Thousands Of Georgian Armenians Illegally Became Armenian Citizens

THOUSANDS OF GEORGIAN ARMENIANS ILLEGALLY BECAME ARMENIAN CITIZENS

02.10.2015 18:05 epress.am

Five thousand Georgian cotizens of Armenian decent became citizens
of the Republic of Armenia, keeping it secret from the Georgian
authorities. They made this decision in order to migrate to Russia
for work, reports Rustavi 2 television station.

However, as a result of receiving Armenian citizenship, they lost their
Georgian citizenship, because, according to the Georgian Constitution,
citizens lose their citizenship immediately after receiving citizenship
of another country. In order to have dual citizenship, it is necessary
to apply to the Georgian president.

Echo of the Caucasus (ekhokavkaza.com) radio station, while citing
local media, states that residents of the Armenian-populated Javakheti
have started a petition directed by former Georgian MP Melik Raisyan in
order to solve the issue. Residents are asking to be able to continue
to reside in Georgia without having citizenship.

not only work, but also illegal voting in Armenia

In June of 2013, it was reported that adjacent to the Georgian
Ministry of Justice, the Public Services Development Agency found
out that more than 30,000 citizens have become citizens of another
country without informing the authorities.

Afterwards, certain organizations, like Russia’s Javakhk Diaspora
organization had asked the Georgian authorities for amnesty in regards
to their dual passports. The appeal letter stated that due to poverty
and lack of employment in the Samtskhe-Javakhetsi province, Armenians
are forced to leave for seasonal labor outside Georgia’s borders,
mainly to Russia. However, in 2008 Georgia ruptured diplomatic
relations with Russia, while the region’s Armenian residents are
forced to use Armenia’s dual citizenship option.

Earlier, Georgia’s Public Services Development Agency had sent a
letter to those with second citizenship, stating that their Georgian
citizenship is illegal. The state’s Ministry of Justice has told all
citizens to apply to the Agency in order to obtain dual citizenship.

In May of 2012, “Armenia Without Electoral Falsifications” civil
initiative had applied to the Armenian National Security Service,
asking them to publish a list of the number of citizens and their
passport information who had crossed into Armenia from Georgia from May
3 to 5. The initiative had expressed worry that citizens were brought
in from Georgia to Armenia to vote in the parliamentary elections.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress