**German Court Disagrees on Georgia’s Safety Status**
A court in Berlin, Germany has refused to consider Georgia a safe country of origin for asylum proceedings. The decision was made public on March 21 and reverses the previous ruling from December 2023 that added Georgia to the list of safe countries.
**Background**
The German authorities had previously recognized Georgia as a safe country along with Moldova. This meant that asylum seekers from these countries could be deported more quickly if their applications were rejected. However, two Georgian refugees argued that they would face persecution in Georgia due to their involvement in pro-EU protests and their work in the public sector.
**Court Ruling**
The court ruled that there are significant doubts about whether Georgia’s status as a safe country complies with EU law. The judges noted that the European Court of Justice had previously ruled that a country cannot be recognized as safe if part of its territory is not. In the case of Georgia, this applies to Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, which are controlled by Russia.
**Implications**
The ruling means that the Georgian couple can stay in Germany until a final judgement is handed down. Refugee rights organization Pro Asyl had previously criticized the decision to recognize Georgia as a safe country, citing concerns about security threats and human rights issues.
**Georgia’s Situation**
Since the original decision was made, Georgia has experienced an authoritarian shift and deepening political crisis. The country has seen police violence against pro-EU protesters and hundreds of civil servants have been dismissed for attending these rallies. A series of repressive laws have also been adopted by the ruling government.
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