Poland has begun deporting Georgian citizens found to be staying illegally in the country as part of a broader effort to tackle illegal migration and organised crime, Polish authorities claimed this week.
The first wave of deportations took place on 5 March, with 17 Georgian nationals returned to their homeland via military aircraft.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk, in a statement, declared, “We are effectively dismantling Georgian gangs.” The Polish Border Guard confirmed that further operations of a similar nature would follow. The government of Georgia, led by the Georgian Dream party, has yet to issue an official response.
The deportations follow warnings from Polish authorities about the illegal presence of foreign nationals in the country and their alleged links to criminal activity. Tusk has recently placed increasing emphasis on the need to control illegal migration, a stance that aligns with his broader domestic and European policy agenda.
Observers suggest that if the situation escalates, it could have broader implications for Georgian citizens residing in Poland and potentially lead to discussions within the EU about activating the visa suspension mechanism for Georgia.
The issue of Georgian nationals in Poland came into focus following a violent incident on 21 February. A fatal altercation broke out between Georgian citizens at a Georgian restaurant near Constitution Square in Warsaw. The conflict spilled onto the street, resulting in the death of one man and injuries to two others.
Police arrested three individuals at the scene, and Polish media reported that a total of eight people were involved. The suspects were allegedly members of a criminal group, and at least one was armed with a knife. The 31-year-old victim sustained a fatal stab wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The case heightened concerns in Poland about foreign crime, leading to an announcement on 28 February that deportations of individuals arrested for various offences, including Georgians, would begin in March.
Tusk, who returned as Prime Minister in December 2023, has taken a strong stance on migration, a topic that has become a key issue ahead of Poland’s presidential election scheduled for 18 May.
Analysts suggest that Tusk’s tough rhetoric on illegal migration is aimed at countering right-wing parties that have historically leveraged the issue for political gain.
Tusk, 67, a former President of the European Council and leader of the pro-European Civic Platform party, supports Poland’s continued integration with the EU. His approach contrasts with that of the previous government led by the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, which pursued a more Eurosceptic stance.
Since the start of 2025, Polish authorities have linked 2,616 foreign nationals to various crimes, including theft, drug trafficking, fraud, and drunk driving.
In 2024, Polish police detained 16,437 foreigners, with Ukrainians, Georgians, and Belarusians making up the largest groups. Data released on 8 February 2025 by the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs indicated that 1,895 Georgian citizens were detained in Poland in 2024, with 136 receiving prison sentences. By the end of 2024, 322 Georgian nationals were held in Polish penitentiaries. A total of 2,589 Georgian citizens were expelled from Poland that year.
On 5 March, Tusk shared a video on social media platform X showing the deportation process, accompanied by the caption: “The deportation has begun. We are effectively dismantling Georgian gangs. Not just words, but actions.”
Andrzej Jóźwiak, spokesman for the Polish Border Guard, stated that the deported individuals were men aged between 24 and 58. He confirmed that this was the first operation of its kind and that similar deportations would follow in the coming weeks.
“These individuals include persons with criminal records for theft and those who have overstayed their permits or entered the country illegally,” Jóźwiak said at a press conference.
On the same day, Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak reinforced the government’s position, writing on X: “We will not allow foreign criminal groups to enter Poland.”
The Georgian Dream government has yet to comment publicly on Poland’s decision. The Georgian Foreign Ministry has not issued any statements regarding the situation, leaving questions about how Tbilisi may respond to the growing concerns over its citizens abroad.
