Merkel announced that Georgia would be labeled a safe country of origin, making it easier for Germany to send back rejected asylum-seekers. The comments came at the start of her visit to three ex-Soviet Union republics.
Germany's Cabinet wants to add three Maghreb states and Georgia to a list of "safe countries of origin." But will the change pass Germany's upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat, where it failed last year?
The suicide of a Georgian national at a deportation center in Germany has raised questions about the quality of care at such facilities, especially for those with mental illnesses. Politicians are now demanding answers to how the suicide could have happened.
Germany has noted a rise in asylum applications from Georgia now that its citizens can enter the EU visa-free. Authorities have warned the Georgian government it must fix the problem or risk losing its travel privileges.
The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) said that in January 2018, there were 54,000 applications for international protection from the 28 member states of the European Union together with Norway and Switzerland (EU+) while 60,000 decisions were made regarding pending applications. Despite these figures, about 450,000 cases are still awaiting a decision.