“The question of migration weighs particularly heavily on Georgian society. Against the backdrop of events unfolding across Europe, the public’s anxiety and heightened interest in this issue are not merely understandable; on the contrary, they are entirely welcome. It is the natural wish of every patriotic Georgian that the country should firmly uphold and preserve its national and religious identity,” said Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

As Kobakhidze noted, 7.4 per cent of foreigners residing in Georgia are Turkish, and 3.7 per cent are Iranian citizens. He clarified that, contrary to widespread speculation, the combined share of these two nationalities within Georgia’s population is just 0.7 per cent.

“Migration is among the issues that particularly concern Georgian society. In light of ongoing developments across Europe, the public’s concern and interest in this matter are not only understandable but welcomed. Naturally, every patriotic Georgian wishes to see Georgia’s national and religious identity firmly protected and preserved. For this reason, I believe it is important to openly share information about migration and our migration policies with the public.

According to preliminary data from the national census, Georgia’s total population stands at 3,914,000, of whom a maximum of 257,000, or 6.6 per cent, are foreign nationals. This figure includes all foreigners residing in Georgia, among them undocumented migrants.

The National Statistics Office of Georgia (GeoStat) is expected to publish refined figures within the coming months. In the meantime, approximate numbers can be derived from border-crossing data. On that basis, roughly 70 per cent of foreign residents, some 180,000 people, are citizens of post-Soviet states, European Union member states, the United States, or Israel, of whom at least 40,000 are either former Georgian citizens or carry a Georgian surname.

Turkish nationals account for 7.4 per cent of the foreign population, and Iranians for 3.7 per cent, meaning that, contrary to the speculation in circulation, the combined share of these two neighbouring countries in Georgia’s overall population stands at just 0.7 per cent. As for nationals of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, their presence is negligible, something which, unlike for those politicians given to scaremongering, ought to come as no surprise whatsoever to anyone with a genuine understanding of the matter,” Kobakhidze remarked.