244,966 Georgians emigrated between 2012-2022 – opposition MPs

Opposition MPs Khatia Dekanoidze and Roman Gotsiridze, who have recently set up a Parliamentary group Eurooptimists, on Thursday said 244,966 Georgian citizens had left and did not return to the country between 2012 and 2022, under the current Georgian Dream authorities. 

 

They said more than 46,000 citizens emigrated last year alone, adding the demographic crisis in the country had been caused by large-scale migration and a decrease in the birth rate.

 

“The main way to solve this problem is to implement a socio-economic policy that ensures the raising of the standard of living and, as a result, the stabilisation of the population. In 2013-2022, the economy of Georgia grew by an average of 4.2%. The main reason for migration is low economic growth, low wages, unemployment and hopelessness”, said the MPs. 

 

Accusing domestic opposition groups of “anti-state propaganda”, the current government claims the unemployment and poverty rate had hit “historic minimum” in Georgia.