German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during her August 23 visit to Tbilisi that Georgia should be classified as a "safe country" of origin, a move that would place an extra obstacle in the way of Georgian citizens seeking asylum in Germany.

Given the fraught debate in Germany over how many refugees and other migrants the country can sensibly absorb, the rising number of Georgians heading to the country since the European Union in March 2017 liberalised visa rules for the South Caucasus nation of 3.7mn has not gone down well with a lot of Germans. Numbers have started to retreat in recent months but Merkel—who arrived in Georgia on the first stop of a tour that will also take in South Caucasus countries Armenia and Azerbaijan—was not about to give up an opportunity to speak directly to the Georgians on the matter.

"Georgia is definitely a safe country," she said during a joint news conference with recently appointed Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze.

If German and other EU member state authorities could point to an official recognition that Georgia is a safe country of origin, it would simplify the process of turning away Georgians seeking asylum. In 2017, the number of Georgians applying for asylum in the EU increased by 35% y/y to 10,465, according to the European Asylum Support Centre. 

Sweden is also a favourite destination of Georgians seeking asylum. In March, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili met with Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, and senior representatives of Germany and Sweden, to discuss the issue of Georgian asylum seekers in the EU. Shortly before that meeting, Georgia's justice ministry launched a smartphone application meant to prevent Georgian citizens from overstaying in the EU.

Bakhtadze told Merkel his government would continue to assist Berlin in further cutting the number of Georgian asylum seekers requesting to stay in Germany.

EU and Nato
As expected, and despite some recent intimidating words from Moscow, Bakhtadze also once more underlined that his country wishes to join both the European Union and Nato.

“We have made our contribution to the formation of European values… but we have no illusions,” German news outlet dpa reported him as saying. “We still have a lot to do,” he added.

“Proceeding from here, we certainly believe that Georgia will definitely become a member of the EU and Nato," Bakhtadze was also cited as saying.

Merkel said Germany would support Georgia’s efforts to one day join the European and Western military blocs, but she noted that the country was not currently an active candidate.

Russia remains absolutely opposed to the ex-Soviet nation joining Nato. Earlier this month, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev went so far as to warn that Georgia’s joining the military alliance could spark a "horrible" new conflict. Georgia and Russia fought a brief war 10 years ago over breakaway territories South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia still has thousands of troops garrisoned in the regions and has recognised both as independent countries.

Merkel recalled that 10 years ago she had demanded the withdrawal of those troops, and added: "Of course, I am [still] standing by Georgia's territorial integrity."

The German leader will arrive in Armenia on August 24 and in Azerbaijan the following day.