, a candidate for the EU. What violations of human rights can be in a country that is about to become a member of a close-knit European family? It turns out, from the moment when now officially Georgia proved that it is well, as if not in the same sandbox with the European Union. (Georgian parliament approved the “foreign agent law”) those Georgians, who have already received not only a refusal of refugee status but even a ban on returning to some countries of the European Union, now have a second chance. Now, due to a change in the Georgian political situation, with the new law on non-governmental organizations. These are real changes, because those, who came to the European Union in search of European values, and now these European values are prohibited in Georgia.
There was a high percentage of rejections of asylum applications: EU countries rejected 96% of applications after the initial application, with only 2% receiving refugee status and 2% subsidiary protection in 2023. However, recently the readmission of Georgian citizens from Europe increased significantly due to the new policy of the EU towards Georgian migrants.Â
A change in the attitude toward Syrian asylum seekers
A similar change in the attitude of other non-European migrants has been done recently concerning Syrian people. On December 9, 2024, rebels captured the city of Damascus proclamating the end of Bashar Asaad’s regime, and today the submission for discussion of a document on the withdrawal of all actual documents on the right of residence of Syrians in Europe was done. The change in the regulations was made so quickly that even some European citizens were in a pleasant shock.
This development has led several European nations, including the UK, Germany, France, Austria, and Scandinavia, to review the laws concerning Syrian migrants and to temporarily stop the programs of deportation of Syrian migrants from the European Union.
At the same time, Syria’s neighbor and a member of NATO, Turke, has reopened border crossings to allow refugees to return voluntarily, although conditions in Syria remain unstable. Many refugees remain hesitant to return due to concerns about safety, governance, and humanitarian challenges under transitional authorities.
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