Georgia, Tbilisi, April 27 / Trend N.Kirtzkhalia /
In terms of refusals of EU visas for citizens Georgia ranks first in the South Caucasus region, report of the research project "Facilitation of visas and readmission: the prospects of visa-free communication" said. Presentation of the project was held in Tbilisi in the Tbilisi Marriott hotel, it was presented by the European Initiative of the Liberal Academy Foundation.
The project was supported by Open Society - Georgia Foundation and is a report of one-year research, which focuses on the process of implementation of agreements on the facilitation of visas and readmission which entered into force on March 1, 2011, between Georgia and the EU.
Director of the European Initiative of the liberal academy Ketevan Tsikhelashvili said in Georgia rate of refusal to grant EU visas is particularly high compared to other countries in the region and ranges from 15 to 17 percent. The norm is about three percent. Other countries in the region has much lower rates. In particular, in Russia and Belarus, it is one per cent, while in Moldova and Ukraine - 3 to 6 percent.
Tsikhelashvili said three-percent rate is considered normal to a country to be considered as a state, having good relations with the EU.
"This is an issue that the EU and Georgia should together discuss and determine the causes. We suppose what might be cause of this. In particular, we are talking about a large number of migrants from Georgia, including the illegal ones. A lot of asylum seekers from Georgia. According to data for 2009, Georgia was sixth, and now occupies the 10th place," she said and added that with these assumptions the organization briefed the leadership of Georgia and representatives of the EU.