Thousands of Georgian Armenians Illegally Became Armenian Citizens

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.