On December 12, 2018 Irma Inashvili, leader of the Alliance of Patriots said at the Parliament’s plenary session, that the Global Compact for Safe Orderly and Regular Migration, adopted by the UN member states in Marrakech, compels Georgia to accept migrants:
Irma Inashvili, Alliance of Patriots: “Illegal migration is allegedly to be restricted, but at the same time we have to accept migrants. It is clearly stated in this [Global Compact for Safe Orderly and Regular Migration] treaty.
Irma Inashvili’s statement is a disinformation, since Georgia has no commitment under any international treaty to accept migrants. Nor does any provision of the Global Compact for Safe Orderly and Regular Migration contain a commitment to accept migrants.
The Compact is focused on cooperation between the states and has 23 objectives, including:
- Minimization of the factors that compel people to leave their country of origin;
- Integrated, secure and coordinated border management;
- International cooperation to search for missing migrants and saving their lives;
- Ensuring accessibility of adequate documentation for migrants, etc.
The documents is based on several important principles, including national sovereignty, that enables the states to determine their own migration policies in accordance with various factors, including national particularities:
“The Global Compact reaffirms the sovereign right of States to determine their national migration policy and their prerogative to govern migration within their jurisdiction, in conformity with international law. Within their sovereign jurisdiction, States may distinguish between regular and irregular migration status, including as they determine their legislative and policy measures for the implementation of the Global Compact, taking into account different national realities, policies, priorities and requirements for entry, residence and work, in accordance with international law.”
Therefore, the statement of the leader of the Alliance of Patriots, as if Georgis is obligated to accept migrants within the framework of the Global Compact for Safe Orderly and Regular Migration, is a disinformation.
